What is the best case that can be made for Dawson as the best opponent for Calzaghe?

Just watch him give Adamek a boxing lesson and you wil understand how dangerous he would be to ANY opponent. It is unlikely that he will ever face Calzaghe because Calzaghe has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

 

Define "best of his generation", as in which boxers are you excluding and which are you including.

 

In terms of legacy you're right, Dawson would be a plus but nothing huge for JC atm (though most experts would praise Joe for such a win), he hasn't fought any A-level Lightheavies outside of Adamek.

The thread however was asking for the boxer with the best chance to win. Enzo Mac is a slugger with two fisted power who has learned how to box over the years, he is stylistically nothing like Dawson other than the fact that both are bigger than Joe.

The youth advantage was at play the other night, Joe was too gassed to pull round 12 out of the bag, was he not? He did get hit more than usual, no? And this was by a rather predictable, one dimensional boxer in Kessler; Dawson has far more angles and boxing skill than the Dane, and is faster to boot.

Calzaghe may be good versus southpaws but so is Chad. He dominated Harding and outclassed the very awkward Gardner with ease (at 168 ). He was also slated to face current WBA champ Stipe Drews 3 times last year (with Drews pulling out 3 times), and basically spent 4 months fighting nothing but tall soupaws at the gym. He's naturally a right hander which will undoubtedly throw Calzaghe off.

We need to see Dawson's heart, chin, and other intangiables tested a little more to say he would definitely be a threat or a favourite against calzaghe, but at the moment everything is pointing that way.

 

I suspect, should these two actually meet, both fighters would lower their punch output. Neither guy is accustomed to fighting a shifty, awkward opponent, and they'd both spend time posing, feinting, overall doing less punching.

In that scenario, a scoring advantage goes to the guy with the reach advantage (Dawson, by 3.5 inches), as well as the guy with the power advantage (Dawson, by a mile), because with fewer punches landed each one becomes more important.

Calzaghe is a beautiful fighter to watch against stationary targets, using a bouncy, free-flowing style for offense and a terrific chin to absorb his mistakes.

But in this bout, you're talking about a more staccato pace. Hopkins could cause the same effect, but he doesn't punch enough now to capitalize. He'd be outworked badly.

The real question to me is what happens when Calzaghe rushes in with hands flying and squares up. If Dawson retreats and plays defense without countering, he'll lose badly. But if, as I suspect, he makes Joe miss and is able to slide quickly into punching position, he'll have clean shots at Calzaghe's chin. And he's a faster, longer puncher than Kessler (who did get Joe's attention on a few occasions) with just as much power, and he's able to score from angles the likes of which Calzaghe never has encountered.

Also remember that Dawson is a natural right-hander, and his combinations -- though not equal to JC's in terms of raw speed -- are more compact and powerful. If they trade jabs (Dawson getting the better of it, most likely) and right hooks, Dawson will bust Calzaghe up.

Having said that, Joe has tremendous ring intelligence and adaptibility, plus the vast edge in experience. There's no question he could win.

But I favor Dawson on neutral ground, making it a pick'em if the fight is in Wales.

 

I agree with this

 

The only thing i agree with in that highlighted sentence is experience.. Everything else Dawson obviously has the advantage over Calzaghe. And plus Calzaghe is moving UP to 175 so he definetly wont have more hand speed, conditioning, footspeed, or workrate.

 

Yeah name some light heavys that will beat him?

 

Dude you must be smoking some good ****! Joe beats Chad senseless? That has got to be the funniest **** i ever heard!! Faster hands?? Yea ok! Better footwork? You're a moron