Prime Joe Calzaghe went life and death with aussiebum Sakio Bika!

Well, he's never been in a situation where he was behind but he had to dig down deep against Bika. It was a tough fight for the first 8 rounds or so. But he separated himself by boxing on the outside more. And Froch was a tough fight for Ward also. He was visibly tired in the last few rounds.

Ward is an amazing in-fighter and a very good out-fighter. He can beat you from the outside or inside. He's had fights where he would switch (most notably Bika) and pick his spots. Everyone thought Ward would murder Abraham on the inside (including myself) and just live there but he outboxed Abraham from the outside. With Ward, you really don't know what he's going to do heading into a fight because he has the ability to fight inside and outside.

Don't get me wrong, Calzaghe was adaptable also but so is Ward.

 

Yeah, that Ward is just an overrated bum.

 

well ward-bika was every bit as competitive, i guess you're a troll?

 

not sure why all the hate on Andre, since you'd need to eat your words in a few years when he eclipses Cal's records. Joes records wont last long now the SMW" division is hotting up.

 

If the division is 'hotting up' wouldn't that lead to Joe's winning records lasting longer :huh

 

Just reviewing the Ward 'win' over Kessler.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Puxp2Lv6QU[/ame]





Joe beat Kessler more convincingly, because he outboxed him and beat him with his hands. Ward should have got DQ'd, only in jOakland can you get away with such blatant cheating.

A level comp? Calm down, Kessler is past prime, suffering vision problems and Ward headbutted him into submission, years after Joe beat him. Froch is not A level, he's a tough guy, but limited and had already been exposed by Taylor, Dirrell and Kessler. Abraham is a middleweight, and the Kessler win we've been over.

Once again, Ward has not proved he can come from behind, and adapt to win. His resume is certainly not better than Joe's, typical Americans, can't accept that Joe beat your best, and is the greatest at SMW.

 

odd thread? Joe was a clear winner against a better version of Bika that gave Ward problens, though Ward won by a couple of rounds.

And yes, Joe beat Kessler better cause when the fight was done Kessler knew who the better fighter was and never disputed. To this day he feel hard done by in the Ward fight due to the headbutts.

Ward has a long way to go, I know Americans cream themselves when one of the champs look good (automatic ring top 10 place that other fighter have to really work for ) but look at Dawson, Pavlik, Alexander, Williams for very recent cases of American boxing fans spunking their load to early on a fighter.

 

Sakio Bika is a rough customer just like that other fella that dropped Joe early, Kabary Salem. Rough meaning that they try to wrestle, twist your body and arms, headbutt ya, even slam ya... In my personal opinion, Calzaghe was not in his prime not even when he beat Lacy by a landslide but when he won the vacant title against Eubank and beat Robin Reid by a SD... The other SD was in his last hurrah against a welll past his prime Hopkins who was by far his best opponent to date along with Kessler. He won fair and square both fights but if you are going to say life and death, then it has to be against Hopkins and Reid... Not even against RJJ even tho he was dropped in the first stanza cause he dominated the fight from there on.

 

Yeah yeah what ever Ward had Kessler swinging like an ameteur and was catching him at will ! Don't be mad because Ward made it look easier ! Kessler was past his prime didn't he win the WBC after he lost the WBA ? Wow now your reaching ! And Froch is not A level really ? Thats funny ..But let me guess all of Joe's oppnents were right ? Outside of Hopkins who Jermain Taylor and Jones already beat who outside of Kessler has Joe faced that was A level ?? Please enlighten all of us ?????

Typical American's yeah Ok Typical Brits making mediocre wins look like Hall of Fame wins right like Joe beating a shot to **** Jones ..We all know what you guys celebrate as real vioctories ..Thats why your boy retired undefeated ..He took the fluffiest path to that 0 !! Your just mad because Ward will eclipse what Joe has done in the division.

And also in a much shorter time than Joe " Stay at home til fighters get old " Calzaghe !

 

Life and death with most of his opponents, pulled that one out of your arse didnt you, i think someone else needs to put the crack down. Joe was no monster but its funny how many people are pretending that Ward is unbeatable.

If ward gasses against a Froch in a bouthe is rarely stretched and he controls throughout then wtf would happen if he had someone like Calzaghe's constant pressure and activity put upon him, really dont need to spell it out because the majority of rational poster know that
Calzaghe - Ward would be a good close, competitive bout until Joe's superior conditioning kicks in which = Calzaghe UD

 

Not a bum but overrated, yes.

