Calzaghe went 10 years (97-06) without a big fight...WHY??

Absolutely agree about Lopez, the man is a true legend of the sport. I guess that's a factor in what disturbs me about the Calzaghe worship, calling him a "great" a "legend" etc.
Lopez is virtually unknown and ignored outside of the hardcore boxing community yet he truly did have a great run, fought everybody and STILL remained undefeated, yet there are so many holes in Joe's "legacy" it's incomparable. Yet Calzaghe is a god and Lopez... who's he?
I find it sad.

 

Thats because "fans" memories are only as good as yesterday. When Lopez was kicking ass Joe was still in diapers.

 

It's true, he's not. One of the nicest down to earth gentlemen you could meet.

 

Gaz on the other hand is a ****.

 

And he beat everyone.... So many former and future champs.

 

Lopez looks awesome on film, I'll agree with you there. But there was hardly a pool of talent at his weight (not his fault) and this is the reason there is doubt about his greatness.

I can see the difference though, Joe had opportunities to cement his place as a great further and arguably didn't take them, where as Lopez fought everyone he could have fought and the talent pool just wasn't there.

As I said though, Joe still fought some top fighters and won. And everyone that rates Calzaghe as a great is not just hanging off of his nuts. Some would have you believe he was greater than he was but he's definitely a great in my book.

The main criticisms seem to be that he spent too long in the wilderness fighting some good and some poor fighters, and that when he finally was a massive name and could have any fight he wanted he took on a ghost of Roy Jones. I think many people are frustrated about the first criticism, including his fans, but the second I cannot blame him for...what fight would've made him more money? Perhaps the Pavlik fight but probably not. I respect him for sticking to his guns though. In the build up to the Lacy fight he said he wanted 3 more big fights and then he'd retire. He did that.

 

Lol your speaking turd there pal... The decision was awash with Talent and so were the divisions above him.

Sarjaturong (Rsf 2)- amazing little fighter and future world champion
Kermin Guardia- world champ
Villamour- World champ
Melchor- World champ
Sanchez- World champ
Alvarez- world champ
Grigsby- World champ
Vorapin- World champ
Petelo- World champ

And he Ko'd most of them... there is no comparison its like comapring rola cola and champagne.

 

In plenty of instances there isn't a lot to be said for beating former champions.

Especially when they are on a run of stoppage losses.

I'd say beating a future champion carries more kudos - providing they aren't completely green.

 

Yep.... Form is so important in boxing. Woodhall may have beaten Calzaghe had he fought like a winner. And an unbeaten Robin Reid is a downsight more handy then one whose coming off a loss to malinga.

 

I wouldn't agree with you there mate.

They might class as good fighters, but none of them are greats. And what I meant by the talent pool is that at minimum weight there will of course be world champions, but, and I have nothing against the fighters at that weight, it isn't going to be as tough as it would be to become a World Champion at a more traditionally stacked division like welterweight.

Agree about the form but I don't think Woodhall was ever beating Calzaghe anyway. Robin Reid had a reputation for being hit and miss as well and was desperate to get a form of the world title back.

 

And I've been training for years to be one. I've had a Decade Of Dominance!

 

This is it my friend..........what we are talking is the hardcore and the experts........we all know about Lopez and his accomplishments......but commerically no casual observer is ever going to be that interested in him.

Also we have the british press behind Joe Calzaghe who need to write a story and hence building him up.......is something to write about and calling him british builds excitment. Also remember the british press/ media are apart of the most influential orgs in the world.....they have a far reaching arm than most bar the american media.

Talking about and hispanic fighter from one of the smallest divisions dosetn sell.

This is why me and a few others try to speak about Hatton and Calzaghe on a more realistic level rather than fanboy/ worship/ lover type that others go for.

 

I completely agree. Not to personally knock Joe or anything, for he truly is a very good fighter, but a lot of it is media creation and hype. I remember the headlines in the national papers when Joe retired, not only saying he was the best ever (or amongst them - and I mean globally not just British) but Britain's only ever undefeated world champion.
Of course it's lazy journalism like that that has huge influence over the masses, as you pointed out so well, when that isn't even a correct fact in the first place. (Erm.. Terry Marsh????)

It's not a personal vendetta against Calzaghe, it's more a case of I find it insulting of those truly great fighters, who genuinely earned their places in history, going ignored and disparaged by those who only believe what people like Pat Sheehan from The Sun has told them (and you could write what that man knows about boxing on the back of a postage stamp).

It really, really wound me up when Joe beat Jones, because I live smack bang in the middle of Calzaghe country (I happen to know the Calzaghes personally) and all I'm ever hearing from the local f*wits is how great Joe is because he beat a legend like Jones - and these people didn't even know Roy Jones existed until 2008. That's what gets under my skin. They don't know a left hook from a fishing hook, yet they're all suddenly experts when it comes to whether or not Joe Calzaghe is the best fighter ever.

It's good to come on here and see there are guys such as yourself who are able to keep things real and in perspective.

 

:think Harsh ...................but maybe a little True !