Warren: If Calzaghe Beats Manfredo, Then Kessler Is Next

[kayjay]

My prediction is that IF Joe fights Kessler and IF Joe wins, then according to bitter Americans the guy "Calslappy" is ducking and who he has to fight to prove his worth as a champion will become Carl Froch..

It's true and amusing. Honestly I could see Joe fighting and beating Kessler then Froch then retiring. Then the questions will become permanent. If Winky were to beat Hopkins and Taylor were to either lose or decide not to come up in weight Calz. would have no other choice.

[GunStar]

Here is the point though. The one that you seem to keep missing. Those two victories and those two alone are LEAGUES better than ANY victory Kessler currently has on his resume. What would you even say is his best victory? I dont know of any that cant be quite easily discredited, just as everyone discredit's Calzaghe's wins for his opponents being 'over the hill' or 'overhyped'.

In fact, try it. Name me Kessler's best victory and watch how easily I make it discredited and make it seem like nothing special. Its such a simple art.



Then I can only assume that you havent seen the fight or have a bad memory. The only reason Reid came closer than a 2 round deficit is because of one biased home-town judge who went with the crowd favourite. Even Reid himself said that he had been outclassed. Who are you to disagree with the opponent of the victor?


In all honest, I'm starting to hope that Calzaghe does fight Kessler next. Because if he beats Kessler, Hopkins will still be there and his age isnt going to be any more credible. Taylor is still going to be an easier style match up for Calzaghe, regardless of his age and Winky is still going to be over-powered. Whereas if he fights them and then Kessler, its possible that he might be that little bit too old for such a decent opponent. However, its the majority of Kessler fans on here who are actually fans of anyone who poses a serious threat to Calzaghe's dominance and legacy that are putting me off the guys. Well...those and that moron jangeorg who could not possibly be more blind.

I wont disagree with you about those 2 wins, but Lacy was just overhyped by the American fans, Lacy was so hyped that people picked him over Taylor by 80% and I think he also won a poll against Hopkins, I do believe Mundine is a better fighter then Lacy, I think Andrade is a very similar figher like Lacy. Eubank was not the same Eubank that Nigel Benn fought and that's the fact! My point is that is not a good resume if your 2 best wins are old Eubanks and Lacy.

Look I never was high on Calzaghe either considering that I've seen many fights from Cal, do I think he's better after what he did in the Lacy fight, yes a little better but I still think that was his best performance in his career and he will never top that night again!

As for the Reid fight, will why would you say I haven't seen the fight??? I've seen the fight and I own the fight, I can get any British fight I want, so it's pretty easy for me finding British fights.

I thought Reid won the fight, yes it was a close fight but I had Reid winning just like more then half of the British fans, so I'm not the only person who had Reid winning the fight!

All I can say is that it will be great if Calzaghe fights Kessler, I can't wait to see the fight!

Why have I became a Kessler fan, here are a few reasons. I've seen some of his fights in the past year, he has impressed me more then Calzaghe after seeing some Calzaghe fights many years ago, I did not really knew how good Kessler was a year ago because I didn't really see much of him, I have a good eye for a boxer and I think Kessler is a real good boxer and if Cal beats him then I may jump on Cal's nuts after this win, but I really don't see Cal beating Kessler!

Kessler is trying to make the best fight possible at 168 and I respect that, yes I know he's not fought many Americans but in time he will also fight some Americans and will make many American fans just like Lennox Lewis, Americans will root for European's if they respect what he accomplishes, do I think Kessler will be star in America one day, yes!

[.Mik.]

I wont disagree with you about those 2 wins, but Lacy was just overhyped by the American fans, Lacy was so hyped that people picked him over Taylor by 80% and I think he also won a poll against Hopkins, I do believe Mundine is a better fighter then Lacy, I think Andrade is a very similar figher like Lacy. Eubank was not the same Eubank that Nigel Benn fought and that's the fact! My point is that is not a good resume if your 2 best wins are old Eubanks and Lacy.

Look I never was high on Calzaghe either considering that I've seen many fights from Cal, do I think he's better after what he did in the Lacy fight, yes a little better but I still think that was his best performance in his career and he will never top that night again!

As for the Reid fight, will why would you say I haven't seen the fight??? I've seen the fight and I own the fight, I can get any British fight I want, so it's pretty easy for me finding British fights.

I thought Reid won the fight, yes it was a close fight but I had Reid winning just like more then half of the British fans, so I'm not the only person who had Reid winning the fight!

All I can say is that it will be great if Calzaghe fights Kessler, I can't wait to see the fight!

Why have I became a Kessler fan, here are a few reasons. I've seen some of his fights in the past year, he has impressed me more then Calzaghe after seeing some Calzaghe fights many years ago, I did not really knew how good Kessler was a year ago because I didn't really see much of him, I have a good eye for a boxer and I think Kessler is a real good boxer and if Cal beats him then I may jump on Cal's nuts after this win, but I really don't see Cal beating Kessler!

Kessler is trying to make the best fight possible at 168 and I respect that, yes I know he's not fought many Americans but in time he will also fight some Americans and will make many American fans just like Lennox Lewis, Americans will root for European's if they respect what he accomplishes, do I think Kessler will be star in America one day, yes!

