Who wins: Kovalev vs Calzaghe?

Calzaghe is extremely overrated on these forms. Kovalev takes him out mid to late rounds. The cult of Joe never reached the fanatical proportions of the cult of Roy, much less the cult of Mayweather, but it has been damn close! Ive noticed that across the pond fighters are supported well... Hatton is another fighter who always had a big fan base when he was dry humping his way to safe victory against guys he easily could have beat by just opening up instead of the innane tactics employed. I have always felt Calzighe took the easy way out and got credit for fights he did not win, or just snuck by on. He was also shameless against an obviously compromised JOnes... A guy he would have been obliterated by in JOne's prime.

joe would have found a way to win. would have outworked him. once joe got in his rhythm he was impossible to beat. Thats entirely possible... Im calling you out on One thing BigDramashow! :rofl: For Joe to get knocked down and then beat Kovlev by the margin you sight would mean that the fight would more or less have to exactly follow the trajectory of the Hopkins fight in one form or another, but...Kovlev would be even more inacctive than Hopkins: Kovlev would have to really blow it, or Joe would have to totally make some very big adjustments, quite suddenly. Joe winning against Kovlev is very realistic, but to me if Kovlev knocks him down its not going to be a lopsided scorecard for Joe... I could see Calzighe eeking out a win on the scorecards after getting dropped. BUt hey... its nitpicking! lol. We do know that Joe finds a way to get his hand raised.

Calzaghe is extremely overrated on these forms. Kovalev takes him out mid to late rounds. Yes sir, good post.

Tough call, but I think Joe's control of distance, high output, and awkward movement would fatigue Kovalev in the later rounds. Kovalev drops him early on but mostly has trouble with Joe never quite being where he wants him to be. I'd predict a close fight with Joe taking a decision and the internet screaming about "slaps".

Kovalev is a top 5 fighter in the sport, Reid and B-Hop aren't/weren't. Hopkins couldn't even beat Taylor. JC was badly hurt against Mitchell, Mitchell had recently been down 2 fights earlier when he got caught coming in, he made the same mistake again. This is the same guy that's going to be eating punches from punchers like Rodriguez, Kovalev, Barrera, etc? Hell nah haha Calzaghe would beat Rodriguez and Barrera easily. I can't believe anyone with two eyes would suggest otherwise. Hopkins got jobbed against Taylor both times. Taylor was closer to winning against Hopkins than Ward was against Kovalev though. Calzaghe would be competitive with Kovalev.

i want some of what this guy is taking ^ :lol1: :lol1: :lol1: and Ill take some of what you are taking! 16-110 after a knockdown? Would Kovalev just stop fighting an channel Lacy after the flash knockdown? Would Joe become the hulk and slap his way to perpetual punching primacy as the stunned Russian could at most win a round or two after Joe...stole the momentum of the knockdown? Thats just a crazt scenerio imo. lol

He arguably lost to Reid and Hopkins and let me guess Kovalev clearly beat Kovalev? I don't get how he could have easily lost to Mitchell. He was staggered but he was up and healthy in no time. Kovalev is a top 5 fighter in the sport, Reid and B-Hop aren't/weren't. Hopkins couldn't even beat Taylor. JC was badly hurt against Mitchell, Mitchell had recently been down 2 fights earlier when he got caught coming in, he made the same mistake again. This is the same guy that's going to be eating punches from punchers like Rodriguez, Kovalev, Barrera, etc? Hell nah haha

you could say that about any fight. so calz is too busy for everyone in boxing history? how does being busy matter? its about landing punches not throwing them. hopkins beat him with ease since he landed all the clean work. being busy is just a silly way to say well he tried hard....what did he do though? oh nothing but he tried really hard! I agree, about the Hopkins fight... Its funny I think revisionism has reared its head regarding slappy: Most threads seem to overestimate Calzighe. I went into this thread thinking that it would be overwhelming that people gave it to Joe. Joe's good at finding a way to first and foremost avoid opponents like the Russian...but if they fought it would look like the Hopkins fight imo. Joe just knows how to look busy and steal a round and maybe avoid getting stetched by the Russian. But Kovalev could catch him and probably would!

