Pryce moving up to supper middle!!!!

Pryce and 168 do not go in the same sentence.

 

:verysad:verysad

 

i aint sure he takes things too serious.

literally five mins after being ktfo, he had updated his facebook status via mobile.

not the sign of a serious champion imo.

 

To what?

Status: Just got knocked the **** out. Feeling ****.

 

Not to knock Bradley, but he's never had the sturdiest of chins. 168 would be very dangerous waters indeed.

I actually fancied Hall to win the fight solely on the reason of Hall's power and Pryce's chin and nothing else. Didn't even take into account boxing ability on that one. Just seemed a forgone conclusion to me.

 

:rofl:rofl:rofl

 

VW.... Hope you are coolio.

Ok I agree with this post, but that is not nessacarily a good thing.

-The fighters who box out of the gym have good handspeed and stamina but none are ripped.

This statement alone illustrates the shortfalls of that gym. I'm pretty certain that each fighter had good handspeed and stamina (general fitness) before they turned professional. Enzo, Rees, Cleverley and Pryce were certainly fast as amateurs. How many were developed at newbridge? How many actually improved there? Did you (meaning anyone) ever watch any of Calzaghes fights and think....'nice move' or 'intelligent counter'. All I saw was a guy with a good chin and exceptional natural stamina windmilling hundreds of punches. Occasionally going back to his roots and getting his hands up and boxing tidy.

I've never watched anyone from that gym improve their skill set dramatically.

-So they don't improve their fighters skill wise.
-The fighters don't lose a high amount of bodyfat as a result of training (Diet).
-They don't study their opponents pre fight.
-The trainer doesn't proritise the fighters over a court case that he needn't of attended before a world title oppertunity on a PPV show.
-They don't arrange adequate sparring for their fighters.
-They didn't seem aware that Pryce was fighting someone who had 2 stablemates that had beaten him.

So what do they actually do down their because the above just seems to be the tip of the iceberg. I'm not been funny but when you have talented lads like Joe Calzaghe, Bradley Pryce, Gavin Rees and Enzo turning professional its not going to take rocket science to get them to domestic championship level. These lads were International class amateurs. I'm pretty certain if Nobby Nobbs was training them they'd have achieved the same things.

Was it Enzo Calzaghes knowledge and craftmanship that allowed these guys to achieve what they have?

Or was it the fact that every talented fighter in wales decided to base themselves in that gym.

[YT]hC62bcskyyo[/YT]:huh

 

Good idea for Pryce to move up in weight I heard Mundine and Bute are after 'opponents'.

 

Gotta pull you up on some of this Jeff because it's nonsense. I don't know if you've ever been to this gym but if you haven't I think you should go down and take a look to see what they actually do. I think you'll be surprised.

The preparations whilst the court case was ongoing were **** poor but everybody was aware of the situation weeks prior to their fights. Nobody was left high and dry. Enzo Calzaghe was summoned to the High Court as a witness for this case and could have faced criminal proceedings if he didn't attend. The truth is Enzo Mac didn't even train in Newbridge for his last fight. He trained mostly at the Bonymaen gym in Swansea. It wasn't an ideal situation for any of them but they all had ample time to make alternative arrangements or adjustments as they thought appropriate.

You have to look at the workings of the Calzaghe camp as a whole and not just this isolated incident. To say they don't study taped of opponents and don't employ adequate sparring partners is incorrect. They would never have had the success they did if they had taken the approach that you're suggesting. Forget Joe Calzaghe ever existed and the stats still show a very successful stable. They must have been doing something right.

 

Fair play Debaser. I'm trying to be subjective and judge the whole thing on the information that has arisen from the show and what the fighters have said before and afterwards. I'm trying to offer an alternative opinion because so many are heaping praise where I don't feel its due and then blaming the fighters where I don't think they are 100% to blame.

 

What are your links with the camp Debaser?

 

No official links mate, I just know a few of the boys from there. Of course the stable should evauated and criticised if its fighter are not performing, well, just like any other, but some of the things that people write on here is pure fantasy.

