Legacy wise, Joe Calzaghe did everything wrong!

Any Kessler that goes 12 with Froch and Ward isn't shot, you idiot. Do you know what a shot fighter looks and fights like? Just because someone is past their physical peak doesn't mean that they are a shot fighter...

Kessler is 31...

 

To say he did everything wrong is a little over the top.

There are obviously things that could have benefitted him more from a legacy standpoint. Such as leaving 168 for greener pastures, going to the US much sooner and thus shedding the regional tag that has dogged him. But that is also assuming that in stepping it up, he would have continued winning. He may or may not have.

It seems as if he played it very safe. His track record, quotes and trends are evidence of that. But he is not the 1st nor only fighter to have done so.

Unfortunately for him, the biggest names on his ledger are past their prime elite fighters. The majority of his resume is made up of 2nd class fighters who should be the type of guys an up and comer beats in his quest to the top. Not an established champion.

Does he deserve credit? Sure he does. His accomplishments have been recited most likely more than any other. They are accomplishments worthy of a solid champ. But, Calzaghe could have been more than that. Especially before the hand problems. He could have been the ATG his supporters want him to be, but IMO is not. I see him as an A- talent with a B- resume.

 

no fighter is ever the same once they got 'lacy'ied' :deal

































































idiot

 

right, once calzaghe slaps a fighter they're doomed to failure and are immediately shot

why do you keep posting?

 

His legacy and debate is mainly by his supporters trying to convert people and keep his name alive. I cannot see how a handful of his ardent fans that get a tingle in their spin when his name is whispered means that his legacy will stand the test of time.

He was a very good fighter in a C-class division . . . nothing more nothing less. As a newer weight class it was the wasteland for those fighters not good enough for MW or LHW divisions.

to answer your question he, if he was concerned about his legacy he would have move to MW or LHW a long time ago. Also, he should have gave Bhop a rematch (because many . . . including myself think he lost that fight) even though Bhop was an ass and I really cannot blame him on a personal level not wanting to fight, and finally he should have fought Froch ( I know I said that SMW was a c level division . . . but it was starting to gain legitimacy when he retired . . . mainly because of him) instead of RJJ. when he left the ring there were questions if he was the best fighter in 168-175 in england let alone the world.

Right now I am so tired hearing and writing about him! I think he is SSSSSSOOOOOO overrated by his fans and I cannot believe I wasted 10 minutes on this thread

 

Not everything, but he could have done much better. He helped rectify that towards the end of his career, but there were long stretches where he didn't even attempt to face decent fighters, and he could have tried to force the issue with some other top guys.

 

So old crafty B.Hop dismantling a one dimensional American hype job, would not prove Hopkins was prime then right?:huh

 

I think he could have been bigger than he is. If he went to America early in his career like Khan is doing now. Hatton, Calzaghe, Nas all did it late. Apart from that I think he's okay.

 

to educate gullable, brainwashed, ignorant americans :tong

 

hopkins wasn't prime when he dismantled pavlik, because he'd already been dry humped by joe in front of a live tv audience of millions :deal

despite my dislike for hopkins though, i will never deny that he is a very clever fighter and street wise man.

 

With all do respect Headbanger, I believe shot old Roy Jones made Hopkins look even worse than Joe did. Although Hopkins has declined even more in the last couple years.

I was always a fan of B-Hop, but that was a horrible acting job he put on in that fight. I never thought I would get to see Roy knock Hopkins out twice in one fight, and still lose.

 

why are you making out that light heavyweight was a great division :huh


all it had was

- roy jones

- glen johnson - 13 defeats including losses to ottke, bika, and woods :rofl

tarver - C level bum, got schooled by hopkins in embarrassing fashion, lost 5 times

dawson - youngster who got schooled by 13 losses glen johnson -



the middleweight division was a bag of **** dominated by B-hop :deal


quit talkin ****!!! :nono

 

I agree 100%. You could tell he knew it, hence the Hopkins and Jones fights - shame they were 10 years too late.

It's not like a Valuev where that's his only option as he'd get beaten easily by top fighters. Calzaghe was good enough to be in with a shout of the top spot. If you don't test yourself to the max, you don't know how good you are.

Fans got robbed of some cracking matchups, boxers got question marks over their legacy, and they probably made less money as a result.

 

Yes, absolutely. A fair bit he did right.

But judging by comments Joe's made himself, he prided his unbeaten record over everything; it was by far the most important thing to him. When he was caught in that newspaper sting recently, his main argument for why he was better than Lennox Lewis was because Lewis lost twice.

Problem is I think he limited and held himself back too much in pursuit of keeping unbeaten. I'd rather see someone push themselves and risk a loss or three rather than spend most of their best years defending a Mickey Mouse belt at home against against generally limited opposition.

The last couple years of his career added a LOT of polish to his standing. But I can't forget the years Joe wasted due to his own attitude.