Calzaghe-Kessler: I was wrong

[shingle]

No, not about the outcome. I was very confident that Calzaghe would win. I predicted a late stoppage in a fit of bravado but really I knew this was going to points and that it would be a relatively wide UD. I also knew that Calzaghe was that damn good. Best British boxer of his generation and you have to have him pretty high in the all-time list for this island.

What I was wrong about was Kessler. Before the fight I couldn't see how he could get to Calzaghe but I'm telling you he must have some serious skills to land the jab and some very heavy right hands and uppercuts on the old man. No-one since Reid in the last 8 years has made a fight against Calzaghe competitive and Kessler undoubtedly did so. This might sounds daft but, if it's possible, Kessler might have pushed himself into the P4P reckoning even in defeat, and a conclusive one at that. I was also very impressed with him after the fight in which he acted as he had during the buildup - like a class act. He made a fan out of me last night and I'll certainly be following his career with renewed interest from now on.

As for the future, I see Kessler dominating at 168 for as long as he wants. No-one will touch him there, certainly not anyone currently in the division and the likes of Pavlik and Taylor have little to no chance against him if they come up. Miranda will get knocked out of the ring in 30 seconds flat.

Calzaghe - it's MSG and Hopkins in the spring. I'll be there for that. IMO he cemented his position in the top 3 P4P and possibly in #2 now. No-one can doubt him now. No-one.

nice post but do you really think hopkins will fight calzaghe knowing the battering he will recieve.

[.Mik.]

I always thought that P4P was around 70% who you WOULD beat and 30% who you HAVE beat.

3) Takes risks, ermm im not sure about that, jones offered him out this year and he declined, he doesnt wanna go to america and fight over there, his last 3 fights were Bika, Manfredo and Kessler, harldy what id call taking risks, and Manfredo is not a natural 168 pounder.

Calzaghe is a risk taker DURING fights. Like in the final rounds last night when he knew he had it won, but kept brawling regardless. Going over to America to fight Jones at the moment isnt a risk, its ******ity. It WOULDNT do good business. Jones ISNT a good draw at the moment. If Calzaghe won he WOULDNT get that much credit for it and yet for all that Jones is still a risky fight for ANY of the big fighters because nobody knows how much ability he still has left. Hence why Jones is not getting any of the big fights at the moment.

4) Hopkins has fought his fair share of bums and dodged jones, but, he has fought way more skilled guys than Calzaghe has, Taylor x2,Winky, Tarver,De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Felix trinidad, now not all of those guys where his weight, but its still alot more impressive than a win over kessler, unless you think Kessler is in the same leauge as guys like De La Hoya.

Yeah, but he lost mate. Wright - Blown up. De La Hoya - Blown Up. Trinidad - Blown up. Tarver - Overrated. Jones & Taylor...actually ****ing BEAT him.

Its pretty easy to discredit things in this way. Kessler was a dominant force in Calzaghe's and his own NATURAL division. 3 times Hopkins has fought a dominant force in their natural division and lost.

Im not saying he isnt there or thereabouts in the p4p list, but number 3 is too much imo.

Meh, I'd say 3 is about right. I cant think of many more than 2 other boxers who could beat Calzaghe if they were in his weight division.