I would take Calzaghe in this one with reservations. No one was ever able to completely defuse his activity, speed and tenacity. At his best he understood space and angles as well as anyone. I need to see more Ward to fully claim to understand his potential. He definitely has rare skills and makes for an awkward opponent. I just don't see him matching Joe's effective output. Hopefully, his injury bug is behind him.
I think Calzage speed and adaptability win this one but Ward is a tough one and it would be close but I like Joes hand speed and foot speed to edge Andre tight UD
It's an interesting fight, I'd go with Calzaghe tentatively. Ward is a bit more skilled but Calzaghe has the speed, workrate and stamina to pull it out the bag in a championship rounds. Ward's holding and hitting strategy wouldn't work here so well as Calzaghe is a good in fighter and Ward's stamina didn't look great to me down the stretch against Froch so I'd certainly pick Calzaghe to take over in the championship rounds. I give him a shot but I'm not even sure RJJ beats Calzaghe easily at 168. As for resumes, Calzaghe has 7 SMW titlists Eubank, Mitchell, Brewer, Reid, Woodhall, Lacy and a better Kessler. So I'd say it's close.
Hopkins turned Calzaghe's hand speed into windmilling through thin air. Ward would do the same while being 10x more offensively stronger. Ward is at a different level. Hopkins proved Joe was never at that level.
I think he can do what Hopkins does and will prove it in time. You cant take anything from the fight with Froch where Ward had just one hand. If there was stamina issues , how was he on his toes using the whole ring up untill the final dong? You want to give me an example of when Joe proved he was a good inside fighter?
Pretty evenly matched. I pick like the others have. I like the pivot jab counter and intangibles in fighting spirit that Calzaghe brings to the table at this point.
:rofl Oh well, at least it isn't only my roaring success of a Kessler thread that he's tried to **** up.
Calzaghe through speed of jab and workrate. Ward is absolutely an ATG though and will go down as being a top ten fighter of all time in terms of skill by the time he is done.