Collins, Benn, Eubank, Calzaghe - Who has the best resume?

Who cares about resume because lets be honest you can find a reason for anyone of those guys other than Eubank to be #1 on the list (don't be sad and try finding a reason for him being #1.) but ill tell you in my opinion has a better resume considering the opponents they fought and the fashion they lost in.

Collins - Benn - Eubank - Calzaghe

Collins as other have noted fought the toughest opposition and had the best sucess in doing so, Benn was tough and although it's hard to choose between Benn and Eubank I believe Benn taking on fighting in there own back yard and taking on some tough customers sways it for me,Eubank for obvious reasons really he didn't really fight alot of tough fighters and didn't travel the globe doing so but he did have some great domestic clashes and deserves #3, as for Calzaghe well he didn't really fight enough top fighters I mean if you said top 5 wins you might even put Peter Manfredo JR in there, on a more serious note he didn't even enough top fighters and win convincingly enough for me.

 

Calzaghe has the better record. its not that close either...

 

#1 - Eubank
#2 - Benn
#3 - Calzaghe
#4 - Collins

 

Eubank and Benn were on the slide in a lot of peoples opinions around the time collins was peaking.

 

That's how I'd have it too, surprised at the under-rating of Eubank in this thread. Beating Watson twice shouldn't be overlooked and had the Watson tragedy not happened would have finished Collins off in their first fight, he had him all over the place. Collins was an opportunist like Slappy, got Eubank and Benn at the right time - he'd never have beaten the prime versions.

 

1- Eubank
2- Benn
3- Calzaghe
4- Collins


Eubank's boasts terrific wins against top fighters at their best (Benn, Watson x2, Rocchi) and other former/future world champs like Holmes and Malinga and guys who only lost otherwise against the lb4lb best boxers.

Benn shocked the world in the Barkley and McClellan fights but for me Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims were very limited, albeit very tough.

Calzaghe fought decent fighters like Richie Woodhall, Charles Brewer and Mikkel Kessler and outhussled the old fox Bernard. A very good resume when not considering the time frame! Years between the fights (Where Eubank had months.)!

Collins was fortunate to get the decisions against Thornton and Eubank (I), but at the end of the day he did and it's on his resume. I thought he was unfortunate against both Johnson and Kalambay, two of the best technicians out there at the time, but at the end of the day the resume says what it says. Considering Benn had come out of retirement twice, and quit twice, and Eubank was coming off the most audacious post-war schedule...it kind of hampers him.

 

mcCallum, Johnson, and kalambay werent shot and collins gave a good account of himself in all 3 fights and,as you just said yourself, Collins hadnt peaked. Eubanks still had enough in him and i dont agree he was on the slide, i believe he got lazy fighting nobodies for the SKY wages and got caught by collins. He still had enough in him to give Thompson and calzaghe decent fights. Plus,lets face it, he was beat in at least 3 of his defences and that was in his 'prime'

 

didnt see this post which,although i dont entirely agree with it all, is a fairly accurate and honest assessment:good

 

Its very difficult to say , I would say the following

1. Most natural Talent - Calzaghe

2. Most exciting - Benn

3. Biggest win - Benn

4. Strongest resume against top fighters - Benn/Collins

5. Highest ring IQ - Eubank

6. Strongest mentally - Collins

7. Fighter who could compete with prime Toney and Jones - Eubank

8. Biggest impact on the sport - Calzaghe

9. Fighter who will be remembered in 50 years - Calzaghe.

10. Fighter who beats all others in their prime - Benn/Calzaghe

Lastly I personally thought Eubank and Collins went 1 - 1. Benn was finished after the McClellen fight and should have retired, it was clear he was taking something off his punches after that fight.

 

Benn was a phenomenal natural talent considering he very rarely sparred, that torque on his hooks and uppercuts was just there - he didn't have experienced trainers in his early career. Timing and accuracy could be frightening, albeit from amateurish angles at full force. I think Benn was the best natural athletic talent.

 

I would actually rate Collins as a better tactician than Eubank. Although studying Eubank's ring generalship there were certainly very few, if none, who mastered it better.

 

Can't believe Benn is getting rated first and Eubank last what a disgrace.


Collins wins

Chris Eubank x2
Nigel Benn x2
Chris Pyatt
Tony Thornton


Nigel Benn wins

Gerald McClellan
Robbie Simms
Iran Barkley
Thulani Malinga
Doug DeWitt


Joe Calzaghe wins

Bernard Hopkins
Mikkel Kessler
Robin Reid
Chris Eubank
Omar Sheika
Byron Mitchell
Roy Jones
Charles Brewer
Richie Woodhall
Jeff Lacy


Chris Eubank wins

Nigel Benn
Michael Watson x2
Tony Thornton
Thulani Malinga
Lindell Holmes
Graciano Rocchigiani



1. Calzaghe
2. Eubank
3. Collins
4. Benn

 

Can you imagine Warren putting Calzaghe anywhere near prime Gerald Mclellan.....ROFL.. ...Calzaghe would think it was April fools early

 

It's disgraceful that Calzaghe only fought once or twice a year against the worst world title challengers in history, and got away with it for 10 years making millions. If SKY (TV) weren't contracted to Warren, they'd of simply dumped Calzaghe.

 

Eubank really can't be touched in non-American terms - in a 52-month period he fought Benn x 2, Watson x 2, Rocchigiani, Collins, Thornton, Wharton, Holmes, Essett and Malinga and travelled to Berlin, Belfast, Sun City, Rep of Ireland, Portugal. The joint best guys with him at his weights were the best boxers lb4lb at the time.