1 Billion: Calzaghe true great or over rated fraud?

[crold1]

Well hopefully ur right, i dont suppose being involved in a FOTY with Segura will hurt his chances too much either thinking about it...

Still i dont feel he has done enough personally

Whats ur take on Calzaghe?

I think Calderon did enough, especially considering how difficult it can be for smaller fighters to get challenging fights due to regional splits etc. Cazares and Segura gave him two quality rivals and first fight with each was a classic along with almost 20 wins in belt fights.

I posted a link to my take of Cal on the page 1 of this thread. Wrote a lengthy piece on him shortly after Jones.

Here it is again: http://www.boxingscene.com/measured-...alzaghe--16920

Cheers.

[Welsh Jon]

As a Calzaghe fan I feel I need to say a few words in his defence. I've watched all but 3 of his title defences, so I know how bad the level of his opposition was better than most. And this was made worse by the fact that Joe always fought at his opponents level, if he was fighting a sub-standard fighter he would put in a sub-standard effort. So he ended up being in a lot of terrible fights. But he did not actually avoid meeting anyone in his division, it was just that he was in a very poor division. When he actually got in the ring with credible threats he put in some displays that few fighters of his generation were capable of. It's frustrating that he wasn't in with better fighters during his career, and his resume has been cheapened as a result. He's an all-time great Super-Middleweight, though not an all-time great pound for pounder cos he simply didn't fight enough top fighters.

[SirTomJones]

Ah Joe Calzaghe....... HATE the guy!

hate will cloud your judgement.

This topic has been done to death.

Conclusion is Joe Calzaghe is a Hall of Famer despite some 'boxing fans' crying about it.

[StarshipTrooper]

Conclusion is Joe Calzaghe is a Hall of Famer despite some 'boxing fans' crying about it.

And Arturo Gatti will get into the HOF too.....that and 4 quid will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Poet

[StarshipTrooper]

Ur talking about Ivan yeah?

I should have said imo, i mean im a big fan id be happy for him if he did get in i just dont think he will or really should

Calzaghe Will get in but good god it will ruin my day

You got to remember though that the IBHOF isn't about greatness the way that Canton and Cooperstown are. If a fighter has a big enough fan base they'll get in. The IBHOF is a fans' HOF and that's OK, it just shouldn't be used as some sort of standard for greatness because that's not what it's about.

Poet

[crold1]

You got to remember though that the IBHOF isn't about greatness the way that Canton and Cooperstown are. If a fighter has a big enough fan base they'll get in. The IBHOF is a fans' HOF and that's OK, it just shouldn't be used as some sort of standard for greatness because that's not what it's about.

Poet

That's less true lately and only partly true in general. The limit to top three vote getters has had a strong affect on quality in recent classes. beyond that, there are not THAT many fighters who are in and should not be in a purists sense and, it's worth noting on those not in, the IBHOF is only about 20 years old. It's just taking time to catch up in some cases. Lloyd Marshall and Chang getting in last year was a good sign.

[Mugwump]

Just a quick point about the Lacy fight. It's easy to look back on Lacy and label him mediocre. His career since Calzaghe certainly warrants that label. I mean, we can discuss the weaknesses in Lacy's game, whether he warranted some of the adjectives that were being tossed his way at the time (many of which I don't agree with) and the question of P4P legitimacy. But I think it would be harsh to say the Lacy that entered the ring that night against Joe (with the record he had) was a poor fighter. He wasn't. IMO, he was an above average champion with an exceptional shot and a highly underrated chin.

I don't give Joe props because he beat Lacy (whilst being a heavy underdog). I give it him for the manner in which he beat Lacy. It was an outstanding display of boxing. A complete shutout (or should have been had Joe been a little more careful). The volume of punches, the accuracy (at times he looked like he couldn't miss), the angles Joe created, the clever feints and switching to plan B, C, D (often within the same round) - for me it was a very impressive display. One which deserves more credit than he is afforded by many. And let's be honest - it was a shellacking that Lacy never recovered from.

[Welsh Jon]

Just a quick point about the Lacy fight. It's easy to look back on Lacy and label him mediocre. His career since Calzaghe certainly warrants that label. I mean, we can discuss the weaknesses in Lacy's game, whether he warranted some of the adjectives that were being tossed his way at the time (many of which I don't agree with) and the question of P4P legitimacy. But I think it would be harsh to say the Lacy that entered the ring that night against Joe (with the record he had) was a poor fighter. He wasn't. IMO, he was an above average champion with an exceptional shot and a highly underrated chin.

I don't give Joe props because he beat Lacy (whilst being a heavy underdog). I give it him for the manner in which he beat Lacy. It was an outstanding display of boxing. A complete shutout (or should have been had Joe been a little more careful). The volume of punches, the accuracy (at times he looked like he couldn't miss), the angles Joe created, the clever feints and switching to plan B, C, D (often within the same round) - for me it was a very impressive display. One which deserves more credit than he is afforded by many. And let's be honest - it was a shellacking that Lacy never recovered from.

Couldn't agree with you more. The only other Super-Middleweight in the brief history of the division that could have put on a performance like Joe's against Lacey was Roy Jones Jr. Lacey was overrated, but he was knocking out everyone put in front of him and had a scary aura about him. Joe demolished that aura, and Lacey was never the same again.

[IronDanHamza]

Ok maybe an 8 but people I'd rank below him would be Eubanks or Benn.

Calzaghes resume is not an 8 nor a 7.

I'm saying that's too high.

[StarshipTrooper]

Lacey was overrated, but he was knocking out everyone put in front of him and had a scary aura about him. Joe demolished that aura, and Lacey was never the same again.

Because Lacy hadn't had anyone in front of him with a pulse yet maybe? It's easy to look like a world beater when you're fighting tomato cans.

Poet