is Calzaghe's record any worse than Rocky Marciano?

The Archie Moore that Marciano beat wasn't any more past it than Hopkins was when Calzaghe fought him. Hopkins may have been ranked highly on the Ring's p4p rankings, but he'd also shown a substantial decrease in workrate over the past 4 years, and anyone with eyes could see that he had declined.

Moore was the light-heavyweight champion, the top rated heavyweight contender, and his lone loss in the past 40 or so fights was to the great Harold Johnson (whom Moore avenged the loss to).

Ezzard Charles was past his prime, but was he any more past it than the Roy Jones that Calzaghe is about to fight? Unlike Roy, Charles at least had some meaningful wins in recent time before he fought Marciano. Charles had just beaten top 10 contender Bob Satterfield. Who's the last contender of note that Roy Jones beat? Antonio Tarver, 5 years ago.

The least of the three greats that Marciano beat, Jersey Joe Walcott, hit his prime late. Despite being past his prime, he was still the heavyweight champion of the world when he fought Marciano.

Calzaghe has some solid wins over other contenders and titlists, but so does Marciano (over contenders) as well.

 

You forgot to mention the part where Slappy Joe dies in the ring against a 175 pound Archie Moore!

 

43 year old Hopkins had Calzaghe down. Old greats tend to have that ability... to always have the guile to time the shot to put people down, even late in their careers.

 

So then argue it.

 

Hopkins and Eubank weren't washed up?

All of the fighters you highlighted had proven themselves against top flight opposition prior to and following their fights with Marciano, Charles aside, who was basically finished after those bouts. Even washed up, they're still better wins than any Calzaghe can lay claim to.

 

Is this a windup?

 

Louis had beaten Lee Savold, Jimmy Bivins, and Freddie Beshore after his comeback and prior to facing Marciano. That shows that he was clearly not a useless old man, and was in fact still one of the best around despite being well past his prime. Who has Jones beaten to compare since his KO losses aside from a similarly shot, smaller Tito?

The best years of Jersey Joe's career were his late 30's, as he was a late bloomer in the Hopkins mold, fresh off of two wins over Charles.

 

Ya --- and he fought charles 3 ****ing times in less than a year! In reality this thread is not about Marciano's resume'. It's one more lame ass attempt to defend Joe's recent choices, actions, and comments.

 

I forgot to mention that I was only listing Marciano's title defenses.

The old Joe Louis (who had 30 lbs on Marciano) that Marciano beat, on the road to the title, had just beaten ranked contenders like Lee Savold and Cesar Brion (2x).

Which contenders has Roy Jones beaten lately?

 

If he were fromt he States he would be scrutinized more on a world-wide level, but more popular in the states.

Either way, it doesn't take away fromt he fact that he's accomplished very little to deserve the credit his fanatical fanbase gives him.

 

It wasn't the social politics of the time that Nino Valdes and Bob Baker never got title shots.

More like Al Weill, who had a lot of control over Marciano, chose other fights for Rocky.

 

:good right on saved me some writting:yep