Calzaghe

Funny that arguably his best win was in his opponents backyard. Ottke never got close to doing the same and did I forget to mention THE MULTIPLE ROBBERIES IN TITLE FIGHTS. He wasn't a good fighter, and certainly not one you wanted to fight given you'd be fighting Ottke, the ref and the judges all at once. You see, Ottke wasn't a great SMW compared to Calzaghe and isn't worthy of being mentioned alongside him. If you steal a title, I'm not giving you credit for it. Just like Wilder held onto that belt after Fury beat him the first time and acted like he really owned it. Nah, Byron Mitchell was robbed, should've been unified IBF/WBA champ and then he lost his next fight to Joe, a man who could've been a three belt holder at the time if it weren't for **** judging in Germany.

 

I still have him in my p4p top 10 just behind Usyk

 

Roy was shot.

Joe himself said that.

Slapping a guy around who he wouldn't fight when he was prime was a joke.

 

You can't really say he was badly managed, when he was more than happy to defend a lightly regarded belt for a decade.

 

at least it was one fighter Roy couldn't ridicule, theres no room for that in this gentleman's sport imo

 

Sven would never have left Germany.

Joe did fight in Germany sgainst Veit, but honestly, I couldn't criticise him for not wanting to fight Ottke in Germany.

The Ottke-Reid fight was outrageous.

It's a shame it didn't happen though. The circumstances were basically the same as why Roy and Dariusz never fought.

 

I'm one of Joe's biggest critics on here, but he doesn't deserve any criticism for not going to Germany to fight Ottke.

Sven could have beaten a prime version of Mike Tyson in Germany.

 

I'm confused.

Joe did it.

 

People dislike the fact that he didn't dare to be great, and yet has a rabid fanbase "to this day" trying to rewrite history for him.

Joe was a very good fighter, you could say, but certainly left a lot to be desired. Getting british stoppages from slapping people while hiding out in a safe place for a decade fighting subpar opposition will never be great.

I don't understand the incessant praise, really. If Josh Taylor retired right now I'd rank him above Calzaghe in terms of greatness.

 

The Americans on this forum hate Calzaghe because he embarassed their "boxing saviour" in Roy Jones, Jeff "the next Mike Tyson" Lacy and Benard "I will never let a white boy beat me" Hopkins.

Calzaghe resume is greatly undderrated - Jones, Hopkins, Kessler, Lacey, Bika, Mitchell, Veit, Reid and Eubank.

 

Calzaghe vs Ottke - Not even the ref from Reid vs Ottke fight would have been able to save Ottke. Calzaghe would have stopped Ottke in a few rounds with Ottke attempting to hold on for dear life and look to ref for help.

Ottke should of lost to Reid, Mitchell and Brewer. Ottke was several levels lower than Kessler nevermind Calzaghe.

 

Mitchell fight should have been a unification with Joe. He was jobbed of his belt in Germany.. Mitchell is a better win than Lacy was.. Mitchell had KOd Liles & JCG & should have been unified IBF & WBA champion at the time he fought Joe.. his two losses at that time were both contentious affairs.. he was twice WBA & lineal champion.. he hit Calzaghe with a sledgehammer & it lit a fire under Calzaghes ass! Great chin, heart & at that point he could still crack too!

 

Hopkins was constantly stalling & looking to the ref for a way out that night

That's not a the behaviour of a man that's winning a fight. Hopkins couldn't fight fairly so had to stink it out to get to a SD type scenario..

Had he not used those tactics he'd have lost heavier. Calzaghe had pretty much mentally walked away from boxing by that point anyway & was just cashing in on the big American names

 

I am massive Joe fan My wife made him laugh his head off I could not get to meet him but she happened to be in Cardiff and went to a DVD signing in the HMV ( in the old precedent if you know it ) with her friend. She told him that the DVD was for me and asked her my name . Suddenly after 20 years of marriage she was so star struck she had forgotten my name ! The she she said we had been together for 20 year and Joe fought this was highly amusing .
We were at the press conference for the Jones fight at Cardiff town hall and then went to the back door . Joe Roy and Enzo came with the guards ! One of the Cardiff lads had had a few and was shouting at Roy to sign his shoe. Roy walked over to his limo and Enzo was shouting for f$$k sake sign his foot wear Enzo was more even funny in real life than you see on You tube !

I sometime go to Newbridge and have something to eat in the Owl just over from Joes gym . You can look up at the hills where he would train .Then I have wondered over to the rugby pitch where the gym is It is strange being in this little unassuming town where it all happened

Lacy was one of the most under rated fighters and Joes win over him will never be reconized enough I would say this fight happened a bit early . If Lacy was given two more fights to beat a couple of bigger names Joes victory would be reconsized alot more I still this is one of the top 3 fights on British soil .

Hopkins was knocking on a bit but still had it and Joe took the fight

It is a sad job that he never got to fight Froch but its too late now
I would have loved him to fight Nigel Benn but these two eras past each other

I think in the future Joe will be rembered more than he is now

 

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