The WBC are absolute mugs

I agree.

Just because you may have fought everyone (which Calzaghe didn't between 160 & 175) and beaten all/most of them it doesn't give you that ATG status.

Hill
Michalcszewski
Jones (a REAL version)
Johnson
Tarver
Woods
Dawson
Taylor
Pavlik
Ottke

Ten names there that Calzaghe didn't fight that were relevant in those weight classes during his time as WBO champion. If he'd fought half of those in those 20 fights his slate would have looked much better, win or lose.

Hell, swap the shot Roy Jones for limited banger in Pavlik and there's an instant improvement. Even casuals knew Jones was shot to **** and weren't particularly interested, never mind those in the know.

 

Exactly that. Even if he did nothing wrong, there's still plenty better.

 

None of them are better than Eubank, Kessler & Hopkins. you could find 10 be level fighters anyone didnt face.

 

Go on. Which ATGs would you say he surpassed with his ring record?

A few guys from right near the end of my top 100 (only my opinion of course)

-Wilfred Benitez
-Oscar De La Hoya
-Mike Tyson
-Sumbu Kalambay

Felix Trinidad doesn't make my top 100. Could you say Calzaghe was greater than him?

Of course, you may rank some/all of these guys higher than me :good

 

You don't think Virgil Hill was a better fighter than Eubank?

 

Indeed.

And a Eubank coming in at short notice....here he'd been preparing to fight at Cruiser! Great win, though Eubank was hardly at his best. Very much 'Rising Star' Vs 'Champion on the wane' fight, not a confirmation of ATG status. Joe proved his formidable style against B-Hop, but again, when others have decisive wins over ATGs, as well as more depth....well, my point goes without saying

Prime Roy was on that list too :fire

 

You can probably find ten B level fighters that most ATG's didn't face.... but the difference is that they fought A level fighters instead.

It's kinda lazy, but other than Forrest and Wright (both A- level for me), who didn't DLH face? Maybe Cotto and Margarito are extra to that. That's four. But he fought Mosley x2, Hopkins, Trinidad, Whitaker and others - all A level guys.

Leonard (who I can't stand) fought Hearns x2, Duran x3, Hagler, Benitez, Kalule.... Camacho and Norris too. The only possible criticism of him other than being a twat is not facing Hagler back in 1982, but eye injuries were seen a lot differently back then.

 

I mean, his B-level wins, Quartey, Vargas....as good/better wins than Kessler/Lacy.

 

Yeh. I don't get an errection from every fighter born before 1907.

I would have him ahead of all apart from Oscar. Just because a fighter was beyond there prime doesn't mean those fights don't count. There whole career counts towards legacy.

 

Explain to me Smart Ass at what point in Calzaghes career he should have face Virgin Hill?

 

****ing hell Rob

I'd get onto YT and watch some footage of Benitez if I were you.

 

like from 1983 onwards?

 

Kalambay-A level; McCallum (x2?) Graham (x2)

Top class B-level: Collins, Barkley, DeWitt, Simms>>>>Lacy IMO (great performance from Joe there though.

Notable opposition faced in defeat: Kalule (close decision against great operator) Nunn (anomaly sparkage against P4P star at the time)

Add to that his skillset, and I can't see Calzaghe being feasibly ranked over him. Calzaghe scores high for attributes, but like Aaron Pryor, there's not enough depth there to justify ranking over someone with a better resume and more testing showings of versatility.

I'd rank Calzaghe over Ricardo Lopez though.

 

:huh I deliberately chose those examples as they were recent.

Be honest; is that because you're not as well versed on those guys careers (Tyson you will be I assume)? And do you rank fighters based on the actual showings of skill they display, or just based on 'official results'? Need to know where you're coming from :good

 

Yeah feel free.

Watch Tommy Hearns in the 2000's and Leonard getting twatted around the ring by Camacho whilst you are at it.

Going on too long can dilute a legacy but it doesn't take anything away from the fighter they were at their peak, and doesn't significantly affect their ranking IMHO.