How do you beat Calzaghe?

Fight him in your prime

 

:think

I think you feel the irony of it. The Hopkins game-plan was almost enough in the whole to pull it off, but 1. we are talking about a top5 P4P-er and a HOF with a physical advantage and a very ugly/awkward but ultimately effective counter-punching style - so probably the worst than Calzaghe can get 2. if you take a look how the fight progressed, you see that after the KD and a very early Hopkins rounds, the Welsh just outsmarted and outworked Hopkins like everyone else in his career who lasted more than 7 - even in missing a lot and fighting Bernard's fight. Hopkins, a strong comer and finisher in later rounds (DLH, Tito, the hardest shots in the Tarver and Winky fights 40+) was just 'outstronged' this time, and not because of Hopkins' low, but Joe's incredibly high fitness level. Also, if there isn't a KD, there would be no dispute who was better.

So suggesting that doing the same as a top5 P4P-er (who at a certain age or not defeated P4P#2 Winky the last time and did came strong in the later rounds in that fight) just even quicker (he WAS quick in knocking Joe down - the timing was still there) with a better stamina is funny because I don't see anyone coming close to the Hopkins-success giving Joe stylistic problems. So if there's no one who can pull a Hopkins on Joe, it's just funny to expect someone doing the same just quicker and with a better stamina - when two of Joe's best weapons are the quickness and the stamina.

Dawson: probably the one with the speed and smarts to make it as close as anyone bar Hopkins. But: stamina problems, chin problems, some defensive issues and seemingly he just don't like overly aggressive guys makes him vulnerable. Calzaghe close UD / late TKO in a great fight.

Jones: the 2nd hardest fight in 2008 because of his (still) great counter-punching abilities, decent speed and stamina. Simply, Joe doesn't like smart counter-punchers, he likes predictable fighters. And believe me, Jones would try landing that right hand all night, and IMO he and Dawson are the two either smart or quick enough to do it and produce some damage. Hopkins, the southpaw specalist who could land those nasty shots against Winky as well, but after a few rounds, Calzaghe adjusted to them. Calzaghe UD Jones in a boxing match. (Jones clear UD in his prime though).

Pavlik: how do you beat Calzaghe? Let's say Joe's defense is not perfect in the early rounds until he completely adapts to his opponent, so if there's one today who's got the punch to crack Joe's chin and knock him out cold is the great Kelly. So if outsmarting, outboxing and outspeeding does not work, outpunching maybe. The only problem is that Pavlik is very one-dimensional* with serious defensive problems. (*as long as his jab-based, physical aggressive style can set the pace and he can stay in control - he's so good in it that he's a legitimate P4P-er and an undisputed champ today - he's almost unbeatable, so being one-dimensional is not a problem). But put a smart, speedy counter-puncher in front of him who can take away that jab and counter him beautifully, make him miss and spoil his gameplan, he's in trouble as he steps in unknown territory. Joe would never let Pavlik in the fight like Taylor did after outpunching himself. Calzaghe would counter Kelly from the very first minute, Kelly's style is just PERFECT for Joe, he would really shine in making Pavlik miss and paying for it and ultimately would either stop him due to accumulation of slaps (I doubt it, Kelly's heart is HUGE) or win a very clear UD.



How do you beat Calzaghe? Like any other opponents. You can out box or outpunch or KO him. Only today I don't see any fighter pulling it off. Doing the same as Hopkins just better meaning being able to counter-punch Joe better than one of the best in that in the modern era in these weight classes. The only one pulling it off in the last 20 years is Jones IMO, and on skill level, Jones is top5 ever. And still, in Hopkins' success, his physichal advantage was a big part, so when I say maybe Dariusz Michalczewski could do the outpunch part, it's only because he's a big and very strong LHW with underrated jab and great pressure - and I'd still pick Joe to outbox him due the stlye. Also, I don't think that the 2001 Hopkins (MW) could do the same as the definitely less active, LHW Bernard did in 2008 - he didn't spoil and made fights this ugly back than, and making Calzaghe fight an ugly fight and landing those nasty counters is the only way to make it close today - and Hopkins still couldn't beat him. So Jones with his stunning speed, great counter-punching, great combination punching and movement is one to give Calzaghe more than he can handle. But losing only to Jones and being Jones to be able to beat Calzaghe is just tells you how good he is.

