Calzaghe has good pedigree in a watered down, still emerging SMW division but at LHW was unproven against prime opposition. Its like Kessler, he struggled unsuccesfully to get in contention for a title at MW, but as soon as he moved up to SMW he was able to unify titles in the weaker smw division.
Calzaghe ran in fear from any prime lhw who called him out. I am not sure what you can make of that, but it is what it is. Calzaghe also ran due to fear from Froch.
Calzaghe beat Hopkins who schooled Tarver. Froch would be lucky to win 3 rounds against Joe. Calzaghe v Tarver; Calzaghe would out speed Tarver down the stretch to a UD.
You're saying Tarver had a better pedigree at lhw but I don't agree. Tarver got outworked & dominated by Hopkins and Joe beat Hopkins. Tarver's greatest win was knocking out a faded Roy Jones after losing a decision to a SEVERELY dehydrated and weight drained Jones, Calzaghe also beat a faded Jones but the version of Jones that beat Tarver was much worse IMO than the one Calzaghe beat convincingly.
using calzaghes bare win over 43 year old Hopkins is hardly evidence that calzaghe is superior. but its one point that carries a small amount of credence so I bow to that. calzaghe beat shot jones. tarver beat postprime jones by destructive instant ko. The ball for this point is VERY much in tarvers favour. so tarver is superior by this argument.
joes best chance is by decision over old shot tarver yes. but, fact, joe still ran in gibbering sweaty terror from any prime lhw who called him out and ran due to fear from froch.
Joe isn't exactly Joe Louis when punching. But I maintain he has a combination of workrate, quick feet and ring generalship that is very hard to win against. You can look good, and smart, and win more exchanges than you lose, but you'll often trail on the cards. He has a chin on 'm too. Hard to win against on the cards, hard to knock out. Certainly enough to outpoint Tarver, who was outclassed by old Hopkins.
nonothat was postprime roy, albeit weight drained true, more than capable of beating top guys. calzaghes was shot2**** roy, and joe was dropped in that fight. imagine a shot2**** calzaghe getting dropped, he wouldn't be getting up either. no need to defend the indefensible. however I maintain that joe has proved he has the ability to beat a faded tarver, since he IN FACT has beaten faded or shot2**** great/hof LHWs. To maintain he can beat prime LHWs, he needs to have beaten them in reality, or there is no basis in reality for making such a claim.
Hopkins wasn't faded. Nearly seven years after the fight Hopkins is still fighting at a world class elite level and looking to unify the lhw titles. It was a great win anyway you slice it.
Facts are facts, and fools will believe only what they want to believe...atsch Bottom line Calzaghe beat Hopkins, around the same time Hopkins whipped Pavlik whom everyone claimed was the greatest thing since gold, and Pavlik took a serious nosedive after that fight:deal.. Calzaghe also took Kessler to school, and Kessler beat Froch so tell me how exactly was Calzaghe scared of Froch.. Calzaghe would have put a whipping on Tarver too...
And Hopkins will beat Korlev or however you spell his name , 49, or whatever Hops is gonna put a whipping on that guy....:yep
everyone is faded at 43. anyone who says otherwise is lying. joe was of course post prime, a year past his absolute prime which has to be his career pinnacle defeat of Kessler, far outstripping any opponent he fought in the past.