Calzaghe, better boxer, better workrate, faster and DM isn't the monster allot try to make him out to be
While I think DM was a tough and under rated fighter, he did have issues with speedy skilled guys, and Clazghe fits that mold. I'd go with Clazaghe to win a clear, but not over impressive decision as he plays it safe and out maneuvers Michalczewski. One day there will be a triva question. Who was the only man to beat Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones?
Well, Calzaghe was old and past his prime for those fights too. I think Clazaghe had enough speed to edge Hopkins, who kind of struggled with speedy skills guys....even in his prime. Jones vs Calzaghe would be a good one. Jones hit harder, and was a triffle faster, but he didn't like pressure fighters who threw lots of punches and had a suspect chin.
Just looked up his record on boxrec, looks like the guy hand picked all his opponents in attempt to dress up his resume into something fancy. Check this out, among others he has several wins over Sugar Ray Robinson, a fourth round tko over Larry Holmes, he had a lengthy series with Roberto Duran, and from a write up i read he blew Ray Leonard out in his last fight, get this- he stopped Jack Johnson in round 26! Doesn't fool me though
Oh christ, why he put on his careet best performances right before the Hopkin's and Jones fight, back to back against Lacy and Kessler, right?
I don't know this. Considering one is only two years older than Joe and the other had one of his career best victories post Calzaghe-loss. And the fact Calzaghe was well past his prime in both fights.
Calzaghe was at his best for the Kessler/Lacy fights. Perhaps he had the ability to put on such performances even earlier in his career but he sure was good at hiding that ability in his struggles with Robin Reid, David Starie, Kabary Salem, Evans Ashira, unspectacular performances.
well past his prime my ass. Hopkins was 7(or 11) years removed from his best fight. calzaghe's best win directly preceded vs. hopkins. RJJ was done after Ruiz. i see fools like shotgun spewing crap like "calzaghe was way past his prime. he relied on his reflexes and speed. he had amazing defense reflexes blah blah blah" goddamn, it's enough to make a man ill.
His hands were ****ing cornflakes by this time. He was 37! Hopkins went on to beat Pavlik and declared the new Archie Moore. The truth lies rather in between, but scoreboard is scoreboard. Calzaghe won both times. Calzaghe was faster and hit way harder years before. If you are a new observer to him, great. But then maybe you better you suffer from not seeing his earlier career.
i did see a few of his earlier fights, most notable was the one with eubank. his style was ugly as **** back then as well and seemed more crude, but he did have more pop and less of the pathetic slapping flurries. but i believe prime hopkins rips calzaghe a new *******. as for rjj? well that goes w/o saying.