Prime for Prime, Who Wins @ 168, James Toney vs Joe Calzaghe?

What a deep analysis. You are evidently a keen scholar of this sweet, sweet science.

 

:? We are talking about Toney at his best. The Toney that fought Barkley not the out of shape versions against Thadzi and Tiberi.

Calzaghe ain't no Nunn and Toney was coming on strong on the cards, it was not just a lucky punch.

 

I've always felt a Toney/Calzaghe matchup would resemble James Toney fight with Vasily Jirov who came out with a very high workrate and was in front of Toney the whole night.

I think Toney wins it by competitive UD after knocking Calzaghe down twice in the fight.

 

A few people have bought up the Jones & Hopkins fights, but they were fights at light heavy-weight, and while clearly the opposition was old, Calzaghe wasn't exactly a spring chicken himself.

Calzaghe's biggest wins at SMW have come fairly recently, unification fights against Kessler and Lacy who were both undefeated at the time (particarly important for Lacy who has looked a shadow of his former self since being destroyed by Calzaghe). However, while these are big name wins and helped to gain some recognition for Calzaghe, I think I am right in saying that by this point in his career Calzaghe was having fairly serve problems with his hands.

Early in his career when he won his first world title against Eubank it could be claimed that he was in a physically stronger condition & was able to sit down a little more on his punches, however not long after that victory he had a contreversal win against Robin Reed in a fight that certainly could have been called against him (In that fight Calzaghe claimed he hurt his hand early).

So to put a slightly different angle on this topic, just when would you consider that Calzaghe was in his prime at 168?

 

I think Calzaghe has the speed, footwork & punch output to outpoint Toney, he wouldnt spend enough time inside for Toney to do his best work IMO.

 

Yes, because that happened a lot to Calzaghe in reality didnt it ? atsch

 

Depends which James Toney shows up. A motivated in-shape Toney might just completely dominate this fight, but sightings of that guy were few and far between.

 

I've said this many times in the past. Calzaghe is one of the hardest people to pick against in a fantasy bout. He had a style unlike any other, and had the ability to adapt to anything thrown at him. Every time I picked against him he proved me wrong. I wouldn't pick anyone over him H2H at 168, anyone.

 

Every slap leaves that sitting duck stationary head wide open for the glorious counter-right. Calzaghe simply does not have the quality to deal with a prime version of a fighter as skilled as Toney. Fast flurries and lots of them may be good enough to edge past Reid and embarrass Lacy, but it is not enough to beat a peak Toney.

 

If you think Calzaghe beats peak Jones at 168, it's back to Kalamazoo for you!

(why has boxing been reduced to 'workrate'?! This is a science, not factory work. Swishing your hands about a lot does not mean you automatically beat anyone who doesn't swish their hands about as much! FFS!!)

 

I agree it would be a typical toney and calzghe fight...workrate vs precise counters....depends onthe judges..i would take JC though

 

So what? Does that mean it isn't a possible result in a hypothetical match-up?

Hector Camacho was never knocked out. Does that mean saying Thomas Hearns would spark him is a 'atsch' answer in a hypothetical??

 

toney

 

Tony would win. The kind of fighter that gave Tony fits where jab and movers. Guys that come in with puncher fall right into his fight. Good fight, but an In Shape Tony vs a all out punching of Joe. Will take Tony with counters all night long.

 

I think prime Toney could beat Prime Calzaghe more easily than a Prime Jones could beat a Prime Calzaghe.

Toney would knock him out, Calzaghe won't be able to do **** cuz Toney has a great chin and slaps aren't going to hurt him or bother him. Toney by KO first 5 rounds. Roy Jones KO first 7 rounds