...Under modern rules. Obviously Sullivan can't compete with Calzaghe as far as boxing skills go, but would he be able to use his size and superiror strength to score a stoppage? Under modern rules, I think this fight goes a lot differently than people may think. It would be a lot closer than Greb vs. Klitschko, for sure. I'd go with Calzaghe UD 12, personally.
I really don't know but I'm going to put in my two cents worth to keep this thread alive. I would like to see what Cross_Trainer and the other historical experts think of this one. I also want to see what China-Hand-Joe thinks. My own thinking is that Sullivan has a big edge. He could knock out guys up to 300 lbs and he also fought men the same size as Calzaghe or even smaller. The quickness of the little man might not bother him as much as would generally be the case. Despite his reputation for stamina, Sullivan generally scored early knockouts. Calzaghe takes the big snooze in about three or so. He lacks the firepower to keep Sullivan off him.
come on people calzaghe by lopsided ud too much speed and workrate for a great slugger it just doesnt work out. sullivans power and toughness was extraorinary but he could get hit...he actually prided on him being able to take a punch which is not what you want when a man who can launch 6 hit combo's as slappy a joes punches are he can throw alot quickly and accurately also southpaw advantage...southpaws are rare in sullivans time and even if a man who fought in a level stance that was very rare. i think johns bullying worked well in an earlier era but yet again joe is a different boxer to what john fought . i think john is underated becuase he could really punch and had good skills for an era that didnt have the training and studing that modern boxers have.
have more respect for him man as old and wierd the fighting style was. you still have to be pretty skilled to be a world champion. i think he could beat calzaghe easily at the turn of the century but modern day rules calzaghe does everything right to win the rounds only man to give him trouble was reid and reid is a great counterpuncher. sullivan doesnt have the technical abilty only his raw atributes and 12 rounds doesnt give sullivan a chance to win.
Sullivan, easily. Large weight advantage and (from all accounts) skilled at feinting and fast-handed, combined with an extremely rough style. Calzaghe has enough trouble with large modern gloves--his soft mitts are going to be in for some trouble if smaller gloves are used.
He is much more than the barroom brawler of legend. The only surviving film (only a few seconds when he's ancient) shows a good understanding of feints. Since he was known as a fighter who was generally "unmarked" (he boasted about it like Ali) and owned quick hands, he seems quite qualified to beat many modern cruiserweights, let alone Calzaghe.
The constant Calzaghe propaganda isn't helping, that's for sure. Let's start a few more normal threads to get things back on track.
Calzaghe wins until Sullivan hits him. Joe is an exceptionall skillful boxer but he has n advantage at 168lb that wouldn't be there against a 200lbs world class heavy. If Joe thought he could mix it with the big guys I can assure you he would have moved up to cruiserweight years ago.
It´s pretty funny, in Marciano- matchups, some haters favour bums like Buster Douglas, because "of his big weight advantage", although it´s only fat, and when it comes now to Calzaghe, the weight is suddenly meaningless (although now it isn´t only fat)
Mitchel was @170 and declared a draw because of Sullivan's broken arm if I remember right. When Sullivan was fighting a 161 pound fighter was a heavy...Choysiki was a 168 pound fighter. Sullivan ws considered Huge, like Forman was Huge in his time.... If trained like for Killforgot...that went 75 rounds.. What sort of round, hip throw stops the round, and your seconds are allowed to drag you back to th ecorner, and got to come up to scratch...or three minute rounds...15 rounds for Sullivan would be like a six rounder for Calzughi... Would it be a fight to the finish...Tehn of Course Sullivan inthe 23 round.
