Their first fight was close....very ugly and very close I have no interest in watching it again,the styles and the fact they were as good as each other in regards to ring intelligence made it a very uneasy fight on the eye. My question is, who would be better if you could combine all their best attributes at one time. Hokins with the experience he has now but with his youthful stamina Calzaghe with the boxing brain he has now,coupled with his serious power he possessed before his hands crumbled. IMO,Either of the two improved fighters would beat any version of the other fighter but who would be the better improved fighter??? As a massive JC fan i'm gonna throw a curve ball and edge with BHOP. Views???
He has gone the distance in six of his last seven fights:deal Would you not think a bit of extra power, to go with that phenomenal workrate, would come in handy?
Calzaghe had power when he was younger, He just lost it as he has been getting older. That's why he was knocking guys out in a few rounds in his early years.
I know. The OP alluded to that. We're being asked to blend the two fighters best attributes over their whole careers, and I'm giving Joe his power back; I'll also give him his magnificent early career chin (he still has good punch resistance, just not as good as when he was younger). workrate + speed of punch + ring intelligence + power + chin = Super Joe
Do Calzaghe's early KOs not have a lot to do with the opponents? He's a fantastic fighter, but I'm not sure he ever hit much harder than he does now: he may just have had softer targets.
The opponents were easier, as is to be expected early in a fighters career, but Joe also had recurring hand problems as well, which led him to punch with the inside of the glove a lot more; basically that is why some people call him a slapper these days (he also has some basic technique problems coupled with this). He no longer feels confident throwing a flush punch with the knuckle part of the glove; but give him that back now, with what he already has built up over the years, and he would be a far more dangerous fighetr than he already is.