James (lights out) Toney - Is he All Wrong For Calzaghe?

I don't know. Calzaghe wasn't Roy Jones - but He could box, was good at using angles and with his speed and the infamous "slapping" offensive style, He had abilities to penetrate anyone's defence. He wouldn't try to hurt Toney, but would just throw those pitty pats on the top of the head, scoring points.
Question is if He could avoid James's sneaky right hand. He was always open to it - I think it's a 50/50 type fight.

 

I accept the majority will pick Toney. I'd say 50/50.

Likely to be a close, possibly controversial decision either way, with some favouring Toneys harder cleaner punches, others Calzaghes greater volume.

The temptation is to think Toney has the style advantage, and he does from one perspective. That being that southpaw Calzaghe could be vulnerable to the straight right thrown from the orthodox position, e.g. the Reid fight. Toney had a world class counter straight right.

However, its possible to argue the opposite, too. You can win a fight by stoppage or decision. Toney wasn't a volume or massive puncher, Calzaghe had a good chin, excellent powers of recovery and his amazing stamina meant it would take a hell of a beating for an accumulation type late stoppage. For me, the smart money is on Toney not winning by stoppage. Which leaves points. If they were forced to throw one punch at a time and limit their output to 25 punches per round, Toney would wipe the floor with him. But, Calazaghe could throw so many more punches than Toney, to realistically win on points, Toneys counter right would have to worry Joe into substantially lowering his output.

As a Calzaghe fan, I acknowledge Toney had the greater career.

 

Toney loves guys who would stand in front of him and throw volume. He struggles against guys with footwork who can outpoint him. However Joe wouldn't slow down, while Toney often hurt his opponents late

 

Toney beat world class Southpaws like Nunn, Johnson, Jirov. And Jirov threw 100s of punches a round and Toney put on a masterclass vs him, a highly motivated Toney wouldn't be effected by Calzaghe's output, and I see Toney winning a decision in a highly competitive fight.

 

You mean Calzaghe was all wrong for Hopkins, right?
If I understood correctly, I think all wrong is a bit of an overstatement - considering that 43(?) years old Hopkins still arguably beat him, maybe I'm wrong but I think opinions on that fight are rather split.

I wonder if Calzaghe would even come out trying to fight on front foot and push Toney back here, the way He approached Hopkins fight, or the way Barkley or Charles Williams fought James.
I think there's a possibility He'd try to box more, mix things up and fight around Toney in the middle of the ring moreso - so fight more like Nunn or Griffin against James.

 

I think Joe would nip a close decision.

 

I think Calzaghe would outwork Toney to a decision win.

 

Got it!

 

This. Calzaghe is all wrong for Toney. Toney is often lazy in the ring. He's best against guys that also have a slower workrate and who load up their shots. Calzaghe punches in fluid and rapid combinations and has freak reflexes that would reduce the effectiveness of Toney's counterpunching. I think Toney may shine in spots but it will be one way traffic for most of the fight. Slappy Joe simply lands too much for Toney to win.

 

Toney has poor foot speed and low out put border line lazy sometimes to conserve energy unless you stand in front of him trying to trade or impose your will and he will counter punch you silly..................but Calzaghe 's Ring IQ will not fall into that trap, he will move, circle, fire, repeat and has the gas /chin for 12 all day long ................replay of the Montell fights with a more wide final points win for Joe.........also Toney is a sharp but not hard puncher so a Toney KO is not gonna happen, Toney could never pull off the speed or power of Jones in the Montell rematch.

Calzaghe clear UD.