I was a bit disappointed Calzaghe always seemed to go for the path of least resistance. He kept coming up lame each time he was signed to fight Glen Johnson, then when Johnson moved on, Calzaghe was miraculously healed and fought some scrub immediately.
Imo Canelo would be a bigger draw without the ped scandals. He's been doing great up and down the weight classes. Remember Evander Holyfield? There was no message board s around back when he was in his prime. The audience ate him up as a huge draw, just like Canelo is regardless pulling in viewers like crazy who like to see him fight and not talk crap about him, just like prime Holyfield. Remember as they say, people are gonna hate even if you're doing great.
I don’t know that JC is the GOAT but what I do know is Canelo would beat the **** out of him head to head.
He spent long enough there, and the same amount of time as what Toney did. They both had around 7/8 fights in a 2 year period. Admittedley, it wasn't long, but on a H2h basis, I don't know who was better. He then moved up to a higher weight where he fighters who were better than the majority of Joe's opponents at SMW. So for me, he's the greatest SMW of all time based on ability. He embarassed James Toney who'd just knocked out Tim Littles in 3 rounds. He easily beat Thulani Malinga in 6 rounds. Malinga was tough and he went on to beat Robin Reid just before Reid fought Joe. He easily beat Merqui Sosa, even if the stoppage was dubious. He easily beat Eric Lucas after playing a half of semi-pro basketball earlier on in the same day. Joe didn't beat anybody better than Toney. He just has many more lower level wins that's all. Joe was a great fighter in his own right. But he was never better than the version of Roy who fought Toney. And if Roy hadn't have moved up to LHW, he'd have made numerous defences of his IBF title. And it's only realistic to assume that, as again, he beat better fighters at LHW than who was left at SMW. Benn retired in 1996, and Eubank left the division in 1995, before briefly coming back for his fight against Joe in 1997, before then retiring at CW in the following year. Collins also retired in 1997, and Nunn moved up to LHW. So there would only have been a faded Liles left in the division. So remaining at the weight to fight most of the guys who Joe did would have been easier than fighting Griffin and Hill etc. So again, realistically, Roy could easily have made the same number of defences as what Joe and Ottke did.
Really? I think that Joe would have been a horrible match up for him stylistically. I think that by the time Canelo retires, he'll be rated and ranked higher than Joe on a P4P basis. You could argue now that he has more overall ability than Joe. But H2H, it would have been a different scenario altogether. Joe is 6ft and he was training down from 200 pounds. He was a big guy. As well as having a height advantage, he'd also have possessed a reach advantage. And then there were his attributes to look at. He was a southpaw with blazing hand speed, with an insane engine and a great chin. Stylistically, Joe would have been everything that Canelo hates. Although he was young for his fights against Floyd and Lara, I think that great movement and hand speed will always be an issue for him. He'll always be vulnerable against highly skilled, mobile fighters. I think that Joe would definitely have been the favourite.
Agree with all of this and add: Canelo likes to work at his own pace. He's never had a great gas tank and Calzaghe will make him hit empty by the midpoint.
This was like the start of the 'exhibition' style fights IMO, both way past prime (obviously Roy MUCH more so), sad to see. I think Joe carried Roy to the end and could have ended it anytime after that cut. But was obvious to anyone that JC had lost a pretty hefty step as well since the Kessler fight. I'd have loved to have seen them Prime for Prime, Roy was such a freak of nature, but then Cazlaghe's engine and workrate was something else too. Throw in Ward, Toney, B-Hop and Froch and you'd have one hell of a Super-6!!! I wouldn't bet against RJJ, but i wouldn't bet against Calzaghe or Ward either!
Yeah agree. Calzaghe had lost a step but Jones had lost a couple. Would have been much closer in their primes. I like Calzaghe even prime for prime, but I could totally see the rationale for picking Jones.
Canelo would have to park at 168 for the next 2 or 3 years to do it. If he beats Saunders, Benavides, Plant, and then the next crop of young guns....Melikuziev, Berlanga, Morrell........that would clearly do it, IMO, provided those guys are as good as they project to be. He won't match the time spent by Calzaghe, but the quality will be there.
No way Canelo ever comes close to Calzaghe. The same Joe who gave RJJ a humiliating loss would do the same to Canelo. Roy hit him flush with everything he had and Joe didn’t even blink. Canelo likes to take time off during rounds and fade later in the fight. He would gas midway through and Joe would outwork him in every round. Joe wasn’t a big puncher but he had amazing stamina and never stopped throwing punches. Canelo would win some early rounds but he wouldn’t hurt Joe and would take a beating just like Roy over the course of the fight. He might still win it on the cards because Canelo is a bigger draw but no way he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Calzaghe at SMW.
Good for Canelo, because he’d never stop throwing counter punches. JC is a really good fighter, I respect him but he’s going to have a hard time dealing with what Canelo brings.
do you mean the "same calzaghe" that only fought roy when he was well past prime and losing as many as he was winning? sounds good when you say "calzaghe...gave roy a humiliating loss", doesn't it? but it doesn't take into account when he fought him. or should i be raving about danny green ko'ing roy in round 1 the following year?
