if calzaghe and collins had fought

very close fight.

Both fighters best wins were against top guys past their prime.

Both came at the right time.

Collins in his early career lost to Mike Mcullum and Reggie Johnson.

" fighters that would have given calzgahe problems. Calzgahes best wins were against Kessler and LAcy 2 fighters who wouldnt barely break the TOp ten of the era of Jones, Mclellan Mcullum Benn Eubank etc

 

I'd give the edge to Calzaghe. Calzaghe was inspired the night he fought Eubank and that level of performance would have been too much for Collins. Who at that point was losing his desire to fight. He was only interested in fighting RJJ and he would not have been fully motivated against Calzaghe.

Collins was a very good fighter but in Calzaghe he would have faced a fighter that could not only match his workrate but actually out work him. Calzaghe's speed, power, youth and greater hunger would have been enough to earn him a UD in a great fight.

 

Just watched Neville Brown vs collins on steve collins fightfest last night( all this week 1030pm NUTS TV ( uk freeview) and though steve won he looked easy to hit , plus calazghe dominated eubank but collins vs eubank were closer fights. If they had fought when they should have fought (just before collins retired)calzaghe nicks it with higher workrate plus he had enough power to discourage collins then. If they met prime for prime calzaghe outboxes collins using speed rather than power, but who knows maybe collins could out psyche calazaghe like he did with euubank

 

Calzaghe beats him rather easily. If not then Calzaghe is currently vastly overrated.

 

Calzaghe would have beaten Collins pretty handily.

Collins was a very good fighter, but his whole resume was built upon going the distance with Mike McCallum and beating Eubank and Benn twice each. Benn was shot to bits by then, whilst Eubank was never the same after Watson II in terms of being able to finish an opponent off.

I would have backed both to beat him, as well as Herol Graham and Michael Watson.

Edit - not shot to bits, but the McClellan fight took a lot from him both physically and mentally.

 

I meant both Benn and Eubank to beat Collins - prime that is.

Calzaghe at that time was a unorthodox wrecking machine, as opposed to the unorthodox high workrate boxer he is now - so a fully paid up member of the 'who needs him' club.

The hand trouble he has suffered forced him to change his game significantly.

Benn has said he would lose to Calzaghe, and Eubank said something along similar lines in reference to his prime years.

I'm not so sure. JC vs Benn would have been one hell of a war, whilst Eubank at his peak had the ability to make people look silly, not to mention a chin which would put Margarito to shame P4P.

 

In this month's Boxing Monthly there is an interview with Collins and in it he is asked why he never fought Joe. Here's his reply...

"If Joe was at the level he is now, back then it would have been a megafight. But in 1997, Joe was just one of a million up-and-coming guys; he didn't bring anything to the table. I'd not even seen him fight. Fortunately for him, the money wasn't there because, back then, i'd have beaten him and denied you all enjoying his brilliant career.
I retired mentally before the (july1997) fight with Craig Cummings, a guy who wasn't in my league yet he dropped me, when Benn and Eubank hadn't. I didn't enjoy training, couldn't get going. I didn't have the desire anymore. I'd been promised a fight with Roy Jones Jr but it never materialised. Eubank and Benn were retired, Robin Reid was a young, largely unknown WBC champion, WBA champ Frankie Liles was a stablemate, James Toney was my friend."

 

Yeah I think that the hypno spell he had been under had worn off more like.

 

Calzaghe's speed would have taken care of this one. Collins didnt have enough power to drop Joe and wouldnt be able to outbox him either.

 

collins would last the twelve rounds but the decision goes to joe!

 

Calzaghe would have beaten Collins out of sight!.....The Calzaghe that beat Eubank was a completely different animal to the one that we see now. He punched so much harder back then, and would have swarmed all over Collins and possibily stopped him in the late rounds......Don't get me wrong, i like Collins, he was a good fighter with a great chin, it's just that back then Calzaghe was exceptional.

 

It's no given, but I think Calzaghe beats Collins. I think he probably beats prime Benn as well. Prime Eubank, pre Watson, I'm not so sure.