Calzaghe: The best British boxer of his era?

I lost an avatar bet to my friend. The nature of the bet shall remain secret but it most certainly wasn't what you have suggested.

 

I had to do a double take when I first seen it and check the name was right!

 

Come on I don't dislike him that much.

 

Yeah I know, its just it has the 'matchmaker' FW and the undisputed Cruiserweight champ Enzo in it as well .

 

I don't like him but I don't hate him. How could I hate the man? I think you know most of the reasons I'm not his biggest fan so lets not go there again.:good

I must admit I did find CantRegister's post amusing though.

I know he picked a real goodun' there. His would have been equally as bad for him though so I cant complain.

 

"Ricky Hatton is not on..Chris Eubank or Nigel Benn's level"

 

Read the title again.:good

 

They put Ricky Hatton up there in the top 5...Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn should be ahead of Ricky Hatton.

 

**SIGH**

They are not of his era.

 

agree with most parts of that post but lewis and hamed both fought more world class opponents if both calzaghe and hatton had stepped up there level of opposition to world class long ago then the outcome of greatest british fighters would of been a diiferent list with both men placed higher up in the list

 

Im not disrespecting Lennox's achievements but getting beaten by bums like Rahman and Mc Call blotted his copy book in my opinion.He wasnt beaten by a dodgy points decision he was put on his backside on 2 occassions. Also I get a bit uneasy with this "Lennox is British" argument.
Lennox learned most of his game in Canada and even boxed for them in the olympics.
By the way how far back are we going to qualify for Joe's generation?

 

Rahman & MCall are not bums. I understand, however, what you are saying with regards to his losses but he came back from both & he fought at a consistently high level through out the length of his career. A string of supermiddle defences doesn't stack up against that for me.

Lennox Lewis was born in the East End he's British.

As for Joe's generation I'd say late 90's onwards really.

 

Behind Lewis at the moment, on achievement at least. If we are talking best as in skillset, it would be very close

If he beats Mary, then Pavlik and Dawson he would overhaul Lennox I feel. The first two are likely, the latter not so much, as Joe will be gone by then/too far past his best

 

Lennox Lewis will be ranked higher than Calzaghe full stop for good and abvious reasons. Calzaghe is a real good fighter but he has never fought a great fighter at their peak. I am sure there are good reasons etc but I would rate Hamed higher as well. In fact if Hatton had not been thoroughly exposed comprehensively by PBF some would continue to rank him higher than Calzaghe. In summary a very good and gifted fighter maybe a truly great fighter but the truth is we will probably never really know which is agreat shame.