Why was Calzaghe beating Lacy considered such a big win for Calzaghe?

Because of all the stupid *******s who thought Lacy would win.

 

he was a big underdog at the time. tyson was thought of as the next Mike Tyson and most experts expected him to destroy calzaghe.

Where in fact the opposite happened.

Its a big fan as he took a high risk fight he wasn't expected to win.

I'm not really a calzaghe fan but thought i'd anyway for you.

 

Most people who predicted a Lacy win where Yanks.

Yanks who'd seen hardley any calzaghe fights.

Everyone who had followed both fighters careers knew that Lacy was getting a boxing lesson.

 

Because the Americans - who often accuse Brits of overhyping their fighters - made Lacy out to be some kind of monster that would eat Joe up.

He then goes on to be introduced to his new daddy, Joe, in the process of 12 rounds. I'm a Calzaghe hater, and even I find that **** funny

 

Lacy being hyped as a SMW Mike Tyson and a lot of people didn't rate Calzaghe.
Americans didn't rate Calzaghe for the same reasons they don't rate him now. A lot of Brits didn't rate Calzaghe because he'd had some poor performances & people thought his best days were behind him.
Plus the fact that not only did Calzaghe win but he made it a complete mis-match

 

Calzaghe was ridiculously underrated. Many believed he was a protected fighter who'd built his record feasting on bums.

Add to that Lacy being overrated (labelled the next Tyson), and most fans, especially Americans, expecting him to crush Calzaghe and end his facade. Look up some of the predictions for the fight, some of the funniest stuff you'll ever read.

When Calzaghe put on a masterclass and absolute beatdown on Lacy (didn't he land like a 1000 punches?), it was one of the most shocking odds-defying wins I've witnessed. No-one dared call him Calfaggy after that.

Anyway, I don't think it's seen as much of a big win now as it was at the time it happened. Lacy's career went downhill, and even though Calzaghe's fists probably had a lot to do with that, that win usually gets discredited as Lacy now apparently was always an average fighter.

 

Lacy was quite simply a hype job. The division hadn't had an exciting and marketable American supermiddle since Jones Jr and in desperation the U.S fans jumped on the bandwagon and hailed him as a mini Mike Tyson. Kind of similar to the current situation with Arreola, a complete lack of U.S talent at heavyweight and so anyone who looks the part get's over hyped.

I expected Calzaghe to stop him in the middle rounds but Lacy showed what he lacked in ability he made up for in heart and durability. Anyone that had bothered to actually watch both guys fight knew it was going to be a mismatch.

 

Because many experts, especially from the US, favored Lacy. Because very rarely in boxing hsitory has a favored fighter been schooled for every minute of every round. It was supposed to be a unification fight between to undefeated title holders and turned out to be as one - sided as it gets.

 

It's already been summed up here by the likes of Gneus7. Add to this that Calzaghe was being ridiculed for meandering his way through a list of Warren cans. Plus, at the same time you had Lacy who was beating the likes of Reid and Sheika, who had already fought Calzaghe. He was the one of the best contenders around and Calzaghe ruined him - big time. Yes, there was hype around him for sure, but Calzaghe deserves credit in the manner he wrecked Lacy.

 

- Gary Shaw was promoting Lacy as the next Mike Tyson.

- Lacy was the IBF champion

- And his physique impressed people to think he was something special.

- That one sided annihilation did irreparable damage to Jeff Lacy.

- Any good qualities he had as a fighter were completely smoked by Calzaghe.

 

I remember it very clearly, the majority of yanks and their experts thought Calzaghe was ready to be taken and that Lacy would stop him.

One of the best articles I read was from Leonard who was at Eddie Murphy's to watch the fight.

Lacy takes his robe off and Murphy pipes up "man that Calzaghe dude is in trouble"

Leonard "After the 1st round I was a Calzaghe fan"

the Showtime coverage, although biased, couldn't believe that Calzaghe was making Lacy look like an amatuer.

Whatever hopes and plans that Shaw had for Lacy were crushed that night, that was more than a physical beating he took!

 

Jeff Lacy was the product of a lot of hype from the US media because (a) he had a powerful punch, (b) he had a great physique, (c) he had a zero.

All three of these aspects are things which impress excitable and/or patriotic media, but which do not necessarily mean much to serious boxing fans.


Jeff Lacy in his prime was outboxed for long spells by Omar Sheika (a fighter who was thoroughly dismantled and stopped by Calzaghe), and was fortunate to escape with the decision.

