Was Calzaghe's 'Fear of Failure' detrimental to his career?

Perhaps.

It's difficult to offer a conclusive answer unless you are his psychologist. We only have Frank Warren's assertion that he had to convince him to fight Lacy to go on. And thats Frank Warren.

 

i think it was more warrens fear with calzaghe

he didnt think he would be able to live with a lot of the american based champions while im pretty sure ottke was in the same situation regarding calzaghe. warren moved his world level fighters to america such as hatton and naz but didnt take the same risk with joe until he whooped lacy

people can be harsh on joe i think and although he may not be remembered in history with the likes of roy jones or hopkins some things can never be taken away from him. his popularity in Wales, his undefeated record and his greatest career wins against eubank, lacy, kessler and hopkins which combined with 46-0 is nothing to sniff at

 

It could be true but how realistic were the fights that could have been made that never happened??

Hopkins supposedly turned down the contract offer in 2003? and that fight happened a lot later......

Glen Johnson was on and off a few times but how much of a key victory would that be on his record??

He spoke a lot about Jermain Taylor around the time before and after the Manfredo debacle but again for whatever reasons the fight was never made.

The Ottke and RJJ fights seemed to merely be discussed by the press and fans without ever realistically happening.

He could have fought a Clinton Woods or Pavlik or a Glen Catley or a Beyer or a Tarver but he never......but through a fear of failure I'm not so sure.

The Froch and Dawson fights just came along too late so he can be pardoned for turning those down.

 

To a point i think your correct.
He openly admitted to not facing RJJ when he was in his prime because Jones was just too good.
I dont think he avoided anyone particluarly other than that - Theres the Glen Johnson opt outs but i really think at the time his head was elewhere Johnson would have been beaten and fairly easily.
But theres certainly a patch of his career where he held on to the WBO too long from about 03 to 05 a couple of opponents were no where near top quality I know the odd one or 2 were late replacements but even so i think his level of comp at times could have been higher and more of a risk to the 0

 

He stepped up to Fight Eubank when he was a green young lad and he took a massive risk in a domestic tear up against reid! Both those fights could have had massive effects on his carear but he took them and won.

 

If it wasn't for Lacy, I wonder what would have happened ??

And apparantly he had to be convinced to even get into the ring with Lacy

 

I heard he was almost forced and backed into a corner by Enzo and Frank Warren to take that fight.....

If only he'd realised how much better than Lacy he was in the first place he wouldn't have needed to been pushed into the fight!

I think it could well be confidence rather than lack of willingness through being scared to fight big names that held him back.

Don't forget he was also tied down by a Sports Network contract that he admittedly signed at his own free will.

 

Never heard that before but i wouldn't doubt it.

 

Being promoted by 'play it safe' Warren never helps as others have said. Then again, your promoter can never stop you calling someone out immediately after a bout- JC was never one for this.

 

I don't think it's a fear of losing. Boxers at that level don't fear losing.

It's probably something more psychological to do with insecurities within himself or some **** why he had to be convinced not to pull out of the Lacy fight. Whatever it is I'm sure there is nobody on this forum who could say what it is.

 

If you read the court judgement of SN v Calzaghe, JC made them write it in the contract (his final one with SN) that the promotors must seek unification and elite fights.

I think Joe wanted to step up much earlier than the Lacy fight.

 

Wasnt he worried he had some sort of injury. I dont think he was actually 'scared' of Lacy the fighter. I think he craved for those type of fights earlier.

Also who are all these people he was supposed to have missed out on???

 

I have nothing but Respect for Calzaghe.