Calzaghe vs Ward, who wins?

Electric Guru,

I love how he always leaves out Sugar Shane's prediction from that list.

Shane said "I'm going with Joe, because he'll be too busy for Roy at this stage. But I'd just like to add, that back in the day, he'd have destroyed Joe!"

Ruiz and Ricky Hatton also picked Joe.

You also have to remember that the U.S. guys even in 2008, still hadn't seen a lot of Joe's fights.

He was always going to be more comfortable at 175. It wasn't an issue. For the last 3 to 4 years of his 168 reign, he had to starve himself to make weight. He's said that the camps for Hop and Roy, were two of his best because he ate a lot better and didn't have to kill himself to make the weight.

What was your thinking behind it?

Glen Johnson had dominated and knocked him cold, more than four years EARLIER.

He was 9 weeks from being 40.

How was it a fantastic performance?

He'd suffered back to back knockout defeats in 2004.

He fought Joe in Nov 08.

Did you see Roy's comeback fights?

If you did, what did you see?


Also, Joe dismissed Roy as a threat on two separate occasions leading up to the fight.

Joe said a fight with Roy would be pointless in 2007.

He also said that he'd be disappointed if Roy would be his last fight, because he wasn't great anymore. That was said early in 2008.

So all things considered, it can't possibly be classed as a great win.

Just 12 months later, Danny Green knocked him out in under 3 mins, with a straight right that wasn't even fast.

Joe's win over Roy at that stage, after what he'd said, harms his legacy more than it enhances it.

 

What the hell?:huh

Did I not directly quote you asking who was doing the ducking in 2003 when Jones decided to move up to HW? Now I am no genius, but is that not what you were insinuating?:yep

 

Sports journalist Paul Williams wote the article, it's from an interview Calzaghe did with The Mirror tabloid news paper.

 

Once in his autobiography, and the other time was early in 2008, on the Setanta Sports video.

It's been posted numerous times, on numerous threads.

I've never mentioned Ward.

I'm not doing the whole Calzaghe-Jones debate again.

 

I watched them.. I posted above bailey didn't read or ignored..

I wasn't impressed with Roy in ANY of those comeback fights..

Badi Ajamu is nothing to brag about. quite frankly I don't remember this one that much, as I was intoxicated, but I remember not being that impressed.

Anthony Hanshaw had a lot of success bullying Roy on the ropes for much of the fight.. That was about even at the time Roy scored the late knockdown, sealing a close but clear dec for Roy.. I was not impressed. I think Hanshaw was knocked out early shortly afterwards.

Tito Trinidad was just as shot as Roy, but fighting 20 lbs over his best weight, and managed to win the first 3 rounds very clearly, until Roy's size and strength started to overcome.. Without the 2 flash knockdowns, would have been a close win for Roy. I was again not impressed. I thought Winky Wright was more impressive against Tito than Roy.

That doesn't seem like much of a comeback to me, and as I stated above, I thought Roy was lucky for getting the shot at the ring belt.. There were certainly more deserving fighters.

 

****, ward can win titles at 175, 200, and beat the Klit bros, and ESB will still vote for that calzaggy guy :verysad

 

I was under the impression that the Super Six was created to find Calzaghe's successor because he retired, so if Calzaghe stuck around a few more years there would be no Super Six and instead he would just fight the individual challengers/titleist one at a time.

And, really, I think Calzaghe could have stuck around a few more years if he'd wanted to, and beat the majority of the Super Middleweights and Light Heavyweights around, but he'd decided he was going to retire and wanted to bow out on top with his health and a fortune to his name so he did. Just another exaple of Calzaghe not really caring about his legacy - which would undoubtedly have benefiting from his staying active until 2009/2010 and beating a few more top names.

 

Yes joe was closer to the end of his career, but jones had lost far more of his physical gifts and was way past his prime. A Boxers mentality dictate how long they stay in the sport, not what they have left in the tank. IDK why you even consider the win against jones as a significant one, it simply wasn't. If you can somehow show that the shot to **** roy was still lively please do so. I will concede that the Hopkins win was considering what he has shown after the loss.

 

And, out of interest, did Jones ever show any interest in fighting Calzaghe when he was in his prime? Or was Calzaghe just dismissed as some no-name Euro-fighter not worthy of Jones time?

Sure, Calzaghe didn't really do anything to make the fight, but if Jones wasn't interested then you cant lay the blame solely on Calzaghe's doorstep. Afterall, Jones did have a history of ignoring the WBO Champions because (perhaps justifiably) he didn't think them worth his time - he'd been ignoring Collins for years depite Collins calling him out at almost every opportunity.

 

Hi mate,

Yes, I agree with everything you've said.

All they did, was give him a confidence boost, but it was clear that he could no longer compete at elite level.

The wins gave Roy the confidence to chase Joe, and Joe wanted Roy's name on his record and the payday that came with it.

I don't blame Joe for taking the fight.

The only issues I have with it is:

1. It shouldn't be celebrated in any way as a great win.

2. Joe could have at least shown some honesty, and people would have respected him a lot more for it.

There would have been nothing wrong with him saying that it was an opportunity too good to pass up etc.

But what he did, was make a fool of himself to the media.

I watched all of the build up, with countless interviews.

It was cringeworthy how he backed tracked on his own comments on Roy's decline, by trying to convince people that Roy was back to his best after three great wins!

It was embarrassing to watch.

I'd guess that Joe probably hadn't even seen the fights with Amaju and Hanshaw.

I love reading threads on here, about Joe potentially coming back.

They make me laugh.

People say things like "he couldn't come back at this stage at 40-41, he'd be way past his best, even if he got fit and had tune ups. His reflexes would have slowed, and he wouldn't be the same etc"

Roy was nearly 40, when he fought Joe, but some idiots think it was a great legacy defining win for Joe.

I don't know how they dress themselves in the morning.