The cold hard facts are that Lacy didn't beat one bona fide top fighter in his entire career, and was utterly dominated in all of his big fights (Calzaghe, J.Taylor, shot-to-**** Jones).


By the time of the Calzaghe-Lacy fight, Calzaghe had beaten better fighters and looked more impressive doing so, was far more seasoned and experienced, and ensured the fight was happening in his backyard.



Conclusion: Calzaghe-Lacy was not a great win by any standard, it was a good win and a great performance.

 

Because the people who frequented these forums know what kind of hype Lacy got at that time, solely due to his win over Pemberton and his physique.

Needless to say, I actually picked Calzaghe to beat him. And boy, Calzaghe did beat him.


"I think Lacy nicked it" ( c ) Jazzo.

Best thread ever.

 

The staff of *********** comes together to voice their opinions, predictions and analysis on the big fight.

Hank Kaplan - Calzaghe is a smart fighter in the ring, but I think Lacy is too much for him. I like Lacy in this fight. I think Lacy should stop him.

Tim Smith - This is the toughest fight in the career of either man, but I like Lacy because of his strength and power. I like Lacy by decision.

Ron Borges - Although I give Calzaghe a chance to win, I think in the end age and too many years fighting inferior competition will get to him. So will a Jeff Lacy left hook, one that will drop him and hurt him badly enough that he can't continue. Jeff Lacy by TKO in 10.

Sammy Rozenberg - I see Calzaghe hustling Lacy for most of the fight with his boxing skills, until Lacy catches up to him in the later rounds and ends it. Lacy in 11 by KO.

Glenn Wilson - I've been looking forward to this for quite a while. Both fightes know that they are facing the best opponent they have ever been in the ring with. I see this going two rounds. Round one, Calzaghe picks his shots and grabs when he feels Lacy's power. Round two, both fighters opening up and Lacy catches Calzaghe to ends it. I believe there will be twelve rounds of action packed into two

Eric Rineer - Joe Calzaghe has been the man in this division for a long time. He's got a remarkable record and he's the more experienced fighter. The match even takes place in England. All the odds seem to favor him. However, Jeff Lacy is an animal in the ring and he is hungry to add another title. He's fought in England before, and he's won in England before. I think the younger, hungrier man wins this fight regardless of where it's being held. Jeff Lacy by KO in 8 rounds.

Larry Tornambe - Jeff Lacy will see this opportunity as his crossing of the threshold to greatness. ko 9

TK Stewart - It's the best match that can be made right now at 168 pounds. The winner will have stamped his mark on the Super Middleweight division and will be the true champion at that weight. Jeff Lacy is one of the best young titlists within the sport of boxing right now. Lacy brings excitement to the game and when promoter Gary Shaw says that Lacy is a cross between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, I think he's right. Something strange about Joe Calzaghe is that even after 40 fights and numerous WBO title defenses, many American boxing fans still don't know if he's the real thing and they still have a lot of questions about him. The fight with Lacy is going to clear all of that up for us and that's what makes it so attractive. What I like about Calzaghe is that I've seen him get off the floor and win. I've seen him fight with a broken hand and win and I've seen him fight through being hurt and win. I haven't seen Jeff Lacy prove himself in the manner in which I have seen Calzaghe prove himself. Lacy gets hit too much for my liking and he fights like a puncher when I don't think he has that big of a punch. Against an experienced opponent such as Joe Calzaghe I think Lacy is going to run into some real problems if he tries to run straight into Calzaghe like he ran into Omar Sheika and Syd Vanderpool. I like Calzaghe in this one. I think overall he is a better fighter, has more experience, and has proven that when the going gets tough he can get going. Don't forget that Calzaghe has never lost and it always takes a lot to beat a seasoned, undefeated fighter fighting in front of a partisan crowd. I think a lot of Americans are going to be surprised by Calzaghe and I like him by stoppage, probably around the eighth or ninth round

Mark Workman - Short and sweet. I've never believed that Joe Calzaghe could stand up to the awesome power of the Tampa Bay banger, Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy. I expect Lacy to rain down a torrent of uppercuts and trademark left hooks upon Calzaghe and completely demolish him. I don't see it going beyond round nine.

Carlos Irusta - I see Lacy winning, because he has more power than Calzaghe, who never lived up to fans' expectations.

Evan Korn - Lacy will overwhelm Calzaghe en route to a second round KO.