In that long post, you chose to neglect to answer the one big question that I have asked you.

Calzaghe has only fought two fighters of note supposedly. An overhyped Jeff Lacy and an over-the-hill Chris Eubank. Who has Kessler fought who is anyone near the level of either of those two at the time where Calzaghe fought them?

I want you to see what its like when people's hard-earned victories are discredited and how easy it is to do it.

[GunStar]

In that long post, you chose to neglect to answer the one big question that I have asked you.

Calzaghe has only fought two fighters of note supposedly. An overhyped Jeff Lacy and an over-the-hill Chris Eubank. Who has Kessler fought who is anyone near the level of either of those two at the time where Calzaghe fought them?

I want you to see what its like when people's hard-earned victories are discredited and how easy it is to do it.

Didn't I say Anthony Mundine is better then Lacy, didn't I also say Andrade is very similar to Lacy. Markus Beyer was also another decent win for Kessler.

You forget I did agreed with you about Calzaghe resume being a little better then Kessler, lets not forget that Kessler is only 28 and he has many big fights in his future!

[Shanus]

Didn't I say Anthony Mundine is better then Lacy, didn't I also say Andrade is very similar to Lacy. Markus Beyer was also another decent win for Kessler.

You forget I did agreed with you about Calzaghe resume being a little better then Kessler, lets not forget that Kessler is only 28 and he has many big fights in his future!

A LITTLE better?

Mundine is a fringe contender, Andrade is no skill, all chin and Markus Beyer, much like the Eubank that fought Calzaghe (Even though I'd pick any form of Eubank to destroy Beyer) was over the hill.

To even compare Kessler's record to Calzaghe's is disrespectful, he's fought everybody there was to fight in the SMW division.. find me one fighter at 168 that Calzaghe has LEGITIMATELY ducked, and I don't mean a disagreement over purse/venue, I mean a fighter which he never even considered fighting because he knew he'd lose.

[antihero]

If Calzaghe beats Manfredo, Kessler next would be great. Either in the UK or the US. I'd prefer a neutral venue myself so everything is as fair as can be.

[Floydko1]

Lets just cross r fingers and hope we get calzaghe vs kessler after manfredo,the only real fight at supermiddle weight tht matter then kessler will understand whos the real undisputed supermiddleweight champion when calzaghe schools him make feel the speed the P4P fastest hands in boxing (cAL)

[EliteSoldier]

If Calzaghe beats Manfredo, Kessler next would be great. Either in the UK or the US. I'd prefer a neutral venue myself so everything is as fair as can be.

Calzaghes been the champ for how long? Kessler wants Calz so bad, then he should come to the champ. Shouldn't be the other way around.

[squealpiggy]

You say it yourself. Beating B-Hop wouldn't really prove much. He's a 40-something yo who's only ever had one fight above middleweight. Excuses and explanations are queing up allready.
Beating B-Hop would not make Kessler go away.

I want to see Calzaghe-Kessler, but I also think that it won't make an impact on Calzaghe's standings in the States. Lacy was supposed to be the guy to beat to improve his standings in the States and the sweat hadn't dried on his back before the excuses and dismissals began. My overall point is that if Kessler falls someone else will pop up and be used by people who dislike Calzaghe as a reason to dislike Calzaghe.

Those in the know you say. I assume you're refering to yourself and the adoring british crowds.

No no, not in the slightest. I mean the aforementioned Ring magazine and the majority of press row. I think Kessler is starting to be seen as a big challenger for Joe, but it is a challenger, not an obstacle to being considered the man.

The amount of ppl who doesn't accept that Calzaghe should automaticly be considered the ruler of SMW, without having to prove it, is rising fast. Calzaghe can still achieve that status. But he has to act.

I think as the amount of Americans become aware of Calzaghe the number of people saying he isn't worth his ranking is increasing. I put it down to continued animosity across the Atlantic.

Agree Kessler should travel more. But he has fought outside Europe twice (US and Australia) He is far more inclined to continue his career overseas, now that he's been noticed, than Calzaghe ever were.

It's true that Kessler has come to attention of the HBO crowd before Calzaghe, but I also suspect that this has something to do with Frank Warren. Warren knows his undefeated fighters make him more money knocking over tomato cans in one of his exclusive arenas than they do making money for themselves on US TV. Why do you think he so doggedly opposes foreign fights? Even so, Calzaghe has fought on the Continent a couple of times, including in Germany. Germany is at least as risky as fighting in the US, so accusing Calzaghe of cowardice for not crossing the Atlantic is conjecture.

Kessler has the potential to have a far more noteworthy career than Calzaghe will ever achieve - despite Joe's obvious talents.
Sure you can argue that Kessler is benefiting from Calzaghe. But no more so than Joe benefitted from Lacy.

Your comments are well reasoned and formulated. Discussion and debate in boxing is great, but while I have no problems with fans talking up their guys, I do get a bit sick of reading constant diatribes by people whose interest in boxing seems to stretch to who they hate rather than who they like. I appreciate your responses though.

And I'm not a Calzaghe fan, though his fights entertain me. The Bika fight was rubbish though.