If Calzaghe DID face the "names" over the last 10 yrs...???

He would be even money or favored over everyone from 160 to 175 except Jones, possibly Hopkins.

 

Not a fan of his, but I'm not gonna deny his greatness. I think he beats everyone from 160-175 except Toney, Jones, Hopkins, and
















































Kessler

 

I think he would have beaten Hopkins when they were both at their best. Hopkins has been so lazy in so many fights and destroying a blown up welterweight does not persuade me that he could avoid the pressure, speed and reach advantage that Calzaghe has.

RJJ would have wiped the floor with Joe when fighting at their respective bests. Toney would have been a great fight, but I would favour Toney, but it would be close.

 

Toney & RJJ beat him. Id favour him against the rest.

 

Favoured over all except Jones. Hopkins would trouble him stylistically, but he is also not Hopkins' optimum style either with his fantastic in and out movement and since the fight would be at 168, I don't see why people would favour Hopkins when DLH's early movement and quickness had some effect.

Hopkins in a 15 rounder, Calzaghe in a 12 rounder, close but clear in both regards.

Now in terms of who would beat him historically in the 160-175 weight range, I have that down -

Roy
Moorer
Bob Foster
Michael Spinks

Roy wins clear, Moorer KO's him, Spinks wins a clear decision and Foster blows him out early.

 

Calzaghe has as bad a style for James Toney as Jones did, if it not worse. The way Toney is stationary and shells up in that Philly defence, he's especialy open to the workrate and awkward shots in the shoulder roll. Then Calzaghe will pop in and out and also do pretty decent off the jab, which Toney is particularly open to.

Calzaghe 116-112 James Toney.

 

I am unsure of Calzaghe vs 1997-2000 Hopkins (the one who beat Trinidad loses to Calzaghe 8-4 IMO).

I was only saying Hopkins may have been favored over Calzaghe.

I know you don't put much stock in the old time fighters, but there are some 175lb fighters I could see beating both Calzaghe and Jones at that weight.

 

Hopkins still doesn't like speed and movement and Calzaghe's awkwardness makes that even worse, not saying it wouldn't be a highly competitive fight, but you'd have to edge Calzaghe for size and styles here.

He's a bigger man with great speed and more awkward than Roy, not as good as Roy, but presses the fight more also and has the chin to withstand anything from Hopkins.

 

Who did you have in mind?

I pick Foster over Jones, Moorer, DM, Spinks have an outside chance but I favour Jones. Moore and below just do not have the ability or skill to pull it off, they'd get wiped out IMO, I can even give you a video analysis by PM sometime if you'd like explaining why some of the older ATG's just wouldn't cut it against Jones and then you can at least have a new point of view to look at with your own analysis on these issue's.

Everyone has to remember that Jones' timing and speed is the best ever, nobody had that timing and speed combination in the history of the sport, truly amazing.

But Bob Foster times him coming in and his power was just unreal at LHW, Jones would get KOed at some point even if he's ahead on the cards. I'd take Foster in 5. Foster has the skill and reach that evens this out.

 

Moore and Charles are the ones that come to mind immediately. Charles especially. He was great at adapting to styles, and he was a bit larger than Jones and Calzaghe. The footage I have seen showed he had good timing, good power, great skill. He also didn't throw as many wide looping punches as Moore.

Also, Billy Conn would be a live underdog.

 

He's more awkward because he comes in from crazy angles and throws a lot more punches. Roy would run and explode, Calzaghe will box a little and then commense with an all out assault, Hopkins' right hand is not going to KO Calzaghe at 168 and Calzaghe will drive him back at times and throw a heavy workrate on the ropes. Plus, Calzaghe can actually be rougher inside the clinch than Hopkins and the handspeed difference is absurd.

Am I off base or missing anything here? I'm open to anyone's views on Hopkins/Calzaghe.

 

You don't see it for Charles or Robinson because these guys were some of the first of the truly modern styles, Robinson especially, it looks good on film from a singular view, however, we also have their opponents to look at.

Take Maxim or La Motta, these guys are very primitive and La Motta beat and troubled him always and even exposed Robinson's defensive flaws with a totally, almost jokefully looking style and skill level, if that makes sense.

Charles has some examples also, these guys had the 'fundamentals' down, but they did not have anywhere the natural timing, speed and other factors of a modern speedster like Jones or Calzaghe and that's why they wouldn't win.

I have great boxing fundamentals, combinations, etc., but my physical ability is 20x lower than that of these guys, as are all of us, but I study boxing in great amounts. This is a good example. Take Baldomir-Mayweather also, Baldomir really has great fundamentals, just lacks the timing and other abilities to do anything, same goes for Charles and Moore.

 

I would question this assertion if you're stating it regarding a prime Hopkins. I don't think anyone could outrough Hopkins on the inside in his prime. He lived to fight on the inside.