It sounds straightforward enough to me. Bunce seems to have said that while Joe has been more successful, he isn't necessarily better. Guys like Conteh and McGuigan didn't have the chance to be as carefully matched, arguably. But I agree, Lewis is pretty much tops. Joe would probably have suffered knockouts if he hadn't got everyone at the right time or the right place. Old Hopkins and Jones couldn't finish him. Who knows if a younger Byron Mitchell had connected with the same short right? Also, the Hopkins, Reid and Starie fights exposed massive flaws against counter punchers. He isn't as good as his record suggests and two debatable decision wins also back this up. It all points toward if he had taken harder fights earlier, he'd have a few defeats. Ironically, Joe is a LEGEND because he was MANUFACTURED. Do legends need manufacturing?
You could say the same about any fighter. You need a certain amount of luck to go alongside an iron chin to successfully get through your career without being knocked out. Margarito was supposed to have the best chin of all and we all know what happened to him in his last fight. Toney, Hopkins, Wright, Calzaghe etc have all been hurt and in danger of being stopped at some point in there career but have shown the heart and determination needed to battle through the choppy waters.
Jimmy Wilde and Ted 'Kid' Lewis ruled when boxing meant more than today. Joe was the best of his era ... all you can ever be. The rest is a matter or opinion. Would he have beaten Turpin, Downes, Conteh, Finnegan (s), Collins, Benn, a prime Eubank, Watson. Who knows .... but he was very good. Just hope he stays retired and doesn't get tempted back and spoil the memories.
I totally agree. Loved Lennox as a fighter and think he's a top guy but it seems that time does in fact do a fighter's legacy a lot of good. The opinion that Lennox fought high calibre, top quality fighters throughout his career is something that seems to have developed since he retired. And the Rahman and McCall lossess are big blemishes as can you honestly say either were top class elite fighters?! It is also the case that many of the opponents who Lennox is now lionized for beating are of no greater standing than those who are referred to as 'bums' on certain present or recently retired fighters' resumes, whilst his biggest wins were against 'past their prime' legends similar to Calzaghe's. Altough those Lennox wins are now being seen in a slightly different light as time passes since his retirement. That bodes well for Calzage's legacy. For Lennox the Klitschko fight then threw up more questions than answers, but the good thing about time is that fighters seem to become greater the longer it is since we saw them last. Agree about Buchanan and I also rated Conteh very highly although not as highly as yourself. With regard to Naz, he had great athleticism but when I look at how clueless he was against Barrera in being constantly beaten to the punch with no hint of how to adjust the way he was fighting, I find it very hard to rate him so highly.
Lennox for me, top fighters faced throughout his title years, always went after the best. How many fighters retirement fight is a win against the next best guy in the division?
I've heard similar comments from him before, and I have to say I disagree with him when he says these things in reference to British greats. In my opinion his appreciation of both Calzaghe and Hamed - in the grand scheme of British boxing greats - is often slightly over the top, in my opinion. Not knocking Bunce, but how many times recently have you seen Lennox sat alongside him - or being interviewed by him - compared to say Joe, Enzo C and Barry? I'm not saying he's intentionally bias, but the fact that he's clearly very pally with both Barry and Enzo C is bound to influence his assessment of those guys - it would anybodies. That's just my opinion of cause, not saying it's necessarily correct. Bunce's show with DiBella on Calzaghe, drove me up the wall. I just can't agree with Bunce when he places Hammed and Joe above Lennox.
People seem to forget McGuigan not British,he was born in County Monaghan in the Republic of Irelan.He may have for the British title to help progress his career,it still doesnt change were he was born and raised and lived until he was in his 20s.
true but I get the impression that Joe wasn't playing in the big leagues until 2006. ok, the Woodhall, Brewer, Sheika fights all showed big potential but it looked like he had pissed it away, until Lacy came along and demanded a fight. Joe would definitely have lost some had his career not evolved with so much care and caution. How he would have responded to that could have helped turn him into a great fighter or maybe not. Calzaghe just did not go out there and grab it, like Froch is doing. He seemed to wait until it all came to him. Amid many years of derision.
Opponent Felipe Orozco was also rated, but in the division below. I do agree that McGuigan's time on top was all too short. But comparing like for like and using the same guidline McGuigan fought (and beat) more Ring rated fighters than Chris Eubank - a total of five. For the record Calzaghe's fifth Ring rated opponent was one Peter Manfredo. Lewis and then Buchanan get my nod.
Why is the guideline Ring rated fighters? I like Barry but his career falls well short of Eubanks IMHO.
Alright then mate, you can have Ken Buchanan. But in return I would like to declare the Royal Bank of Scotland officially not British and as such only Scottish Taxpayers will be bailing it out. Deal? :yep