It's clear to me that they're a victim of their own success. Whenever a Calzaghe fighter loses people jump on the band wagon with the same old drivel. It seems that they're not allowed to make mistakes like any other camp would. Nobody ever said that they were infallable. Whenever an Ingle, Roach, Richardson, or whoever, fighter loses, no one bats an eyelid. Yet if it's a Calzaghe fighter then a huge inquest is held and accusations of them not being adequately qualified to train fighters fly.

Enzo Calzaghe is partly to blame for Pryce and Macca's poor performances on Saturday night and I know he's absolutely gutted about what happened. However, lets see how they recover and perform in their comeback fights before making crazy accusations about the gym being run by amateurs.

Two and a half years ago the Calzaghe stable had three world champions on its books so lets give credit where it's due. Whether people think they were worthy champions or not is not relevant, the stats speak for themselves. I'm struggling to think of any other gym in the world that had 3 world champs on its books in recent times.

Yes they made some terrible mistakes in the build up to last weekend's fights but this doesn't undo all the things that they have achieved over the years. Give them a chance to redeem themselves and I guarantee they won't dissppoint.

 

The rest of your post is spot on especially the part about being a victim of its own success. I remember a few years back the Ingle camp went through a similer run of misfortune and of course we all know the quality brendon and his team bring to the table.

Above is the part that irks me.

The stats DO speak for themselves but ONLY if their properly studied. I struggle to think of a gym that promotes as many sports network fighters as Calzaghes.

The benefits of being a sports network fighter??

A seemingly endless run of 80-20 match ups.

Unwarranted title shots.

Did Enzo or Rees deserve their shots or their subsequent status as world champions? Most would argue they were just fortunate to be with the right promotional outfit at the right time as demonstrated by their capitulation against genuine world class fighters in defences.

A theory is that enzo is a mediocre trainer, who was exceptionally lucky to have an exceptionally talented son whom allowed Enzo to gain the reputation of been a great trainer on the back of his 80-20 title defences. Welsh fighters with talent, knowing of the gyms repute would flock there and be signed with Sports Network taking advantage of Sports Networks occasionally awful match making policies and building big 20-30 fight unbeaten runs.

The interview I posted above makes Enzo sound like a blagger to me... like he is trying to bluff his way through an interview. Compare that to the insiteful things that Emanual Steward might say in a similar situation? Its not my opinion that Enzo is a poor trainer but there is a heck of a lot of evidance to support the fact that he is an unexceptional one.

Look at someone like Jamie Moore. Area level amateur. Improves sufficiently under the guidance of Oliver Harrison to bcome the best fighter in the whole of Europe.

Johnny Nelson 1-7 as an amateur, 0-3 as a pro and Ingle turns him into a world champion. These are the products of a 'great' trainer.

Taking Rees to 27-0 in mismtches and winning a paper title from a lazy 'champion' isn't.

 

I'l need to respond this properly when I get back from work later. I'm no fan of Sports Network either but this is a different issue. There is a reason why they managed to gain control of so many Calzaghe fighters. I think it's fair to say that there is a general feeling of regret in the camp now that this was the case.

I think some of your points are a bit harsh.

Enzo was the mandatory contender for the WBO belt and had won the interim version, having beaten the former WBC champ in a final eliminator. He was then naturally promoted to full title holder when Nelson retired.

Rees was very fortunate to get his shot but took it well. Not his issue if the other guy failed to prepare properly. He won the fight convincingly at a weight which his body frame is clearly far too small for. He overcame massive disadvantages in height and reach and triumphed emphatically despite being the massive underdog on the night.

Nice story bout Nelson by the way, I never knew that. 0-3 to a world champion is impressiv stuff. I've never liked the style the Ingles teach their fighters but, again, you can't argue with the stats. They've been hugely successful.

 

Just a side note - Enzo didn't actually mold Joe Calzaghe from scratch, Joe was originally trained in the amateurs by a chap called Paul Williams. Everyone seems to believe Enzo trained Joe from beginning to end, which isn't true.

I also agree with Jeff that if it wasn't for Joe's natural talents, then Enzo C. wouldn't get nearly half the acclaim that he does. The fighter made the trainer is my personal opinion on this one.