Calzaghe Should Not Have said this!

or you can accept that calzaghe wasn't marketable enough to offlay 'risk versus reward'.

if you don't court US networks or hit PPV undercards you'll always be a fringe player.

it's not like calzaghe had anything to fear from the middle or LH contenders at that time if he really wanted to fight them, is it?

 

If he was to much of a risk vs reward fighter for Bhop then how was he supposed to get roy in the ring?

 

an important point to remember in this alleged encounter is that the deal was supposedly agreed on all sides before hopkins team came back demanding more $$$$$$.

 

the same way he could've got hopkins.

fight undercard PPV in the US to build momentum, an international fanbase infront of beercan fans (who pay the bills) against fighters known in the states.

the contenders both hopkins and jones had to fight were not in calzaghe's league - he's an excellent fighter - but because calzaghe never chose to make those moves and played warren's game from wales it's why JC gets so much bad rep on international boards.

look at what ricky hatton did once he ditched warren to get a fight with floyd. it's exactly what i'm talking about - and he knew it wouldn't happen under warren.

but calzaghe accepted warren's train of thought and it cost him respect overseas.

i think calzaghe's a more talented fighter than hatton, but hatton garners 10 times the respect for wanting to find out how good he could be.

 

edit

 

Without doubt should have ditched warren long go.

 

agreed.

but those 'smaller fights' (meaning PPV undercard) open the door to career defining fights - and this is the essence of the calzaghe argument.

i have no problem in theory with calzaghe milking fights from wales, but i have a big problem with him calling out the guys who hold their titles and reputation at the top of the tree without even trying to make himself marketable enough to make the fight happen.

it's no coincidence that joe wants hopkins and jones now that they are past their prime and in decline.

but the most frustrating thing is that most fighters would give their right arm to have joe's talent but he pissed it away (so to speak) by never testing himself against the best fighters of his era.

excellent fighter and i'll never say anything different.

but he never wanted to risk his payday against proven world class fighters in their prime.

 

edit

 

who cares?! (silly question i know with so many posts on tthis thread) The fights saturday i certainly couldnt give a fuk about talk and resumes and all that jizz, im just up for the fight cant fooking wait

 

absolutely.

but he didn't and i can't help but feel that calzaghe is going to look back on his career and think "i wish i'd done it this way"

 

edit

 

the tszyu win was a rare chance to have some pull in the US and everyone knew hatton after that fight.

but hatton had to lay down the law to warren to get that fight. it was a special win but still hatton had to release warren to hit the US.

warren builds up momentum domestically and doesn't invade the US..

hatton earned his fight with floyd very intelligently by fighting guys like collazo who had a solid 'beercan fanbase' in the US and using the momentum to get castillo which lead to floyd.

it didn't matter that castillo's discilpine and motivation was in doubt because of what had happened previously, the bottom line was that he got his ass over there and did everything he had to do.

hatton got the floyd fight because he did enough to get a fight with castillo, who was still a profile fighter at that time because of the terrific fights he had with corrales, and he KO'd castillo AND then called out floyd (which cotto never did even though he was also touted as a potential opponent).

 

the undercard issue was an example.

the bottom line is if you want to fight and prove yourself against the best fighters of your era you need to get on PPV in some sense and increase your marketability - and fanbase.

saying calzaghe was beaten "world champions" is the same myth as saying he's 'undefeated'.

unfortunately, these are two things that people have to look at in perspective.

but because a lot of people just want to support their local hero it makes it very easy for guys like warren to fuel support for his fighters.

 

you have bigger dreams than martin luther king

 

Do you admire him in light of his comments about Jones? Do you think it is an admirable attitude for a boxer to have?