Joe Calzaghe is nothing "special"....

[shawn_]

I am sorry to inform you, but you counted incorrect. The actual number is indeed 17 fights staged in Wales. 5 of which took place in his first 7 fights.

More math:

This time we are going to remove the negative effect that Joe Calzaghe's first 7 fights have on his statistics.
Here is our equation:
(17-7)/(44-7)

First we need to subtract seven fights from each side of our equation.
(10)/(37) = .27
02
Time to move that decimal.
.2702 --> 2.702 -->27.02 %

In conclusion if we properly weight Joe Calzaghes career to eleminate the home town fights of all young fighters, we come to the conclusion that Joe Calzaghe has only fought in Wales for 27.02% of his career.

Next up, Championship statistics.

Of Calzaghes 23 title fights, only 9 have taken place in Wales.

Math:

[9]/[23] = 39.13%

39.13% of Joe Calzaghe's Championship fights have taken place in Wales.

Now for fun, lets bias this for every fighters inevitable home town first title defense.

[9-1]/[23-1] = 8/22 = 4/11 = 36.36% of Joe Calzaghe's Championship fights have taken place in wales.

[Unseen]

.....despite whatever HBO's commentary crew may lead you to believe otherwise. Joe is an average fighter, and nothing more. He possesses some natural athletic ability, and some technical boxing savy but nothing to the level of what HBO would lead you to believe.

The Positive

On the positive side he has a tremendous work rate, he's a solid counter puncher, and a natural ability to switch styles if needed. This has worked for Calzaghe throughout his career thus far, simply swarm with activity, switch styles if needed, and cruise to a victory.

The Negative

Calzaghe's negatives far outweigh his positives, in my humble opinion. He has next to no defense whatsoever, he is incapable of fighting going backwards, he will scrap with a guy just for the sake of scrapping with him, and his punches pack all the power of a roman candle.

There's nothing extraordinary about a fighter like Calzaghe. He's fought only in his home Country of Wales for his entire career. That may not be a big deal to his fans, but it is to most boxing fans. Imagine if Miguel Cotto openly claimed to be one of the best without ever having fought outside of Puerto Rico. Or if Manny Pacquiao claimed to be one of the best without ever fighting outside of the Philippines. Or if Juan Manuel Marquez achieved his status without ever fighting big names in America?

The point is, the best are always willing to fight the best in America. Say what you will about Ricky Hatton but at least he had the stones to campaign in the division outside of his own backyard. Julio Cesar Chaves would've never attained the status he has if he continued to fight what the majority of the boxing public deemed as "tin cans" in Mexico instead of coming to the U.S. to fight the big names.

It's put up or shut up time for Joe Calzaghe. I don't have any ill feelings towards the guy, I'm not that type of "fan" who makes personal judgments about why they like/dislike certain fighters. I've just grown weary of Calzaghe's talk over the years, calling out guys like Hopkins and Jones when they were mega-stars and he still hadn't even beaten anybody of note.

I'm sorry Calzaghe (and his fans) but I'm very weary of any professional fighter who has refused to fight outside of his own backyard, and has been figting nobodies for the better of 15 years. Especially now that he's looking to cement his "legacy" off the back of a past his prime ring legend who's seen better days.

(For the record, I'm still backing Hopkins to beat that bum silly.)

from a hopkins fan

he lost to taylor twice and jones once. atleast he fought some good fighters his size and lost.

against people smaller like winky and oscar he won

[FUMIN 88]

.....despite whatever HBO's commentary crew may lead you to believe otherwise. Joe is an average fighter, and nothing more. He possesses some natural athletic ability, and some technical boxing savy but nothing to the level of what HBO would lead you to believe.

The Positive

On the positive side he has a tremendous work rate, he's a solid counter puncher, and a natural ability to switch styles if needed. This has worked for Calzaghe throughout his career thus far, simply swarm with activity, switch styles if needed, and cruise to a victory.

The Negative

Calzaghe's negatives far outweigh his positives, in my humble opinion. He has next to no defense whatsoever, he is incapable of fighting going backwards, he will scrap with a guy just for the sake of scrapping with him, and his punches pack all the power of a roman candle.

There's nothing extraordinary about a fighter like Calzaghe. He's fought only in his home Country of Wales for his entire career. That may not be a big deal to his fans, but it is to most boxing fans. Imagine if Miguel Cotto openly claimed to be one of the best without ever having fought outside of Puerto Rico. Or if Manny Pacquiao claimed to be one of the best without ever fighting outside of the Philippines. Or if Juan Manuel Marquez achieved his status without ever fighting big names in America?

The point is, the best are always willing to fight the best in America. Say what you will about Ricky Hatton but at least he had the stones to campaign in the division outside of his own backyard. Julio Cesar Chaves would've never attained the status he has if he continued to fight what the majority of the boxing public deemed as "tin cans" in Mexico instead of coming to the U.S. to fight the big names.

It's put up or shut up time for Joe Calzaghe. I don't have any ill feelings towards the guy, I'm not that type of "fan" who makes personal judgments about why they like/dislike certain fighters. I've just grown weary of Calzaghe's talk over the years, calling out guys like Hopkins and Jones when they were mega-stars and he still hadn't even beaten anybody of note.

I'm sorry Calzaghe (and his fans) but I'm very weary of any professional fighter who has refused to fight outside of his own backyard, and has been figting nobodies for the better of 15 years. Especially now that he's looking to cement his "legacy" off the back of a past his prime ring legend who's seen better days.

(For the record, I'm still backing Hopkins to beat that bum silly.)

i agree cals only the best super middleweight ever but oh well nothing special ay

[msagrain]

bringer you've just lost all credability you now in the c leauge.

[Guest]

I think many people think Joe wont be able to face the Roughhouse tactics as he could'nt with Bika, and Hopkins is much dirtier than Bika.

It's certainly the nearest comparison, but it'll be interesting to see The Blow in the ring with a roughhouser where he gives a ****. Having seen Bika's last fight, it's amazing that The Blow just didn't give a **** and even took flush shots on the chin without any damage at all.

[nmuburner22]

i agree cals only the best super middleweight ever but oh well nothing special ay

168.......WHO THE **** CARES ABOUT THAT ****TY DIVISION.

NAME 10 ELITE/ HOF FIGHTERS FROM 168.

[Guest]

I'll bet you 50K on The Blow against Hopkins.

[FUMIN 88]

168.......WHO THE **** CARES ABOUT THAT ****TY DIVISION.

NAME 10 ELITE/ HOF FIGHTERS FROM 168.

there isnt 10 hof in that weight but calzhage is without a dout a HOF so wht i said still stands

[pesticid]

Damn,

The Bringer really layed an egg here. Bro, I respected your opinion before, not anymore. That's some bs straws that you are clinging on.

[Azteca]

Of Calzaghes 23 title fights, only 9 have taken place in Wales.

Math:

[9]/[23] = 39.13%

39.13% of Joe Calzaghe's Championship fights have taken place in Wales.

Now for fun, lets bias this for every fighters inevitable home town first title defense.

[9-1]/[23-1] = 8/22 = 4/11 = 36.36% of Joe Calzaghe's Championship fights have taken place in wales.

....lol. I have to give it to ya that is pretty funny.