My take on Calzaghe....

[Super_Lightweight]

Yes, you can have it both ways. That's what some of you need to understand, whether you like it or not. I would say most boxers are not cowards, but if you want to be the best, you need to go where the best are.

That just happens to be the U.S., whether anyone likes it or not.

If Joe needs to go to the U.S. to get a challenge, like Hops, Taylor, Dawson, Wright, or whoever...then he better just pack his bags, or be content with question marks about his career.

Calzaghe fights damn well...that covers the 'how'. But it's the 'who' that is missing, for now.

[squealpiggy]

Yes, you can have it both ways. That's what some of you need to understand, whether you like it or not. I would say most boxers are not cowards, but if you want to be the best, you need to go where the best are.

That just happens to be the U.S., whether anyone likes it or not.

Right now the best at Super Middleweight are Kessler and Calzaghe, and they're both in Europe. The best at Heavyweight are variously in Eastern Europe and surprisingly enough in Nigeria. The best cruiserweight is French. The best two Junior Welters are British. If you want to be the best you have to go to where the best are eh?

If Joe needs to go to the U.S. to get a challenge, like Hops, Taylor, Dawson, Wright, or whoever...then he better just pack his bags, or be content with question marks about his career.

I believe he does need to fight the likes of Taylor, Hopkins and Kessler to secure a legacy. I think that Wright would be just too small to be worthwhile, and I don't understand why Dawson would be considered a worthy challenge at light heavy over the likes of Clinton Woods, Glen Johnson, Antonio Tarver or Tomazs Adamek.

Calzaghe fights damn well...that covers the 'how'. But it's the 'who' that is missing, for now.

I respect your position on this. Calzaghe has the tools to give anyone hell, and he'll prove very difficult to beat for many of the same reasons that Hopkins is so tricky - winning is so important to him. There may be some superstars missing for Calzaghe but superstars are made in fights, and fighting and even beating superstars doesn't necessarily make you one of them.

[Super_Lightweight]

Like I said, the best fighters in general are in the states. If Calzaghe wants to fight Kessler in Europe, fine, but he needs to travel sometime. He said he wants to go to 175 and the best challengers at that weight are fighting in the U.S. now...Adamek, Dawson, Tarver (we'll see on Tarver how he looks next). Dawson beat Adamek, which is why he is a worthy challenge. And those heavyweights you mentioned (Klitschko, Valuev) made moves to the U.S. and will continue to appear in the U.S. in the future. Mormeck does the same thing. And I'm not sure how you figure the two best 140 lbers in the world are Brits...but I'll let that slide.

Calzaghe wants to travel it seems but Warren talks out of his ass, offering only fights in the UK. Joe needs to pack his bags, period. Then there will be no issues...take ONE big fight in the U.S. vs Hops, Taylor...or meet up with Kessler on HBO. Do SOMETHING. The man is 35. Handle business already.

Joe could beat ANY of the men I mentioned, and some could beat him. But damn, will we ever find out? Probably not if Warren sticks around. Joe has a RESPONSIBILITY to fire that greasy slob just like Hatton did, if he wants to silence the doubters. Then, the idiots who hate Joe will have to begrudgingly give respect.

[squealpiggy]

We agree on Warren. He's a snake and no mistake. Chad did beat Adamek, you're right. And two best at 140 lbs? Hatton obviously and a much lesser fighter, Junior Witter.

[Super_Lightweight]

Witter has not done enough yet to be mentioned on the level of Castillo. However, Castillo is aging and soon maybe that will be fair to say. Castillo will (I hope) give one last great performance vs Hatton. He has trouble making weight and has aged as a result of making 135 for so long. Too bad he and Hatton did not meet a year ago.

[Eno]

Winky did that because after his loss to fernando vargas no american promoters wanted to give him a chance, if he was getting the fights hes getting now he would have never done that. Mayweather fought jose luis castillo in LA, fought Gatti in Atlantic City and countless other times has had the crowd totally against him. Mayweather could fight anywhere outside of vegas or michigan and basically be out of his comfort zone, our country doesnt wholly embrace one fighter like they do in the UK. Which is why fighting here isnt like fighting over there.

This posts explains fighting out of the US pretty good. Also, Americans don't love all their American fighters. By the way things go on here it seems most people not from the US seem to adore either Calzaghe or Kessler. But a lot of americans hate a lot of the american fighters. Like how a lot of us hate Floyd and a lot like Floyd. Same with your James Toneys, Roy Jones' etc...

[squealpiggy]

I'm not right bothered about Joe Calzaghe to be honest, but I find it strange that the general concensus is that he can't fight, largely due to the xenophobic notion that he's "scared" to leave the UK.

[robjr]

it is kinda funny that joe thought he hurt peter tho.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

My take on it is, I don't care where you are from or where you fight. If you are the champ (which Calzaghe is) then you have the right to stay and fight in your home town if that's what you want. My whole thing is, just fight the best fighters, bottom line. Now I know alot of Europeans on this boeard won't understand but if you want to make the big $$$ then you come to America and fight. Call it bias, call it what you want but thats just the way it is. If I was a soccer player and wanted to play at the highest level and make the most money, I would play in Europe, plain and simple.

I don't mind watching fights from Europe but I just want to see good fights, not this joke of a fight we saw this weekend. I thought it was a pre-mature stoppage but I also thought the outcome was inevitable, Manfedo getting beat. Let's stop the whinning and crying and get Calzaghe in there with Kessler, Hopkins or Taylor so we can really determine the greatness of Calzaghe.( or lack thereof)

[Njord777]

I also agree with that. If a European comes over here and snags a title he should be able to fight in his backyard. He's the champion. It's his right. He beat the previous champion in their country- next in line can try the same with him.

Also, in regards to another post in this thread, I don't think either Kessler or Calzaghe should have to come over here to fight Dawson. He's a relatively unknown name. Both Kessler and Calzaghe can make it a bigger fight there than he could make it here.

It's not that America has all the best fighters- it's that Americans are only familiar with boxers that the American media has begun buzzing about- for the most part. Every now and again a Hatton, Khan, Calzaghe and Kessler sneak in but that's happened more in recent years due to the internationalization of the heavyweight crown.

America has the deepest pocket. America has HBO and Showtime- Las Vegas and all these powerhouse promoters like Don King, Golden Boy, etc. It's what is ruining the sport but also what drives it- cash. That's why there's this mentality that the Europeans should all come here. Because Don King makes the most money if his guys fight here.

Everyone who saw Demetrius Hopkins last fight knows he lost. We don't care what his record say- the commentators, announcers and fans saw the fight. That's what matters. If Wright and Hopkins didn't give a **** about the money- and that wasn't their reason for staying in America- why not go battle with Calzaghe in Wales? Afraid of a hometown decision? Well, like the case of Demetrius the fans will always know who won. Also, most judges are chosen internationally- we can always do the same with referees. So, why not have Hopkins bring it to Calzaghe in his backyard? A fight is a fight. Robinson fought in Europe without a complaint. Let's have our boys do it, too.