In the end it's still too little too late for Calzaghe...

For one (3) years is a huge difference. Reflexes and speed greatly diminish from 36-39 yrs old, especially with fighters like RJJ where their entire style relied on other worldly reflexes and speed.

Secondly, RJJ has been shot for years, the Trinidad fight was a joke, not to mention that Trinidad was shot too. Two shot fighters fighting, with the bigger and more naturally gifted one winning a decision.

Third, Calzaghe is a GREAT fighter, but reality is, just like Holmes beating Ali, his win over RJJ had more to do with being the younger and fresher fighter (in boxing years) than him being a better fighter than RJJ....and I'm not even a fan of RJJ, bu any means, actually a big critic of his for not fighting Hopkins, DM, Collins, Benn or even Calzaghe during the late 90's.

Finally Calzaghe is in his prime...he did what he was supposed to do, but whne you have a dead man walking in front of you like RJJ was, you need to finish him and calzaghe could not to do that, which detracts from his performance, considering how badly beaten RJJ was by Tarver and Johnson (4) years ago.

 

What do you expect..

- JOE fought 90% of his fight in UK.
- His 4 FIGHTS outside uk experience.

1st)2001-10-13 in denmark

2nd)2005-05-0 in germany
and recently

3rd)2008-4-19 in USA
Hopkins (43 yrs old)

4th)2008-11-08 in USA
Rjj ( WHO is obviously in his twilight years of his career!)

42 fights - 90% of the time he was in his COMFORT zone of his country
2 fights - 5% of the time also in Europe
2 fights - 5% of the time in USA where he fought both

MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION - Why did he fight these great fighters on thier prime or at least NEAR their prime? Why did he wait for RJJ to be on his last hurrah?! He lost 3 of 6 fights. If you don't call that decline I don't know what you'll call it :bart

Like the thread starter said .. in the end it's still to late for CALZAGHE?!

 

Jones and hopkins fought 100% of their fights in their home country and it's not like either of them was really trying to make a fight with Joe happen. I already said this earlier in the thread but I'll say it again.

There is a ridiculous double standard here. Joe gets critisim for only fighting outside his country once or twice but it's perfectly o.k. for Jones and Hopkins to never leave home.

Hopkins gets praised for staying at middle and getting so many defenses instead of moving up to challenge Joe but Joe does the exact same thing at supermiddle and somehow in his case it's not o.k. he should have moved up to fight Roy.

 

As a point of fact, Calzaghe is a Welshman from Wales and fought many of his fights in England against Englishmen. Trust me; England ain't home soil for a Welshman.

 

IMO. USA is the boxing CAPITAL of the world NOT UK!
GREATEST matches, ATG fights are made in USA.

Hopkins is praised for being able to be there despite being 43 yrs old

Now, IF YOU BELIEVE that winning over a 39 yr old boxer who actually lost 3 of his last 6 fights is prime so be it! I don't have to argue with you.

Like I SAID many times. A win is a win! Congrats to Calzaghe!

Now, if you want to see prime RJJ go and see him in his 2000-2002 fights in the youtube and be honest to yourself if what you've seen in the PAST is what you saw in his last fight with CALZAGHE!

 

HOF'er for me...

 

Joe was in a no-win situation with this fight but he did what he needed to and put on a fantastic display of skill and stamina for a guy that is almost 37. Clearly for the majority of the blinkered guys on here from the US it was always going to be too little too late and there was always going to be a line of excuses as long as your arm. Simply not being American is all it takes for the best in a division to get no recognition!! There is such a thing as being gracious in defeat!

 

stop the bull**** excuses...jones didnt have no bicep problems....why are u guys making excuses for fighters when they make non for themselves...well with the exception hopkins ..complete gaylord. some you need see a shrink...learning to accept things.

 

We shall see...

 

haters licking there wounds

LMFAO.......

 

Socrates,

I think PAC should Copy CALZ... wait for his opponents to be 39's or on thier 43's and PRETEND and BELIEVE that PAC beat the HELL out of the once great fighters!!!!

Clever way to preserve the "0" :yep

Never mind if the true PEAK form of the 39's is already about 10 yrs ago and the true PEAK form of the 43's is about 13 TO 14 years ago correct!

A WIN is a WIN correct?!

And Once PAC demolishes the "once a great FIGHTER". Pac will be voted #1p4p again :yep

Oh BTW is it true that CALZ is looking for HEARNS. Hagler, SRL and DURAN? :nut

A win is a win correct!~!?!

 

:rofl:rofl

 

Joe is nearly as old as Roy. Got got washed up by Antonion Tarver for chrissake. Tarver only ever beat roy. hopkins kicked his ass. Tarver spanked a prime Roy :hey:hey:hey

 

joe is a great fighter no doubt about that but i think the fact that he fought bhop and rjj will always hurt him..i dont know it thats fair or not though..

 

he still had to come to the US to get those fights. THAT IS WHAT IS SAD AND TELLING ABOUT no-risk JONES AND HOPKINS.