Joe Calzaghe genuinely took Jeff Lacy's soul. Why does that happen?

At 21-0 (17 KO) and the IBF/IBO champion, Jeff Lacy was the 13th coming of Mike Tyson. In reality the only things he had in common with Mike Tyson was a short prime followed by a prolonged period as an erratic bum. Why did that happen? How did he go from looking invincible to not being able to crack an egg? The fat yanks were all agreed that he was some kind of demi God. His record after the Joe Calzaghe fight: lost to Vitaly Tsypko but got the MD lost to Peter Manfredo but got the UD stunk the place out against Epifanio Mendoza but got the MD lost to Jermain Taylor stunk the place out against Otis Griffin but got the MD done in by Roy Jones Jr. and RTD lost a UD to journeyman Dhafir Smith His record since Joe Calzaghe reads 6-5 (1 KO). Three (3) of those losses were by TKO/stoppage. No joke four (4) of those wins he got gifted. His real record since Joe should read 2-9 (1 KO). What happened here? Jeff Lacy was only 28 years old the night he took on "The Real Deal" Joe Calzaghe.

Comments (7)

IMDAZED

When you're not that good to begin with?

9y ago

GMAN_SUPREME

will brook do the same to current american hype job spence? spence is another guy built up to be a monster. I think brook beats him. if brook is 100 percent fully recovered from the golovkin beating and broken eye and coming down from weight doesn't bother him I think he beats spence easily.

9y ago

The_Smash

Who exactly had he fought in those 21 fights, before Calzaghe? Lots of fighters have shiny records that they got by being protected, step up, lose and then go into obscurity.

9y ago

Willy_Wanker

When a guy is built up to be this unstoppable monster and he believes the hype behind him, but then gets absolutely embarrassed by a guy he was supposed to destroy, that will kill someone's confidence and make him believe he was a fraud. Lacy was and would have never been elite, but he still could have got some decent wins after Calzaghe and maybe even won another title. I believe his downfall was more mental than anything else. Happens to a lot of young fighters.

9y ago

123tommy

I thought he'd beat Joe but didnt think he was the 2nd coming..He'd been dropped by some pretty average fighters,Omar Sheika etc

9y ago

ruedboy

Boxing has had a blueprint for prospects for years. You put your guy in there with poor competition to build up his record, maybe you get a good name whose on his way out. Look at Lacey's record before Calzaghe and you'll see a guy who was never tested. When Lacey got in there with an elite guy it was too much of a step up. Joe was a great fighter but his legacy suffers (like Mayweather's) from too much "home cooking".

9y ago

HardSpar

Taking about a thousand hits to the head in one fight can do that to you. And, of course, Jeff Lacy was a hype job, but he was definitely a ruined hype job after that fight.

9y ago