 

Hang on, I thought this subject had already been settled and the answer entered into ESB orthodoxy?

It's very easy to beat Calzaghe, you just walk through his ineffective slaps and whack him on the chin until he falls down.

It's so easy that it can be accomplished by any top ten fighter at 160 and above (except for those that have already fought him).

Always remember the Calzaghe Connundrum, expressed thus:

Everybody (except anyone who has tried) KO Calzaghe

 

You are tall, keep him on the outside and bury your right hand in his nose every time he steps in. If you need to eat a jab to land a cross, you do so and follow it with a left hook, always mixing up the hook to the head or body.

When he starts addapting to the right cross, you start feinting a cross and getting him to charge in, letting him walk right into your left hook, then work it the other way, getting him to think you are going to feint the cross, and thats when you bust his nose with it. Always maintaining a jab from the outside and making him pay on his way in.. He slaps and mixes punches in ever now and then, so you need to eat the slap and land the bomb.

A good tactic would be to make little slappy movements to get into his, and the judges heads who is landing the big punches. He may get in and land four un answered slaps. But as long as you dominate the outside and make him pay by eating a big shot.. Try to keep this up for 12 rounds, not likely going to knock this guy out.. The right hand can land, Kessler landed his regularly on Calzaghe, but he didn't follow with any sort of counter left hook. People talk about Kesslers left hook, but I have yet to see him use it to tool his opponents.

Smaller fighter needs to stay busy and commit as much as possible to the body early, so you have a chance in hell at being competetive in the later rounds. Start fast and dig the rib cage as much as possible in the first 4 rounds. Be rough, take it to him on the inside, try to open up a cut and be dirty as hell.

 

I agree with your point, but dont think Andrade would be the man to do it.

 

Hard to beat fighter indeed. The problem is to beat him you have to be aggressive yet willing to wait for him to engage first. Basically the key to beating Calzaghe is a powerful counter right hand...the problem with that is while waiting to land it, you're going to be eating a lot of leather and probably dropping a lot of rounds as well. Thus you have to be aggressive enough to keep yourself in the fight when it maintaining rounds. Being able to go 12 rounds without completely gassing out is another necessity.

Pavlik would have a great chance if he wasn't so god damn predictable.

 

excellent post i could not write better myself

 

patsch

 

GREAT HANDSPEED AND AGILITY.

A class fighter with good hand speed would beat Calzaghe, which is why most of his hand picked opponents lack that one skill.

Calzaghe has the boxing skill to defeat strong guys and outwork those that are tough, fit working types BUT get a boxer with great handspeed, atheletic ability to go 12 rounds and good agility and Joe will get beat.

Anthony Mundine is the perfect type of fighter.

And that is an objective call because I believe that Hopkins would beat Mundine.

 

you have to gain his respect early either by knocking him down or making him taste leather and make him think twice about opening himself up with flurries. B-hop earned his respect with the KD and beat him to the punch for the first four rounds. when he does open up composure is the key thing pick your gaps get the timing right hes easily hittable.

 

Baseball bat?

 

Calzaghe is a very hard fighter to beat. He's so versatile and has very few weaknesses. If your'e a puncher/brawler, he's very strong and has decent power, a granite chin and an insane workrate. If your a boxer, he's got quick hands and feet, a superb jab, a southpaw style and good skills. It's going to take an all rounder with few weaknesses himself to beat Calzaghe which is why Hopkins was so effective. A great right hand is also a must. No such fighter exsists at his weight so I think Joe will retire undefeated as long as he doesn't fight on for too long.