Who was Joe Blow's best opponent of his career?

[Kid Achilles]

Please, Gatti was past his best and Lacy's confidence and stock were soaring at the time. You can't seriously compare a past his prime Gatti, who was never an A level fighter to begin with, to a guy who was on the cusp of super stardom like Lacy was.

[GEOFFHAYES]

I know some people will say I'm a fool and blablablabla...

But I've always thought that Calzaghe is really overrated...

And sorry, nobody will convince me that Lacy is a Top fighter, the guy is in the same class of Gatti...

Over-rated?? He was largely seen as a joke and a bum in the States, before the Lacy fight.

[Guest]

At the end of the day, Calzaghe might be going down as the greatest British fighter ever - he already is according to HOFer Barry McGuigan.

It doesn't matter what American's try to do to disparage him: they feel bitter about all British fighter and always will.


Three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie rates Calzaghe as the best British fighter of his lifetime.

BBC boxing's main pundit for 10 years, Richie Woodhall, rates Calzaghe as the best British fighter he's seen fight live (including TV). Likewise Amir Khan.

Former world lightweight champion and respected commentator Jim Watt rates Calzaghe as the greatest post-war British fighter alongside Ken Buchanan.

If this is all true, it shows how terrible Britishi boxing really is. There is a reason Calzaghe ducked Kessler...

[Guest]

Please, Gatti was past his best and Lacy's confidence and stock were soaring at the time. You can't seriously compare a past his prime Gatti, who was never an A level fighter to begin with, to a guy who was on the cusp of super stardom like Lacy was.

Lacy never reached elite status, like Gatti. Also, if Lacy was even close to that level he wouldn't have been wrecked by Calzaghe the way he was. Gatti and Lacy are both one-dimensional fighters and at least Gatti won titles in more than one division...

[medium-deek]

I have to admit I like watching Joe's fight against Omar Sheika. Good slugfest, that.

[BrooklynBomber]

gatti while very popular(thanks to HBO hype machine and Ward fights) was not an elite fighter in quality type of way.

[GEOFFHAYES]

I have to admit I like watching Joe's fight against Omar Sheika. Good slugfest, that.

I was really looking forward to that one, that was make or bust. Joe just knew that he had to perform, not just to keep his career alive but to avoid being beaten! He insured everybody that the three awful performances against Reid, Thornberry and Starie were due to an injured hand and that he'd finally had treatment on it for this fight.. we had to take his word for it, and good job we did, Joe performed! This is most people's favourite Calzaghe fight, because he finally found his 1996/97 form again that night.

[GEOFFHAYES]

Eubank was towards the end of his career when Joe beat him and he was coming back down to Super Middle after exploring the Light Heavyweights

But the case is, Eubank was always a light-heavyweight, even in the 80's. And by the time he fought Calzaghe, he was a cruiserweight.

That's how badly he drained himself out to make weight, and because his big-money contracts with ITV and SKY demanded him to be so active, it caused him to be BALDING at 26-28 years old. The '94-'95 Eubank was very lead-footed, almost polar opposition to the incredibly mobile Eubank from say '89 to '92 who boasted stunning reflexes. And his reactions had been in decline since 1993. With each passing fight, it became even more difficult to make weight. He got clear gifts against Ray Close in Glasgow, Benn, Mauricio Amaral and Dan Schommer, and Rocchigiani probably should of got a draw (with the point deducted).

But then again, Eubank did show incredible heart against Calzaghe and actually entered the ring at only 174 (he entered the ring against Schommer for example at 185). Calzaghe proved his own heart here, as well as his power, chin and stamina. It wasn't much of a skillfest that's for sure.

[Abe Attell]

Please, Gatti was past his best and Lacy's confidence and stock were soaring at the time. You can't seriously compare a past his prime Gatti, who was never an A level fighter to begin with, to a guy who was on the cusp of super stardom like Lacy was.

"Super Stardom" doesn't = Good/Great

Gatti is big, but like you said, he is not an "A" level fighter, neither is Lacy

[GEOFFHAYES]

Eubank lost 20lbs in seven days for Calzaghe, where he usually had only two days to dry out 10-15lbs.

It's interesting.