I'm fan of the guy because he has superb conditioning, fast, and has a style that would give anyone hell but there's not much he can do to surpass RJJ or BHOP. The reason is because he waited to the end of their careers then to take them on. Honestly I don't know the whole situation of why these fights never happen before when all of them were in their prime I just heard there were negotiating problems. But honestly he never came to the U.S. to take on champions before he just waited to late to come over. Everyone knows the big fights are in the U.S. But in the end it Joe's fault and the only way to surpass RJJ and BHOP is to build a time machine and go back and fight them when they were both in their primes.
Exactly. If he doesn't want that rematch, then that's fine. He can be content with 50-100 probably on all-time lists. Hopkins has stated time and time again that he wants the rematch and will go on the road to get it. Calzaghe not accepting after fighting to a difficult Split Decision is wrong, IF he plans to continue fighting at all.
Im a huge Calzaghe fan, but how he is handling the situation is terrible. It was arguably the toughest fight of his career (Id go with Reid personally, but Bernard is definately up there). It was a SD and many believe he lost. He stated Bernard is a great champion and a tough fighter. He also stated after the "white boy" comment, that he knows it was all to hype the fight. Now, he beat Bernard's ass. Now he doesnt give rematches (Mario Veit is worthy because of his mandatory status, but Hopkins is not with his status as one of the top 30-40 fighters of all time???). Now Hopkins is a racist and doesnt deserve another shot. Cmon...if you want to retire, retire...but this type of handwringing is really showing a side of Calzaghe that doesnt match up with what he has been known to be over the past decade and change. As I said, Im a huge fan, but its laughable how he is handling it all.
He can't surpass them, unless he suddenyl discovers the longevity of Hopkins and fights for another 3/4 years against a very high level of competition. I have not made a top 100 atg list but I would imagine that Jones Jr would be 20-25, Hopkins 40-45 and Calzaghe 80-90, and that is with a certain bias as a Calzaghe fan. His resume does not match his talent, it is a shame. One point on the Lacy fight, there were quite a few British Boxing pundits who picked Lacy to win on the basis that they thought that JC was already past his best at that stage, it was actually a theme in the build up wondering if he had left it too late for his signature fight. The wasted years between 02-05 when he was probably at his potential peak will always be held against him, also the fact that he could not secure a unification fight. If he fights for another 2 years and gains wins over Dawson, Taylor, and a Hopkins rematch that would probably aid him a great deal in US perception of him. Personally I think that a Hopkins rematch would be lose/lose for Calzaghe, win too well and Hopkins will be considered shot, lose and he is a fraud.
Erm, no-one is turning me into anything mate. If Calzaghe decisively beats Hopkins, Dawson and Adamek, he is an undefeated three-weight world champion. He will have beaten the best lhw in the world and arguably the best cruiser in the world in his last 2 fights. He will have avenged his loss (in my eyes) to ATG Bernard Hopkins. For me, that finish to a career would indeed pull him ahead of B-Hop in terms of achievement. For a supermiddle to win The Ring cruiserweight title would be a formidable achievement. HOWEVER, my point was purely hypothetical in response to a question from Hotti_Killer. Do I think there is the slightest chance of this happening?? I strongly believe Hopkins would master Calzaghe in a rematch, I'd give Calzaghe 50-50 v Dawson, and I wouldn't give him much of a chance at all against Adamek - Calzaghe's "power" would be beyond non-existent up at cruiser. No-one ever turns me into anything, but I always give my honest opinion, and the opinion I gave was genuine but a complete hypothetical, and an unrealistic one at that. :good PS: - The comparison with Foreman is ridiculous, Hopkins is past-prime and has stamina issues, but he is capable of performing at a far higher level than Foreman was in the early 90s. - I rank Calzaghe slightly higher than Winky myself.
He could make a start by giving both Hopkins and Kessler return fights and winning convincingly this time(i think he loses in both fights)But i dont think he will ever be held in the same regard as b.hop or r.j.j. Joe was a fighter who for many years fed on crap like Sheika and worse still Pudwill.If he did tke on the better fighters he either struggled(Brewer)or got lucky desicions(Rob Reid).He did number on Lacy and made a name for himself in his last 2 fights.Against Kessler he was hurt and losing he won the fight on slaps,the Kessler youtube highlight shows loads of footage from that fight and its Mikkel landing the big shots and making a fight of it.Joe lost to Hopkins.Guys like b. hop and Roy will be remembered for total domination of weight divisions,Joe quite simply will not.
You're preaching to the atheists. Those kind of objective, sensible opinions just don't fly around here. ESB only tolerates severe or mild JC nuthuggery :grouphug.
He'd need to move up to heavyweight and beat Ruslan Chagaev. Until something like that, he'll never be in the same league as Jones and Hopkins.
^^^ i agree..he never KOed the two legends...he may have defeated those two in their home town but to be KOed by roy jones just means that he never learned his lesson.
he does not only need to beat hopkins convincingly but he need to KO bhop. he must then need to win HW title or KO dawson and call it a career