give calzaghe a break

Look Joe fought his prime away in his own protected shell. He is a talented, gutsy champion that came into the ring often , in shape and defended with honor. He showd a unique skill set against often good to very good but not great opposition. That being said, the Hopkins fight disappointed. He was very lucky to escape with a razor thin decision, got dropped on his can, showed zero power and was brought down to Earth on a global stage.

He wants to fight Jones for big money and I don't blame him. However, I hope he does not take Jones lightly as Roy is still fast and cn still swat a bit. In addition, Cal does not have the style on paper to flatten him. I actually think Cal can redeem himself a bit if he wins decisively ... then I'd love to se him have the balls for a swan song against Pavlik ...

 

That thread was done as a joke by a Calzaghe fan.

 

i think there is only 1 person in this entire world slating him for ducking Dawson vs Tarver so its not really worth making a thread about it. He definately deserved some criticism for fighting Roy Jones though

 

why??? that guy has been taking easy fights all his life!!! had someone like pbf fought the likes of will mcintyre, tucker pudwill, branco sobot etc. in supposed "world title fights" ........and now he takes on the second 40 year old faded former us superstar........and we should give HIM a break?????atschatsch

are you nuts??? he should give us a break.

 

NO-ONE in their right mind would call Calzaghe a ducker if he got the fight on with Pavlik. He is a much more dangerous fighter than Tarver or Dawson and it's a bigger, more exciting fight. I will dance through the streets with joy if it happens, coz at last Joe has taken up a challenge where he will have the opportunity to show how good he really is. Should've been doing it 10 years ago, but better late than never!!

 

I just posted this on another thread, but it applies here too I think:

I am Calzaghe's biggest critic- not because I think he is ****, but because I believe he never made the most of his talent, never chased the big fights, never went for the toughest challenges, to risk it all and prove himself. Even if he fights Pavlik it can't make up for 9 years of lazy defences from 97 til 06, he missed his time and there's nothing that can be done about that now, but at least he has finally took on a big name, a dangerous opponent, a 50/50 fight of the like he hasn't done before. Lacey was a good win and a great performance, Kessler a very good win and a great performance, Hopkins a decent win on account of a poor performance, but these 3 fights don't make a great career. At least he would finally be giving himself a chance for a career-defining challenge v Pavlik. If Joe takes it on, I salute him.

 

At last Joe has taken up a challenge to show how good he really is?
So lets forget your ignorance of European boxers who cant be good because they are euro bums and only americans rule.

He has fought Lacy, Kessler (Euro bum champ) and hopkins in his last few fights, destroyed your boy lacy (favourite for the fight and tipped widely by boxing journo's) Kessler was an undefeated champ in a 50/50 fight, again widely tipped to beat calzaghe and hopkins a ring rated top 5 p4p fighter.

I would like to see Pavlik take on another big fighter and win so then when Joe outclasses him you dont come crying back with he only beat lockett and williams. So really who has the better resume for the last few/next fights Calzaghe: Jones, Hopkins and Kessler or Pavlik: Williams, Lockett, Taylor.

But lets give KP a free pass he is winding down his career he is past his peak and just wants to make money now, oh wait that should be the 36 year old joe.

 

pavlik is tailor made for him. beating pavlik would definitely silence some critics, especially those who were saying that hes cherry picking, but a pavlik win at 168 doesnt mean something extraordinary. he can win this fight by footwork alone! but he would definitely affirm his championship at 168 with that win.

and yeah, its the fight im looking for at the big guys division

 

I think he's more prepared to fight the dangerous fighter now because he has a maturity

Thank God guys like Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad and Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao never waited til they had maturity before taking on dangerous fights or we would have had a ****ing boring decade from the mid 90s til now, eh? In my eyes a true boxer, a true champion, chases the challenges that will prove his greatness, put it all on the line in a 50/50 fight, to forge a career and a legacy that will live on, to make them the top men of their generation.

It is an evil thing.

And I think it's a complete 50/50 toss-up between him and Pavlik. At a push, I say Pavlik by stoppage around the 7th round after a thriller.

 

why should he be exempt from hate? what makes him so special?

 

I think the days of Calzaghe ducking are done.

It could be argued that during the early and middle parts of his reign that certain guys were ducked.

Glen Johnson is the obvious example, Dariusz Michalzewski is another - throw in a rematch with Robin Reid which should have happened and you have a point.

He was also frightened to death about facing Jeff Lacy (due to a minor hand injury) until his father convinced him over the phone that cancelling the fight would ensure that everyone would remember him as 'a ****ing chicken' before hanging up (read his book :deal)

I would criticise him for not fighting Pavlik, as I feel he is made for Joe to look good.

 

I am from SCOTLAND so mind your ****ing ignorance. Name me 1 top class European boxer Calzaghe beat other than Kessler?? Didn't think so.

Hopkins was 43, it was clear in the fight he was a far better boxer than Joe but just didn't have the stamina or energy levels anymore to keep up. Lacey was a quality puncher but not a quality boxer. Joe handled him well. Kessler was his best win, but Kessler hadn't been a world champ for long and didn't exactly have the best resume. A very good win, not a great one.

Pavlik is at the start of his career as a world champion, Calzaghe has been there for 12 years! He has to cram big fights in now coz he's been doing **** all with his career and realizes that now. Pavlik has beaten Miranda and Taylor twice, and his next fight after Williams will surely be against Calzaghe or Abraham, that's more than Calzaghe done in his first year as a world champion (more than he done in his 1st TEN years as champion actually).

If Joe beats Pavlik, I will be the first to say it is his first GREAT win, a career-defining one in fact.

 

Byron Mitchell was supposed to be a career defining fight

Ha ha ha! Get the **** out of here u joker!!