Don Caputo - Out with the old, in with the new. Five years ago, Calzaghe's hand speed and limitless stamina may have been enough to tame the ferocious Lacy. But after years of stagnation against sub par opposition, it is very hard to see Joe emerging victorious on Saturday night against perhaps the most powerful opponent he has ever faced. Of course he will have the home advantage and still possesses superb boxing skills, but I'm going with the younger and considerably stronger Lacy by late stoppage. A barrage of punches around the 9th round will signal the end of the Welshmans long reign - but expect him to go out on his shield.

Joe Harrison - I think Jeff Lacy lacks the skills and experience that Joe Calzaghe has. However, Calzaghe is past his prime and this should be a very difficult fight for him. Surely, Lacy will eventually connect with one or two of those wild left and right hooks that not even Calzaghe can shake off.
Lacy over Calzaghe by 8th round KO

Johnny Ortiz - I see Lacy coming out strong early. If Calzaghe can weather the early storm that Lacy will surely bring, I like him the longer the fight goes. Joe's vast experience should help him going into the deep water rounds. Although he too has power, Joe must avoid getting into exchanges with Lacy early in the fight. Lacy is the more powerful puncher but his problem is that he loads up with just about every punch he throws, over the long haul it could deplete some of his power. I look for Joe to use his experience and intelligence in order to take Lacy into the late rounds where he should win a decision or stop a somewhat tired Lacy. Joe Calzaghe is a proven champion, he just might be catching Lacy at the right time in his early career. It should be one hell of a fight while it lasts, you cannot count Lacy out because of his awesome power, he just cannot get too anxious.


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Paul Gallegos - Unless the world of boxing is turned upside down, I fully expect Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy to roll right through Calzaghe. This is Lacy time and as one of the few athletes in the sport who never lets himself get out of shape, this match shouldn't be a problem. Calzaghe has the experience edge and the crowd, but I really feel that youth must be served in this instance. There are holes in Lacy's shield as far as defense is concerned, but he has overcome many of these obstacles by reinventing himself with outstanding power and unfettered will. Lacy by KO in the seventh.

James Blears - This is going to be Jeff Lacy’s fight “hands down.” Lacy who’s known as “Left Hook,” has accused Joe Calzaghe of being a “Slapsie.” This has stung Joe, who’s recovering from a broken hand and who’s hands are notoriously brittle. I think the action is going to be explosive. Lacy looks ripped, ready and ravenous. It almost reminds me of Marvin Hagler vs. Alan Minter, all those years ago. Joe hasn’t faced a quality lineup in his career, yet Jeff is as awesome as they come at this weight. I don’t think it’ll go more than four rounds. During that time Jeff will overpower and knock out Joe. Joe has a champion’s heart and has never tasted professional defeat, so he will initially get up. There’ll be several thrills and spills before it ends. Let’s hope the Manchester crowd isn’t too disappointed and show their sporting class when this happens.

Matthew Hurley - Lacy is a fighter I'm very excited about. He has tremendous power but he has also shown resiliency in his brief professional career. Traveling to Europe to fight the oft-percieved reluctant Calzaghe just proves how focused and determined he is. Calzaghe is 40-0 31 knockouts but a bit of a mystery to many American fans. His refusal to travel abroad has always bothered me - that along with pulling out of fights due to injury. He's a talented guy and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but one flaw he has is that he often doesn't pull his right jab back quick enough. It's a flaw that could prove disastrous against a left-hooker like Lacy. I think it will be an interesting bout during the early rounds with Calzaghe giving the young upstart some problems, but then Jeff will begin to wear his opponent down both with his punching power and tenacity. Lacy TKO 8 Calzaghe


Ron Gallegos - This one will be sure thing, you can take it to the bank. Lacy will take him out by the fifth round. Jeff still needs to work on his defense, but in the end, his offensive fire power is more than enough to take out anyone in the division. Lacy looks like a chiseled ebony greek god. He's what's right with boxing.

Rusty Rubin - The only way to beat Calzaghe in Wales is to take it out of the hands of the judges. Lacy by TKO in 7.

Javier Molina - Calzaghe will fight his heart out, but Jeff Lacy will be too much to handle. Jeff's power will be the key to victory. Lacy by KO.

Rick Reeno - A hard fight to pick. They say an undefeated fighter does not know how to lose, and I don't expect either of these two fighters to go down without a fight. Calzaghe's punching power is very underrated and Lacy's chin is a bit overrated - which makes the fighter that much closer to me. There is always a chance Calzaghe will catch Lacy with a shot big enough to end the fight, but I don't expect that to happen. Joe has not been involved in a very physical fight in several years. Lacy on the other hand is making every fight an action packed brawl. I think Joe will eventually fall into the Lacy trap and engage him on a toe to toe basis. In the end, Lacy will break him down within ten.