He's not as quick as he was & he doesn't hit as hard as he used to. He is a smarter, more experienced boxer tho. Don't you think if he was at his physical peak it would help him v Dawson.
It would help against any fighter. I think he is as quick as he has ever been, though a slight reduction in power is obvious.
-Joe Calzaghe is 35 -Joe Calzaghe is not past his prime. If you look at the age, it's obvious: How could someone be at his prime at 35 in this game? Joe Calzaghe is one of the very rares. He's just beat the biggest threat to the SMW division in the last 10 years and was faster, stronger, busier than the 28 years old very fast, very accurate, very strong Kessler. He's not past his prime. Why do you think he's past his prime? What signs did you see (if you saw it) in that fight?
Lets say Hopkins has to pull out and bad Chad steps in? To my mind Joe takes this easily, Chad just doesn't have the top flight experience to draw on that he would need. In say 24 months if Calzaghe was still fighting (and fading) and Chad continues to improve and learn it could be different. But Joe will have his feet up sipping a cold one on a beach by then so it aint happening.
To be honest I think Joes fitness is better now then when he was 25 and the only thing he slightly lost is hes power but thats probably because of his hands.
IMO Dawson wins. Chad is excellent agaisnt southpaws and always has been. This will be evident if Tarver ever steps in the ring with him. It's a fight Joe has to take to be considered #1 at Lightheavyweight, but in the end it's not a fight that Joe HAS to take...and I don't predict that he will.