Your Boxing Hall of Fame ballot

[IronDanHamza]

People thinking someone is a top fighter doesn't make them a top fighter. What they do in the ring makes them a top fighter. Its just irrelevant, a fighter can recieve backing and hype for reasons other than their actual quality as a fighter but it is only the quality that matters.

Precisely.

He showed before, during and after the fight that he's nothing but hype.

He gets some credit from me because it's a fight people wanted and Lacy was a top SMW at the time but the fact remains it's still Lacy.

The fact that that is one of his best wins and one of his only good wins reallly is all that needs to be said.

[New England]

i hope trinidad and de la hoya are friendly. it will be great to see them go to the hall together.

calzaghe and de la hoya are going to kick it up a notch with the partying in canastota, rofl!

[billeau2]

I've done a little breakdown on the post above, that's really the small picture and just highlighting their best wins over ATG opposition.

Both did a lot more than I've listed and top quality and ranked opposition.

Lytell was an exceptional boxer, as was Booker.

I mean, Booker beat Archie Moore in his prime. Speaks for itself doesn't it? And it's not like it's a one hit wonder, he has a list of wins over ATG and HOF calibur.

Lytell was truley one of the MW's of his era, has wins over Williams, Burley, Kid and by all accounts was on the wrong end of a bad decision against Lamotta. And this is a small MW we're talking about.

That's a MW resume of Williams, Burley, Kid and Lamotta. Not bad ay?

Moved up to LHW and had a razor close fight with ATG LHW Harold Johsnon and a close fight with Archie Moore, two of the greatest Light Heavyweights to ever lace them up. A guy who never came even close to 170 lbs at this point in time.

How anyone can question their place in the HOF is beyond me.

Calzaghe get's in and these guy's don't? Despite their resumes being obviously superior?

Frustrating isn't it? I tend to think like you do about this issue. Especially after seeing guys turn to fighting shiete not to lose....Meanwhile guys who beat some of the best, fought exceptionally consistantly, are overlooked because of a loss, a loss that could be a bad decision.

Guys like Sven Ottke and Calzighe piss me off

[billeau2]

I and many others felt he lost the Reid fight, he say's his hand was injured (Convenient), against Mitchell he was dropped and looked average at best against a fringe contender.

Hopkins was still good despite well passed his best, there's no shame in struggling with him. Perhaps a little bit of shame being legitimately dropped by him though. It was a close fight and again there's no shame in that but he really looked awful in that fight.

I don't see what's impressive about the Lacy fight. It was just as easy to crap on that fight before it as it was after it. It's decent at very best. Lacy is terrible and that was clear to see before the Calzaghe fight when he was struggling badly with fringe contenders.

The only win he has a over a prime, top solid fighter is Kessler and let's face it Kessler is a good fighter but it's hardly that impressive in the grand scheme of things.

I don't think Calzaghe did anything to show he'd be a tough out for anyone. Struggling badly with a 46 year old Hopkins doesn't tell me that.

He's so far from being an ATG it's ridiculous and when he get's inducted to the HOF he'll be amongst the weakest members in there.

The irony about the Lacy fight is that Joe deserves a lot of credit, but not for the actual fight. Joe and his people knew Lacy was fittin to get exposed. Its why he took a fight most people thought was not typical of him. Joe did nail that one, but the actual victory, especially considering Lacy's subsequent career was not impressive. Joe belongs ultimately in a category of fighters who did more to preserve the 0 than anything spectacular.

[Anthony342]

Well, that's what most unbeaten fighters have done, except maybe Marciano. I still like Calzaghe though. I need to watch more of his fights though.

[McGoorty]

If I had to pick just one I'd go for Calzaghe just edging out Trinidad. To me De La Hoya was always overrated and nothing will ever convince me that Kostya Tzsyu wouldn't have cracked his head open at Jr WW and I feel that for Oscar Kosta could have done the same at WW so I would have Kostya in front of him.

[McGoorty]

Having said that I feel Calzaghe has the results on the board but he ain't my type of fighter and I get a bit bored watching him sometimes but one fight I watched was excellent and it's that fight (Brit was Woodhall I think) that I remember of Calzaghe's because it had brutality and at the same time was a great chess match and it was at a good pace. The other fight I will remember was when he demolished Roy Jones.

[billeau2]

If I had to pick just one I'd go for Calzaghe just edging out Trinidad. To me De La Hoya was always overrated and nothing will ever convince me that Kostya Tzsyu wouldn't have cracked his head open at Jr WW and I feel that for Oscar Kosta could have done the same at WW so I would have Kostya in front of him.

I remember having this discussion on another board (Regarding De La Hoya). Oscar is a tough one! I am leaning towards a pro Oscar slant these days, at the time I was against it haha.

[billeau2]

Well, that's what most unbeaten fighters have done, except maybe Marciano. I still like Calzaghe though. I need to watch more of his fights though.

A lot of respectable people like Joe....I definitely have a hard on for the guy haha... There is no shame in being a fan of Calzaghe. My sore spots about Calzighe are that he fought horrible comp. He seemed "managed" not to lose a decision rather than willing to fight the best....You see this with a lot of fighters. After Hatton beat Zoo he became a dry humping, holding machine. You could see he was being managed not to risk losing a fight. Roy Jones in the later part of his career, until Tarver tagged him. And of course Sven Ottke, the man who brought his own ref to the fights!

But I can respect people who give Joe props. And let me say this about Marciano and Mayweather for that matter....I don't think these guys were risk averse in preserving their "0". Mayweather is careful but I do think he fights most of the guys he should...and the Rock? I think Marciano being Italian loved most food (there are stories of his love for a good plate of pasta) but "Duck" would never be on the menu in the Marciano household!

[billeau2]

Having said that I feel Calzaghe has the results on the board but he ain't my type of fighter and I get a bit bored watching him sometimes but one fight I watched was excellent and it's that fight (Brit was Woodhall I think) that I remember of Calzaghe's because it had brutality and at the same time was a great chess match and it was at a good pace. The other fight I will remember was when he demolished Roy Jones.

Mg you are my boy! But that man who showed up to fight the mighty Welsh wrecker that night? that was hardly Roy Jones! That indvidual? well lets just say a facsimile of Jones was on his way and got hoodwinked by that guy... a characture of Jones at best! The only hand speed left in that man was in grabbing the check for showing up and further pissing on the legacy of Jones. Jones took the money long past when he decided to let Calzighe have a piece of the legacy that night. Joe knew that and exploited it at every opportunity. If Calzighe had played grabbass with a prime Jones the way he mocked Jones that night he would have looked like the guy Richard Pryer famously said "the doctor took one look at him and started puking!"