Will Joe Calzaghe Chase Greatness?

**crold1** · 03-29-2007, 06:38 AM

Must say, with Hill-Maske II this weekend, I'm always happy to revisit my persoanl fave: the title of Zsolt Erdei.

**antihero** · 03-29-2007, 08:04 AM

Agree with some parts of the article, don't agree with other parts.

Ottke retired at 34-0 it says with 2 belts. Joe's won 2 belts and is currently 42-0. If he beats Manfredo, he's goes up to 43 and 0 and has held the WBO for 10 years.

Ottke received a few controversial decisions in his run. Calzaghe has had one close one I can think of, v Reid, that could have gone either way. He should have given Reid a rematch but didn't.

If Calzaghe retired now, he could be proud of his career. To retire undefeated at the top is smart. To beat Kessler would make it even better, but if he doesn't, he doesn't. He could go up to light heavy and win another belt there.

**Boxicologist** · 03-29-2007, 08:53 AM

He wants American recognition. Manfredo is a good ticket towards his quest for popularity in the US.

**crold1** · 03-29-2007, 07:07 PM

Anti: He could for sure be proud. He's done more than all but a minority of persons in the sport. However, the chance is present to go a step further historically. He should take it.

**jangeorg** · 03-29-2007, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by Boxicologist

He wants American recognition. Manfredo is a good ticket towards his quest for popularity in the US.

Calzaghe wants big name Americans like Hopkins, Winky or Taylor. Right?

Problem is:

Hopkins and Winky are fighting 3 and a half months AFTER the Manfredo fight (late July), which means that any possible fight with Calzaghe would be at the very least, 6 and a half months AFTER the Manfredo fight (Later October/Early November - probably longer, granted that both Hopkins and Winky enjoy their "rest" time in between fights).

Would Calzaghe really sit around for THREE AN A HALF MONTHS waiting for this fight, not even knowing if he'll get the winner, and then a further THREE to FOUR months, if he did? Especially at age 35, and with a guy like Kessler in his division making the noise he is? (Come to think about, the answer is probably "yes").

And on top of that, Jermain Taylor has stated that he is not ready to move up to super middleweight yet. With a fight against Spinks in May, and then the winner of the Pavlik/Miranda eliminiation, Taylor is out of the picture even LONGER than Hopkins and Wright.

- So without Hopkins, Wright OR Taylor available until at the very earliest the end of the year, WHO does everyone else think is the best possible oppoenent for Calzaghe in the interim? WHO does everyone else WANT Calzaghe to go after? (Remember, Hopkins, Wright, and Taylor are UNAVAILABLE)...

The obvious answer is Kessler.

He's the only other option that's really available, if you don't wanna make a COMPLETE joke of your career. (Unless you move up and fight Dawson, or up to cruiserweight to fight Mormeck of course). Fellow countrymen like Woods or Froch are NOT acceptable.

Anyone afraid of Kessler (as much as Joe is), will say: He should fight nobody. Wait for Hopkins, Wright or Taylor - whether or not he knows he can get them.

**crold1** · 03-29-2007, 09:06 PM

There are other GOOD foes. I think Froch is, as are Bute and Inkin. However, there is only one GREAT fight and only one with historical significance. That's the difference. Woods is actually also unavailable with Julio Gonzalez on the slate. This is actually its most makable right now and for shame if it does not happen. It's the best Euro fight since Benn-Eubank II.

**Liaison** · 03-29-2007, 09:18 PM

Some might point to the win over Lacy as enough but most that had actually seen Lacy and Kessler knew the bigger challenge was Kessler as early as 2005.

I see Kessler struggle with Anthony Mundine of all ****ing people and see Lacy destroy the tough Robin Reid, it would seem Lacy came off as the stronger challenger at the time.

Now Kessler has grown since then and is definitely a stronger challenger now than Lacy was then, but no way could Mikkel be seen a better opponent back in 05.

**crold1** · 03-29-2007, 09:28 PM

I disagree. Struggle with Mundine? He won at least nine rounds. Turn off the Aussie cheerleaders and that fight was easy. Lacy-Reid was solid, but I was writing before Lacy-Calzaghe that Kessler was better than Lacy and that Ring SHOULD not recognize that as the title fight because even they had Kessler ranked ahead of Lacy.

**.Mik.** · 03-30-2007, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by antihero

Agree with some parts of the article, don't agree with other parts.

Ottke retired at 34-0 it says with 2 belts. Joe's won 2 belts and is currently 42-0. If he beats Manfredo, he's goes up to 43 and 0 and has held the WBO for 10 years.

Ottke received a few controversial decisions in his run. Calzaghe has had one close one I can think of, v Reid, that could have gone either way. He should have given Reid a rematch but didn't.

Calzaghe Reid wasnt even close. Two unbiased judges scored it comfortable for Calzaghe. The one who gave it to Reid was a hometown judge where Reid was the crowd favourite. Even Reid himself admitted that he'd been outclassed.

I do agree with lots of the article though. Everyday I'm considering Kessler to be a better option simply because it seems he is building more and more credibility (regardless of whether he has earned it or not). The people who are putting me off the Kessler fight are some of the mindless Kessler-junkies on here who cannot accept for one second that Calzaghe might just consider Hopkins, Wright or Taylor to be better and more proven options than Kessler and that instead it MUST be because Calzaghe is shaking in his boots over the prospect of fighting the dane.

Will Joe Calzaghe Chase Greatness?