Lets Talk the Cobra

Nah, Froch is a level below Calzaghe.

Froch beat an even older Reid than Calzaghe beat (one-handed).

Kinda-sorta beat Andre Dirrell in a fight everyone would rather forget. We can maybe equate this with the Roy Jones win from Calzaghe.

Whooped Abraham hard, but let's not be crazy and suggest Calzaghe wouldn't have done the same. Abraham has been shown to just not function properly at 168. (For a comparable win, we can use Calzaghe vs. Lacy...Calzaghe schooling a guy who was in his own size, a champ, and undefeated.)

Close or not, good fight or not, Froch lost to Kessler and Calzaghe didn't. Calzaghe beat him when he was an undefeated champ, Froch lost to him years later while he was coming off a loss and semi-blind.

Froch has a good win over Jean Pascal. Calzaghe has a win over Bernard Hopkins, who recently schooled Pascal (albeit at a higher weight).

Froch came from behind to stop Jermain Taylor. Good fighter, but coming off two losses to Kelly Pavlik followed by a win over Jeff Lacy. Good fighter, good win, but Taylor had seen better days. Compare Calzaghe's win over Eubank.

 

These are good points. ALthough, I wouldn't equate Dirrell with Jones. Personally, I dont think anyone is making the argument that Froch is a better fighter than Calzaghe, just that his resume will be(or some say already is) better.

 

Calzaghe UD Jones (2008 ) > Froch RT5 Reid (2007)

Calzaghe SD Hopkins (2008 ) > Froch UD Pascal (2008 )

Calzaghe UD Eubank (1993) > Froch TKO12 Taylor (2009)

Calzaghe SD Reid (1999) > Froch SD Dirrell (2009)

Calzaghe UD Kessler (2007) > Kessler UD Froch (2010)

Calzaghe UD(shutout) Lacy (2006) > Froch UD(shutout) Abraham (2010)


IMHO, of course. But still, it's hard to argue Froch has done more, or is close. If Froch beats Johnson, it might be comparable to Calzaghe beating Bika. If Froch stops Johnson, then good win. But he'll need a lot more good wins against even better opponents before he catches Calzaghe.

And head to head, we all know Calzaghe owns him.

 

As for Lacy
The other potential top American SMW of the decade could be Lacy whos career was short but shone brightly

Lacy beat Vanderpool to become champ in a fight for the vacant IBF belt vacated by Ottke
Lacy beat Sheika who went on to challenge for the WBC title after and who recently gave former WBC LHW champ Diaconu a hard fight
Lacy beat R Williams who was 26-1 at the time
Lacy beat R Reid a dangerous world rated SMW who looked unlucky against Ottke. Reid had beaten undefeated Magee who is Butes next opponent and who became European champ and after losing to Lacy beat Brinkley who coincidently, was Butes last opponent.
Lacy also beat Pemberton who was on a winning run of 5 and had twice beaten Sheika in those 5 wins.
After Lacys loss he went on to
Beat Tsypko who had beaten Magee (Butes next opponent) by close debateable decision and undefeated Adamu.
Lacy also beat the other top American SMW of his time at the top in Manfredo

Saying Lacy could possibly be Americas best SMW of the decade might not be far wrong either. It seems debateable between Lacy and Mitchell

Looking over The Ring magazine annual ratings from the year 2000-2009. I thought I would list The Ring magazine top 10 American Super middleweight fighters and ask some questions that lead up to today

Year 2000

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Year 2001

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Year 2002 & 2003

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Year 2004

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Year 2005

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Year 2006

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Year 2008 & 2009

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Like I wrote. It is arguable between Lacy and Mitchell In my opinion. Who do you think on this list is better?
Who do you think is better when you say what I wrote is crazy. Remember I said between Lacy and Mitchell

Who do YOU think was better?

 

Makes you laugh ring annual ratings didnt like Sven Ottke then, he was a great boxer but not everyones cup of tea but had great amatuer pedigree (probably the leading amatuer in the world). better super middleweight than Lacy and Mitchell at that time.
I never said your list was crazy.

 

Abraham is way more proven than Lacy ever was.