Marvin Hagler vs. Joe Calzaghe

Jones was up at 4.

And he went on the attack, almost driving Roy through the ropes.


We must have different definitions of "badly hurt."

 

Calzaghe would stand a solid chance to perplex Hagler enough for the win.

Calzaghe is quick, strong, tough and adaptable. Could Hagler meet him eye-to-eye when he starts to switch up the attacks?

 

Ted, although I'm a big Hagler fan, my real point on this thread is not necessarily the qualities of Hagler (much debated) but the inflated reputation Calz now has. How would Calz react when Hagler switched up the attack - it's not like great fighters like Hagler, Jones, Toney, BHop can't adapt and change tactics. JC doesn't have a monopoly on this.

Regardless of whether he has the skills to trouble these fighters, he just doesn't have the discipline. He is a massive risk taker in the way he fights - and he gets hit flush on the way in, as he did against Kessler, Hops and Jones. The 4 fighters I mentioned above all have the versatility, skill and discipline to take advantage. They wouldn't be as predictable as Lacy or Kessler, and they would be at their peaks in a fantasy matchup - unlike the Jones (utterly shot) and BHops (still good enough to deal with a one way fighter, Pavlik, but now unable to deal with speed and volume, as Taylor and JC showed) he fought.

 

You bring up a pertinent point, DTT.

No, it's not as if Calzaghe has some kind of insurmountable ace in the wake of 'adaptability', but there is much that can be said about an unblemished record, and not in the sense of "Show me a guy who has an unbeaten record and I'll show you a guy who has not fought anyone".

Calzaghe fights recklessly at times, but it cannot be deemed truly reckless as he has never come unstuck. He digs his toes into the canvas and successfully out hustles his opponents. His style comes across as particularly ugly in instances, but he fights out of the box and makes it work.

Personally, Ted Spoon does not agree with the light in which Calzaghe is likely to be viewed. "Best ever British fighter" is buzzing about as is "Best ever Welsh fighter" - Jim Driscoll for that one.

We're talking about Hagler though, a fighter who was better gifted in his armoury and work ethic rather than his ability to solve a mystery. Hagler is revered for grinding down game yet straight-forward fighters.

Without being a tad unfair - the only two instances in which Hagler fought fighters who could 'switch it up' in Duran and Leonard caused for stylistic hiccups.

For all of the praise that is getting heaped on Calzaghe, whether it is really warranted, he's that kind of high tempo, tough and virtuoso that could mess up Haglers do.

 

Duran didn't switch much up against Hagler.he fought a one-dimensional fight from start to finish.

 

Great post, Ted.

I will say in Hagler's defence, that in Duran and Leonard he faced two of the most fantastic fighters the world has ever seen. No real shame in getting a little put out of your stride by those two (he outboxed one by the way, and the other one was a tad close I hear). I don't think that Calzaghe should be compared. Any success that he would have in replicating the type of ploys that they might have used, I think, would be negated by his recklessnes and lack of power.

 

I don't see Calze beating Marvin , Marvelous was Marvelous for a reason , Great Balance , Very Strong , Focused , great conditioning, could hit hard with any hand , great combo puncher and the ability to box effectively from both South Paw and conventional , along with all of that he has a wealth ring knowledge and experience ...

Joe hand speed will not bail him out this fight and if joe choose to fight on the inside at close range like he did in the fight against Kessler , he would find him self on the end of a head body assault like no other he would have faced wearing him down and stopping him late . Marvin was able to out box , out slug , and out condition some of the hardest hitting , meanest fighter of his time .. Joe may have a 46 and 0 Resume but his Resume doesn't come close to the fighter Haggler has faced ... long range or in close Marvin Mops Joe...

Marvin Late Round Stoppage.

 

Like Calzaghe or loathe him he is an absolute nightmare for anybody of similar weight.

He has three diferent styles, he is good with all of them and can switch between them effortlesley. He just switches through the gears untill he finds one that his oponent cant deal with.

Even if he looses the first two rounds you just know that he is going to find his oponents weakness and win by a wide margin. It is almost seems inevitable.

He will always outland you and he cannot easily be knocked out so how exactly do you beat him?

 

While Calzaghe isn't a great puncher (that's not what his style is about) he probably hits a fair bit harder than Duran and Leonard, and while they may be in the 'super elite' category, Calzaghe is leagues above the Hamsho's and Minters.

 

Yet he's not a one-dimensional fighter, so he could 'switch it up' in the sense of changing the range of his punches and throwing in a few feints.

 

....but he often fights like his style is about power. That's the real issue. I also would say that Duran and Leonard are more effective punchers. If I had to get hit in the mouth by either of those three, I'd go for Joe (thankfully this scenario is extremely unlikely).