Great Britain vs USA the facts.

[Technical_Skill]

The thing is, Warren at least TRIED to make fights for Calzaghe with Hopkins and Jones, both neither of them wanted anything to do with him. The tables are now turned and Jones wants Calzaghe, but if I was Joe I'd tell him where to go. As we know, Hopkins dodged out of a fight with Joe already, way back in something like 2002. Instead, Hops decided to fight a couple of nobodies for LESS MONEY than he was offered to fight Joe.

It's not like Joe hasn't wanted to get in the ring with these dudes, it's just that they turned down the opportunity. Blame Hopkins and blame Jones, not Joe.

Been down this road many times on boxing scene before, i would ask anyone who really believes that this question.

If hopkins is truly scared of calzaghe, why would he wait till he was out of his prime before calling calzaghe out live on HBO and making the fight happen?

Jones may have not been much of risk taker, but as far as i know, warren asked jones to come to the uk knowing jones would say no (for obvious reasons)

I dont believe all the of the greats in that generation spent their careers dodging calzaghe, and prime jones would have beaten him anyway.

PS. a shot roy jones offered calzaghe a 60/40 split in joe favour to fight, but joe turned him down, yet he fought Peter manfredo that year. Come on man, all these guys are not running from joe.

[hardmanbrit]

The thing is, Warren at least TRIED to make fights for Calzaghe with Hopkins and Jones, and neither of them wanted anything to do with him. The tables are now turned and Jones wants Calzaghe, but if I was Joe I'd tell him where to go. As we know, Hopkins dodged out of a fight with Joe already, way back in something like 2002. Instead, Hops decided to fight a couple of nobodies for LESS MONEY than he was offered to fight Joe.

It's not like Joe hasn't wanted to get in the ring with these dudes, it's just that they turned down the opportunity. Blame Hopkins and blame Jones, not Joe.

Good post.

Actually all very true, too.

Very factual.

[Mickey Gomez]

England does pretty well, considering the country is about the size of Kansas.

Great Britain is a lot bigger than England, it includes Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland.

[FRKO]

I know this.

[JcourT]

I understand what you are saying about GB vs USA right now but i think if you look historically, you will find that the majority (more that 6 to 1) of the truly great fighters come from the US and Mexico and not GB

[Mickey Gomez]

I understand what you are saying about GB vs USA right now but i think if you look historically, you will find that the majority (more that 6 to 1) of the truly great fighters come from the US and Mexico and not GB

I made the list in the wake of the most recent defeats because a lot of people were making noise about how British boxing has fallen apart. It is a current debate.

[squealpiggy]

Seriously now

Kessler is not more skilled than Antonio tarver. Tarver was the first man to beat roy jones jr properly, Kessler beat libero andrade, we are talking different leagues of skill here

Tarver beat an unmotivated greatly faded Roy Jones who was weight drained and looking for a way out of boxing. I think Kessler is ten times the fighter that Tarver is.

Yeah the reason bernard lost was because Unlike calzaghe, he actually got in the ring with a legendary fighter. One of the uunderlying reasons calzaghe has the record he does is because one way or another he didnt make it into the ring with any prime legendary or great fighters of his era.

It doesn;t matter, you still can't claim Roy Jones as a name proving Popkins' greatness because Bernard LOST. My point about Joe Bugner absolutely still stands.

You dont think hopkins would be unbeaten if he defended his title against 20 evans ashira's?

No I don't. Hopkins lost his first fight and Jones was his first shot at a world title. After winning the vacant IBF strap in his second attempt (at first drawing with the stellar Segundo Mercado who finished his career 19-10-2) he then undertook 12 straight defences which involved only a single noteworthy victory against Glen Johnson before he fought the Welterweight Felix Trinidad. What I'm suggesting is that Calzaghe and Hopkins have had similar careers.

[Mickey Gomez]

If Hopkins fought his career at LHW I think his record would have a couple of more losses.

I think the facts show that relatively speaking Great Britain is as dominant if not more dominant in world boxing right now.

[CraigM]

If Hopkins fought his career at LHW I think his record would have a couple of more losses.

I think the facts show that relatively speaking Great Britain is as dominant if not more dominant in world boxing right now.

This is the thing a lot of people aren't getting, it's all relevant... I don't think british boxing is crumbling, just that the brits are starting to take more risks.

Think the only US fighter who really doesn't mind travelling at the moment is Cunningham, everyone else is generally expected to cater for the US audience. Fair enough it's the biggest boxing scene, but if we get bigger stars overseas (to all sorts of places) would do boxing the world of good.

[Technical_Skill]

Tarver beat an unmotivated greatly faded Roy Jones who was weight drained and looking for a way out of boxing. I think Kessler is ten times the fighter that Tarver is.

Shocking statement to be honest, Skill for skill tarver is in a different league to kessler.

It doesn;t matter, you still can't claim Roy Jones as a name proving Popkins' greatness because Bernard LOST. My point about Joe Bugner absolutely still stands.

In some cases it can legitimise a fighter. Katsidis lost to casaymayor, showed he was a potential future ruler of the 135 division. Taylor lost to pavlik but despite that he still proved a point to many of his critics and solidified himself as one of the most talented fighters in boxing.

No I don't. Hopkins lost his first fight and Jones was his first shot at a world title. After winning the vacant IBF strap in his second attempt (at first drawing with the stellar Segundo Mercado who finished his career 19-10-2) he then undertook 12 straight defences which involved only a single noteworthy victory against Glen Johnson before he fought the Welterweight Felix Trinidad. What I'm suggesting is that Calzaghe and Hopkins have had similar careers.

Except hopkins got in the ring with PRIME world class fighters, and calzaghe didnt. You cant seriously tell me fighting a blown up winky wright is on the same level as defending a title against tocker pudwill.

I dont understand all this Kessler ****, the guy throws the same two punches over and over again, has no variation and people wanna compare him to a guy like tarver who had a great amatuer pedrigree, was on the p4p list for a long time, knocked roy jones out cold and is a world champion at 39. I wont even talk about the individual skill sets, it really shouldnt be up for discussion.