Mitchell had him hurt badly, he could've easily lost that fight. He arguably lost his fight with Reid and Hopkins, and he was dropped by RJJ, if younger, would've ended him. Kessler lost 2x to Froch, and was dominated by a 26 year old Ward, that's the most dangerous opponent he's fought. Veit had a KO ratio of just 56%, 17 ko's. JC was scared of punchers, he was susceptible to right hands which is exactly why he steered clear of RJJ. He arguably lost to Reid and Hopkins and let me guess Kovalev clearly beat Kovalev? I don't get how he could have easily lost to Mitchell. He was staggered but he was up and healthy in no time.

Kovalev stops him

Didn't come close to losing those matches though. Trinidad got dropped by more than a few guys but was dominant in most those fights he went down in. He took chances to Kessler. He took the fight to him second half and hurt him with body punches. I'm sure Veit was like 31-0 (28) to my knowledge thats over 70%. Reid and Bika were spoilers. They came to foul not to win. He looked not so great but it's hard to look good against that type of foe. Mitchell had him hurt badly, he could've easily lost that fight. He arguably lost his fight with Reid and Hopkins, and he was dropped by RJJ, if younger, would've ended him. Kessler lost 2x to Froch, and was dominated by a 26 year old Ward, that's the most dangerous opponent he's fought. Veit had a KO ratio of just 56%, 17 ko's. JC was scared of punchers, he was susceptible to right hands which is exactly why he steered clear of RJJ.

Didn't come close to losing those matches though. Trinidad got dropped by more than a few guys but was dominant in most those fights he went down in. He took chances to Kessler. He took the fight to him second half and hurt him with body punches. I'm sure Veit was like 31-0 (28) to my knowledge thats over 70%. Reid and Bika were spoilers. They came to foul not to win. He looked not so great but it's hard to look good against that type of foe.

Such a difficult match. Calzaghe won most his fights with something to spare and Kovalev has pretty much dominated all of his. I'm tempted to say Calzaghe finds a way to win really, really close, but if a fight is so difficult to call usually the safe bet is the guy who's in his weight class. 50/50. Calzaghe vs Byron Mitchell-Down by a right Calzaghe vs Hopkins-Down by a right Calzaghe vs RJJ-Down by a right Calzaghe vs Salem-Down by a right Calzaghe has only fought 1 boxer in his entire career that has had a KO ratio above 70%, Kessler. He didn't take chances. If Kovalev touched him with a right, it's lights out. Kovalev is also a superior boxer to anybody JC has ever faced, he struggled mightily with guys like Reid and Bika. https://media.giphy.com/media/OGCMvyyqOeun6/giphy.gif

Kovalev kills him, much better boxer and much harder power.

Such a difficult match. Calzaghe won most his fights with something to spare and Kovalev has pretty much dominated all of his. I'm tempted to say Calzaghe finds a way to win really, really close, but if a fight is so difficult to call usually the safe bet is the guy who's in his weight class. 50/50. something to spare...wat? a lot of people thought he lost to hopkins and reid. i even think the bika fight could be scored for bika. even the kessler fight was pretty close. what a surprise those are some of the best fighters he fought during his career.

Calzaghe probs be too busy for him but Kov is very skilled at taking away opponents jab and movement and has the power equaliser. I'm like 55-45 in favour of Calzghe. you could say that about any fight. so calz is too busy for everyone in boxing history? how does being busy matter? its about landing punches not throwing them. hopkins beat him with ease since he landed all the clean work. being busy is just a silly way to say well he tried hard....what did he do though? oh nothing but he tried really hard!

Joe Calzaghe and easily.

Such a difficult match. Calzaghe won most his fights with something to spare and Kovalev has pretty much dominated all of his. I'm tempted to say Calzaghe finds a way to win really, really close, but if a fight is so difficult to call usually the safe bet is the guy who's in his weight class. 50/50.

kovalev was never sold on Calzaghe at 175 who made his bones beating clearly shot Jones and past prime great Hopkins Joe could be dropped but had great recuperative powers he doesnt have the bodywork to break kov down, nor does he have a great jab to keep Kov honest he could hope to outpoint him but kov was an underrated boxer too. Calzaghe may gets stopped in the 6-7th round after being up on the cards

Calzaghe probs be too busy for him but Kov is very skilled at taking away opponents jab and movement and has the power equaliser. I'm like 55-45 in favour of Calzghe.