 

Show me a monsterous performance by Joe against an A level fighter ? Better show me a monsterous performance against any fighter that was above B level that wasn't stopped by the ref !


I never said Ward was unbeatable ..All I said was he went undefeated in a tourney against A level op read again !! And again your claiming that Joe will just outwork Ward ? Who on Ward's level did Joe ever out work ?? The only pure boxer that was on Ward level or above was Hopkins and that went to a split decision but now im suppose to believe he will just out work wARD with his winging punches .Maybe you should watch more boxing and not focus on just one fighter !

 

No British fans rate or rated Froch as A level. Look back over posts across the board, and find me British fans who honestly rated Froch as A level. He is respected as being tough, determined and willing to travel to prove himself (unlike Ward), but as anyone will and would have told you, he is limited and his limitations had already been exposed before. It's a really good win for Ward, but not Froch is not A level.

Say what you want about the Kessler - Ward fight, Ward headbutted him over 5 times, and opened up multiple cuts as a result of the headbutts. As a result of the headbutts, the fight was stopped, Ward should have been disqualified, and would have been anywhere but in jOakland. Kessler respects Joe's win over him, he disputes Ward's win because of the disgraceful manner that it came about, and the fact that it's hardly a legit win. As for Kessler being post prime against Ward, read this

Does that sound like a fighter in the condition of his life?


Joe beat a prime undefeated Kessler, that is better than any win Ward has. He beat very tough and decent opposition such as Chris Eubank, Robin Reid, Omar Sheika, Jeff Lacy and Sakio Bika at SMW. That's not even touching on his LHW win over Hopkins. The fight with RJJ was a payday for Joe to retire on, that's how it's recognised by British fans. Could Joe have done more in his 46 fights? Of course. But to say he has a padded record, and beat mediocre and poor opposition until Lacy is unfair, and untrue.

The problem is that Americans didn't really start hearing much about Joe until he was in his mid 30's and past his best, he still travelled to America and beat the best there. Boxing is an international sport, it doesn't begin and end in America.

Once again, who has Ward beaten that is A level? To say that Ward is better than Joe is ridiculous.

 

Im sorry but all i see is contridictions from the vast majority of the Americans on this forum, one minute guys like Froch (Described as a caveman) and Kessler (described as a European Robot) are overated hype jobs and then when it suits Ward best they are A level guys, that makes perfect sense. In all seriousness the fact that you just described Abraham as A level at supermiddleweight is just plain silly but i guess he is when looking at an american fighters resume.

Funny how you want me to show you a fight in which Calzaghe performs like a monster against an A or B level guy, i could show you his victory against a prime Kessler in which he proceeds to outbox his opponent using only fair means, not a faded Kessler using questionable means.

As for the Ward fight, did you even look at my post, no didnt think so. I clearly stated that the fight would be close until ultimately Calzaghe's conditioning and workrate would take over. Its not a good sign when you gas against fighters that you dominate without being stretched or even so much as bothered, do you think he would get away with that against a fighter like Calzaghe who would force Ward to work every minute of every round. Hell no, until Ward proves he has a decent engine to at least last 12 rounds without gassing i would make Calzaghe a slight favourite.

That last comment was a bit **** really seeing as i rarely get involved with the Calzaghe vs the world threads, just too much childish shite to filter through to get to something worth reading or replying to. Yes im a Calzaghe fan but an even bigger Kessler fan, its a bit of an insult to say i should watch more boxing when i try to support a wide range of fighters regardless of ethnicity and origin.:good

 

Joe only has that and the Hopkins win to hang his hat on and Ward beat Kessler much easier ! Joe didn't ruin Kessler he beat him by decision ,Kessler became champ again while Joe chose the senior tour ! Bet he never had any thought of giving Kessler a rematch ! And Froch was as viable as Kessler but if you underrate them thats your business ! Both guys are A level ..

I knew about Calzaghe from the Eubank fight and how his name was always tossed around for opponents for Jones and Hopkins ..And the fact that Hopkins ducked him 2000 ..So I was aware of him . Im going to call it like I see it ..You want to blame the Kessler loss on head butts I blame the Kessler loss on Ward as the opponent ..Kessler also complained that Ward hit him after the breaks ..I mean what did he forget how to protect himseld at all times against Ward but not Calzaghe ..Not buying the excuses ..