Retiring with that all important "0"

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by superkopite, Feb 10, 2009.


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  1. superkopite

    superkopite New Member Full Member

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    Jan 22, 2009
    Just my thoughts fight fans but...

    Very few quality fighters ever retire with an unblemished record. For me this can only come about 2 ways.

    1) You were the biggest bad ass in your divison and put your fist through everyone that came at you
    2) You did not fight the best around (for whatever reson)

    Now I am a massive Calzaghe fan and think that he has achieve a lot in boxing and can retire a proud man. But which of the above 2 statements do I feel apply to him? If I am honest I would have to say reason 2.

    As for being an All Time Great, in my opinion you not only need to fight the VERY best around but also fight when you are at a disadvantage, be it weight, age, size etc, and still overcome the odd's to victory.

    Joe should really have fought on and maybe thought about other options to consolidate his legacy.

    But I can't knock him he was a great professional and maybe a little diluded about his legacy but I forgive that, if only for exposing Lacy for the fraud that he was.

    Just my 2 cents....
     
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    #1
  2. mike464

    mike464 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    "You were the biggest bad ass in your division and put your fist through everyone that came at you" doesn't sound like Calzaghe to me!
     
    mike464, Feb 10, 2009
    mike464, Feb 10, 2009
    #2
  3. superkopite

    superkopite New Member Full Member

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    I never said he was. I actually said he was statement 2, not fighting the best around.
     
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    #3
  4. mike464

    mike464 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I know and I was expressing my opinion that he fits in with statement 2.
     
    mike464, Feb 10, 2009
    mike464, Feb 10, 2009
    #4
  5. superkopite

    superkopite New Member Full Member

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    Sorry Mike:rasta
     
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    #5
  6. wvucheerjr

    wvucheerjr Active Member Full Member

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    Joe definitely fits #2.
     
    wvucheerjr, Feb 10, 2009
    wvucheerjr, Feb 10, 2009
    #6
  7. Henke67

    Henke67 One of the 45% Full Member

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    Retiring undefeated is a notable achievement but just how impressive it is, is relative to the level of your competition.
    Sven Ottke retired unbeaten but he'll never be held in the same reverance as fighters like Trinidad, de la Hoya, Mosley and Morales (just to name a few) who may have a few losses on their record but went out of their way to face the best.
     
    Henke67, Feb 10, 2009
    Henke67, Feb 10, 2009
    #7
  8. superkopite

    superkopite New Member Full Member

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    Jan 22, 2009
    This is very true. Far too much importance is place (by some, joe included) on the "0". Every really top boxer of my era that I can think off all had defeats. Lewis, Tyson, Pacman, Benn, Eubank etc etc etc. This didn't detract from there legacies in the slightest (apart from Tyson and even then...).
     
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    superkopite, Feb 10, 2009
    #8
  9. MagnificentMatt

    MagnificentMatt Beterbiev literally kills Plant and McCumby 2v1 Full Member

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    Joe is still an ATG no doubt, he just could have been regarded higher if he did fight a few people.
     
    MagnificentMatt, Feb 10, 2009
    MagnificentMatt, Feb 10, 2009
    #9
  10. Henke67

    Henke67 One of the 45% Full Member

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    I've enjoyed watching Joe fight over the years, and he's probably worked his way into my top 100 fighters ever, but i'd definitely have more respect for him if he went to the US earlier and fought RJJ, Toney, Hopkins etc, even if he'd lost a couple along the way.
    He could even have went to Germany to fight Ottke or DM - he was willing to go there to fight Mario Veit after all!!
     
    Henke67, Feb 10, 2009
    Henke67, Feb 10, 2009
    #10
  11. ThePlugInBabies

    ThePlugInBabies ♪ ♫ Full Member

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    ....and sven could have come to the UK to fight joe and roy could have gone to germany to fight DM and vice versa.
     
    ThePlugInBabies, Feb 10, 2009
    ThePlugInBabies, Feb 10, 2009
    #11
  12. Henke67

    Henke67 One of the 45% Full Member

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    True - Ottke and DM could, and should, have left Germany to fight Joe or RJJ - the fact they didn't hurts their legacy in my opinion.
    I'm just holding Joe to that same standard. I've just got more respect for fighters who took chances they didn't have to take.
     
    Henke67, Feb 10, 2009
    Henke67, Feb 10, 2009
    #12
  13. nightmare nick

    nightmare nick Take that Bald Bull Full Member

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    Montero- who was better then floyd at super feather when he was tearing up that division. I agree that he left when stuff to still take care of, but i don't agree that he was never the best in a division.
     
    nightmare nick, Feb 10, 2009
    nightmare nick, Feb 10, 2009
    #13
  14. Cobbler

    Cobbler Shoemaker To The Stars Full Member

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    He tried to fight Hopkins earlier as is well known. You probably need to specify in what year and at what weight Calzaghe could have fought Toney before we all laugh at you.
     
    Cobbler, Feb 10, 2009
    Cobbler, Feb 10, 2009
    #14
  15. MagnificentMatt

    MagnificentMatt Beterbiev literally kills Plant and McCumby 2v1 Full Member

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    ...I dunno, Im pretty sure Joe was just coming up around the time Toney was leaving 168.
     
    MagnificentMatt, Feb 10, 2009
    MagnificentMatt, Feb 10, 2009
    #15
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