His 21 Super Middleweight Defences, Winning WBO,IBF,WBC and WBA Belts @ 168
Or...
Winning The Ring Magazine Title @ 175 against American legend Bernard Hopkins and defending it against another Roy Jones Jr in their own backyard.
When Jones Jr won the title at 175lb, Calzaghe just won the vacant WBO 'world' title against an old Chris Eubank who had to lose a silly amount of weight to make 168. In Eubanks next fight, he fought at cruiserweight. Hopkins unified at middleweight, it took Calzaghe from 96 or 97 until 06 to even fight for the other titles (Lacy). No one was 'ducking' anyone. Fact is, Calzaghe was more than content in defending the WBO title against crap/past it 168 mandatories, rather than moving up to try to get a fight with Jones. Jones was the marquee name then, not Calzaghe. Calzaghe wasn't known much even in the UK. He had quite a few poor fights, which didn't excatly make him marketable to the US TV companies.
Then why do most posters on NSB insist that Calzaghe was ducking Jones and Hopkins? Jones also was content on fighting inferior opponents when it was clear that DM and JC were the best fighters he could face.
Will be best remembered for kicking Lacey's ass, and quitening the cr@p that his team were coming out with before the fight. Look at Lacey now; a shell of the boxer, and the man, that he was.
IMO, only thing people will remember him by is wins during and after Lacy. Then recongize he made those defenses and not give him as much respect cause the opposition hes faced in the defenses.
Joe beat a good fighter in Kessler, beat an overrated fighter in Lacy, beat a Hopkins who is out of his prime, but still a smart fighter who poses problems for any fighter...
now on to the Roy win, lets be honest with that... Roy is no where near the same fighter that he was in his prime, or what he was in 04, when he suffered the biggest losses of his career. he was FAR MORE ATHLETIC back then.
Joe never beat the best versions of Roy or B-HOP and when we look back @ Joes career when he's retired, there will be a big ass dark cloud over them 2 wins. and thats the truth..
When Jones and Hopkins had the leverage they never fought Calzaghe, Ottke or DM. When Calzaghe has the leverage the fights with Hopkins and Jones happen. So who was ducking who?
When Jones Jr won the title at 175lb, Calzaghe just won the vacant WBO 'world' title against an old Chris Eubank who had to lose a silly amount of weight to make 168. In Eubanks next fight, he fought at cruiserweight. Hopkins unified at middleweight, it took Calzaghe from 96 or 97 until 06 to even fight for the other titles (Lacy). No one was 'ducking' anyone. Fact is, Calzaghe was more than content in defending the WBO title against crap/past it 168 mandatories, rather than moving up to try to get a fight with Jones. Jones was the marquee name then, not Calzaghe. Calzaghe wasn't known much even in the UK. He had quite a few poor fights, which didn't excatly make him marketable to the US TV companies.
I'd say Roy and Bernard to be honest, even though it probably isn't the better of the two achievements.
The bottom line is that in his run at SMW I don't think he beat a high enough quality of fighters to be remembered for it in the future. Despite Roy being way past prime and Bernard being a little past his best also, those guys are legend and therefore I think Joe will be best remembered for those wins.
Whether that is right or not is another story.
He'll be remembered as the first great fighter out of the SMW division, the best boxer from Wales, and if he retires unbeaten then they have to keep him on the shelf somewhere for that.
When Jones and Hopkins had the leverage they never fought Calzaghe, Ottke or DM. When Calzaghe has the leverage the fights with Hopkins and Jones happen. So who was ducking who?
His 21 Super Middleweight Defences, Winning WBO,IBF,WBC and WBA Belts @ 168
Or...
Winning The Ring Magazine Title @ 175 against American legend Bernard Hopkins and defending it against another Roy Jones Jr in their own backyard.
he should be remembered as a good fighter that never went out of his way to fight elite opposition.. he's not an all time great fighter in my eyes.. joe's defender may say bika is elite, or kessler is elite.. lets be real they are ok fighters kessler at best is a B class fighter im not taking those wins from him but i mean come on.. Joe's best opposition is against a 43 year old man who is past his prime, and a 40 year old guy who isnt even 40 % of what he used to be.. i thought he lost against hopkins but i can see how they gave it to joe.. and he did beat roy.. but that says something about a guy having his best opposition against a 43 year old and a 40 year old.. he shouldn't be praised for the jones victory hell he got knocked down.. anyone with sense would know a prime jones would beat calzaghe.. joe in my eyes is a good fighter but he isnt great.. he didnt go out of his way to fight elite fighters.. he should of came to u.s. years ago ala ricky hatton, lennox lewis, prince naseem, etc.
His 21 Super Middleweight Defences, Winning WBO,IBF,WBC and WBA Belts @ 168
Or...
Winning The Ring Magazine Title @ 175 against American legend Bernard Hopkins and defending it against another Roy Jones Jr in their own backyard.
ducking fighters in their prime