Peak James Toney Versus Peak Joe Calzaghe

I like JC and respect his accomplishments a great deal.
Love how his dad trained him and it worked out for the both of them.
I think he gets underrated at times but also vastly overrated many times.
JC was not ever on the same level as a Toney or a Jones when those two were in their primes. And that isn't a dig towards JC as not to many boxers were ever on that level.
I know JC fans love to point out he beat Jones but lets be real about it - Jones was nowhere near his prime when the two fought.
A Toney at his best was a master counter puncher who if you fought him you either better have peak lateral movement or incredible head movement to avoid the counters coming back at you.
JC had neither of those two and against Toney it is going to cost him and eventually he is going to get stopped.

 

JC was a southpaw that often squared up many times so his southpaw advantage wouldn't be as much.

 

Toney was extremely bothered vs Nunn and was even trailing on the score cards before stopping Nunn.
But Nunn is completely different then JC- A 6'2 southpaw with long arms who had amazing reflexes and Toney STILL ended up finding his chin.

 

Another fine post mate.

Bang on the money.

 

James slowed him down with great body work.

 

I also think Nunn's domination of Toney is greatly exaggerated yes he was clearly infront after 6 rounds but Toney had won the last 3 of 4 rounds quite convincingly and you could see Toney was coming on strong. I actually think by the time of the stoppage the fight had become very close.

I also would say a peak Nunn is just as hard stylistically as Calzaghe and even has some better traits than him like being considerably taller with a longer reach and being harder to hit overall with much better upper body movement.

 

Every fighter in history is, for at least 1 fight in their careers.

If Calzaghe isn't deserving of any such allowances, then there's no reason for Toney to receive the same (which would open up a whole new can of worms for him, given how often this could said of him).

 

Yeah I pointed that out earlier Calzaghe when he got aggressive he had tendency to square himself up leaving him open to counters and that's why he got caught alot by Reid and was floored by Hopkins, Salem.

And what was the issue for Calzaghe in all those fights ? Right hand counters which is Toney's bread and butter.

 

Joe can have allowances.

Reid is one example.

There’s many others.

He struggled with a non world level guy called Kabary Salem.

He was countered with right hands by everyone he fought.

 

Nunn actually stunned Toney a couple of times.
The biggest mistake Nunn made was having that fight in his hometown trying to impress everyone he fought very aggressive which cost him.

 

This is literally a coin toss match up.

 

I think Joe's desire to fill every minute with something gives him a close decision over JT, who is a more skillfull fighter but at times was happy to fill every minute with nothing...

 

Not really .. to legit beat someone you don't stall & bend every rule possible.. & I'd argue Calzaghe had mentally walked away from boxing by then anyway.. the SMW Joe that beat Kessler would have embarrassed Hopkins..

That fight was terrible, neither man really stamped themselves on it.. it brought out the worst in both of them ..and they kind of neutralized each other .. but at least JC was trying to force the pace & wasn't feigning injury & time wasting.. when you are doing that it suggests to me that you are struggling badly with what is coming at u.. it was clear Hopkins couldn't fight fairly & on even terms so u gotta give it to Joe that one.. and if Calzaghe was so overrated as many people think he is why did Hopkins after literally dig right into the depths of his prison rules manual to scrape a SD loss.. he should have cake walked Calzaghe..

 

Tony was slicker & a bit craftier but I think Calzaghe had better athleticism, engine & speed.. I'd favour Joe.

 

Two great champions but 'Styles Make Fights' and so I say Toney by close but clear decision. I think James' ability in the counterpuncher would have prevailed over the workrate and stamina of Joe. I think that after a good start of the Welshman Toney would have crossed him several times and Calzaghe at this point would have slowed his action and Light Out put the best shots.