Joe Calzaghe Or Jersey Joe Walcott?

[Southpaw Great]

Who should be remembered as the greater fighter and why?

[McGrain]

You can see the Louis decision any way you like; basically Walcott is 2-6 versus the three best HW's he's ever fought, with the two wins coming against a Charles past his very best. His wider resume is not too bad, but this does peg him as an also ran in terms of ATG status, IMO. Calzaghe is unbeaten and has a huge number of defences. I don't like his level of competition - who does? - but he's a two weight champion who has never lost a fight.

Remaining unbeaten counts for pletny for me, because it speaks of dedication and concentration, which may be the two most important aspects of boxing full stop. Calzaghe might even creep into my top 100 now, Walcott, no.

So Calzaghe.

[TheGreatA]

It's one of those cases where I believe that had Walcott fought under the same circumstances as Calzaghe, I see him doing about as well. As for Calzaghe fighting under Walcott's conditions, it's difficult to say. With Frank Warren, Calzaghe had a very protective manager who didn't make him fight opponents that he couldn't beat. Walcott on the other hand was put against opponents like Tiger Jack Fox relatively early on without sufficient conditioning.

Both made their mark on boxing at a rather late age, in their mid 30's, Calzaghe because he had been over-protected, Walcott because he had all but given up boxing until finally coming across a good fight manager with connections in Felix Bocchicchio. In his later years, Walcott fought and beat better opposition, but overall Calzaghe had a much more consistent career. I guess that'd probably be the difference.

[FunkyFresh]

It's one of those cases where I believe that had Walcott fought under the same circumstances as Calzaghe, I see him doing about as well. As for Calzaghe fighting under Walcott's conditions, it's difficult to say. With Frank Warren, Calzaghe had a very protective manager who didn't make him fight opponents that he couldn't beat. Walcott on the other hand was put against opponents like Tiger Jack Fox relatively early on without sufficient conditioning.

Both made their mark on boxing at a rather late age, in their mid 30's, Calzaghe because he had been over-protected, Walcott because he had all but given up boxing until finally coming across a good fight manager with connections in Felix Bocchicchio. In his later years, Walcott fought and beat better opposition, but overall Calzaghe had a much more consistent career. I guess that'd probably be the difference.

I bet it really hurts you to say that Calzaghe is better. Probably why you haven't directly said it.

Just some more of the bias from you.

[Joey Giardello]

Didnt even have to think about this one, its jersey joe walcot

[General Zod]

It's one of those cases where I believe that had Walcott fought under the same circumstances as Calzaghe, I see him doing about as well. As for Calzaghe fighting under Walcott's conditions, it's difficult to say. With Frank Warren, Calzaghe had a very protective manager who didn't make him fight opponents that he couldn't beat. Walcott on the other hand was put against opponents like Tiger Jack Fox relatively early on without sufficient conditioning.

Both made their mark on boxing at a rather late age, in their mid 30's, Calzaghe because he had been over-protected, Walcott because he had all but given up boxing until finally coming across a good fight manager with connections in Felix Bocchicchio. In his later years, Walcott fought and beat better opposition, but overall Calzaghe had a much more consistent career. I guess that'd probably be the difference.

Can you elaborate on these points?

[TheGreatA]

I bet it really hurts you to say that Calzaghe is better. Probably why you haven't directly said it.

Just some more of the bias from you.

Can you elaborate on these points?

Well, in between the Chris Eubank and Jeff Lacy fights, a span of nearly 10 years, Calzaghe didn't fight many threats outside of Robin Reid, maybe Charles Brewer and Byron Mitchell. Title defenses against the likes of Sobot, McIntyre, Mkrtchyan and Salem were quite painful to watch knowing the man's talent. Eubank said that the Calzaghe he fought hit like a ton of bricks but by the Lacy fight Calzaghe had little power behind his punches. He wasted a lot of time making WBO title defenses against unheralded opposition. Calzaghe really only became a name in boxing at 35 years of age which is quite late for a boxer.

Not that Warren is to be trusted but here's his opinion on it:

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=16188

I don't think there's any doubt that Warren is a protective manager. He doesn't like to put his fighters against opponents that pose a great threat to them. Personally I think he held back Calzaghe's career, despite him denying it. I'm not saying I blame everything on Calzaghe and his management, not everyone was willing to face him either, but I think he could have made more of an effort to make the Hopkins and Jones fights happen 10 years previous to when they did.

It's quite a contrast to Walcott who would take fights against the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Harold Johnson, Rocky Marciano, Tiger Jack Fox, sometimes on short notice.

[Joey Giardello]

You can see the Louis decision any way you like; basically Walcott is 2-6 versus the three best HW's he's ever fought, with the two wins coming against a Charles past his very best. His wider resume is not too bad, but this does peg him as an also ran in terms of ATG status, IMO. Calzaghe is unbeaten and has a huge number of defences. I don't like his level of competition - who does? - but he's a two weight champion who has never lost a fight.

Remaining unbeaten counts for pletny for me, because it speaks of dedication and concentration, which may be the two most important aspects of boxing full stop. Calzaghe might even creep into my top 100 now, Walcott, no.

So Calzaghe.

If jersey joe had spent most of his career fighting hand picked fighters by frank warren he would of been unbeaten, if you put calzaghe in walcot's era no way would he be unbeaten! what wins has calzaghe got that matches up to wins over ezzard charles, harold johnson, jimmy bivins and elmer ray?

[FunkyFresh]

Well, in between the Chris Eubank and Jeff Lacy fights, a span of nearly 10 years, Calzaghe didn't fight many threats outside of Robin Reid, maybe Charles Brewer and Byron Mitchell. Title defenses against the likes of Sobot, McIntyre, Mkrtchyan and Salem were quite painful to watch knowing the man's talent. Eubank said that the Calzaghe he fought hit like a ton of bricks but by the Lacy fight Calzaghe had little power behind his punches. He wasted a lot of time making WBO title defenses against unheralded opposition. Calzaghe really only became a name in boxing at 35 years of age which is quite late for a boxer.

Not that Warren is to be trusted but here's his opinion on it:

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=16188

I don't think there's any doubt that Warren is a protective manager. He doesn't like to put his fighters against opponents that pose a great threat to them. Personally I think he held back Calzaghe's career, despite him denying it. I'm not saying I blame everything on Calzaghe and his management, not everyone was willing to face him either, but I think he could have made more of an effort to make the Hopkins and Jones fights happen 10 years previous to when they did.

It's quite a contrast to Walcott who would take fights against the likes of Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Harold Johnson, Rocky Marciano, Tiger Jack Fox, sometimes on short notice.

There we go, again. You won't directly admit that Calzaghe is better, because of your love for Walcott and your hatred for Calzaghe.

B-I-A-S-E-D.

[Sugarj]

I'm going to go for Walcott. His world championship honours pale in comparison to Calzaghe............but Walcott was a stylistic and defensive masterclass who is cited as idol and inspiration to the likes of Roy Jones, James Toney, and Bernard Hopkins.

Walcott was lightyears ahead of his time, his use of angles, footwork, slipping punches and countering deserves mention in the same sentence as other greats such as Pep and Robinson.

If Walcott could absorb a punch a bit better he could have had a more illustrious career at world class.

Calzaghe, no doubt is one of the finest super middleweights to have walked this planet. But I cant see him being mentioned as a true ATG or inspiration to young boxers say 50 years from now............the way Jersey Joe is today, and thats why I pick him.