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There are so may posts here about the relative merits of Joe Calzaghe's career that I thought it might be an idea for someone who experienced the entirity of that career first hand to describe it as it actually was. Joe Calzaghe, along with Eubank, Benn, Bruno and Hamed was the reason I first took an interest in boxing, and since we are all boxing fans, i hope it will make an informative and interesting post:
Joe Calzaghe (for me) first rose to mainstream prominence on the national boxing scene when he won a title eliminator against Chris Eubank, at that time the UK's most prominent boxer, in impressive fashion in what was a huge step up in class. But affection for the beaten Eubank meant that Joe initially did not get the exposure or recognition he deserved. Afterwards, despite beating most of the credible domestic competition like Woodhall and Reid, his lack of profile seemed to ensure that there was a lack of big fights out there for Joe. He spent years dutifully knocking over plenty of good champs and contenders, but none with any huge profile in the US or UK, and Joe simply didn't seem to be making 'it', and was considered a virtual unknown in the mainstream, though amongst boxing fans he was very well respected, with the dominant idea being that he was exceptionally talented but needed to prove himself in a big fight. This perception continued for years and as recently as the build up to the Lacy fight was suggested that if he did not get to the fight through injury, or if he lost, that his top-level career might well be over. Lacy was seen as the fight that would define his career.
When he won in such outstanding fashion against the man billed as the future of the division, it was perceived that he had proved the doubters wrong, and had every bit confirmed the opinions of those who said he belonged on the world stage. When he then went on to beat Kessler, who again was and remains perceived as the best SMW after Joe, it was confirmed even more. Many posters argue that Kessler should not have that status, but it is a simple fact that after beating him Joe was universally recognised as the best in the division, to the point where there was no-one left for him to fight and where he became the draw for any of the big US names that wanted to fight him. The proof is that everyone knew those fights would happen and now they have and are.
Now, I know that maybe you, or someone else will want to say that 'Joe hasn't fought the elite', but is that really fair? If you look at your big champs they really do (for the most part) have very similar careers to Joe, starting with youthful promise, a big impressive winning of a title that sets them on their way, a prime career in which they face some good fighters some not so good, and then in their thirties beginning to face the real names in the division. This model can be applied with a fair degree of accuracy to Hopkins, Jones, Tarver, Winky, Toney, and really most boxers who make it to their late prime with reputation intact. Not always perfectly, and with some variations, but nontheless this is the standard model. What Calzaghe is doing now is exactly what Jones was doing when he left SMW and began his LHW and HW adventures, and what Hopkins did after making his name beating Trinidad, he is going for the big fights that his reputation has earned. Yes it is late in his career, but this is not unusual at all, it has been the norm for most of his competition, so why on earth shouldn't it be so for him.
So what i am saying is this. Joe Calzaghe is not some unproven no-name, he is as solid a champ as exists in the sport of boxing today. His career has followed a sometimes slow, but steady path towards the status he holds today, with Joe always overcoming the barriers that would have prevented him taking the next step. Calzaghe's work in his career is just as deserving as any of the fighters he is usually compared to, and he is continuing to show that with his win over Hopkins, and possible fights against Jones and/or Pavlik.
It is easy to say that Joe doesn't belong at the highest level, but the simple truth is this: we are still waiting for the opponent to come along who will prove to us that he doesn't, until that happens, I think it is only fair to recognise that finally, he does.
Joe Calzaghe (for me) first rose to mainstream prominence on the national boxing scene when he won a title eliminator against Chris Eubank, at that time the UK's most prominent boxer, in impressive fashion in what was a huge step up in class. But affection for the beaten Eubank meant that Joe initially did not get the exposure or recognition he deserved. Afterwards, despite beating most of the credible domestic competition like Woodhall and Reid, his lack of profile seemed to ensure that there was a lack of big fights out there for Joe. He spent years dutifully knocking over plenty of good champs and contenders, but none with any huge profile in the US or UK, and Joe simply didn't seem to be making 'it', and was considered a virtual unknown in the mainstream, though amongst boxing fans he was very well respected, with the dominant idea being that he was exceptionally talented but needed to prove himself in a big fight. This perception continued for years and as recently as the build up to the Lacy fight was suggested that if he did not get to the fight through injury, or if he lost, that his top-level career might well be over. Lacy was seen as the fight that would define his career.
When he won in such outstanding fashion against the man billed as the future of the division, it was perceived that he had proved the doubters wrong, and had every bit confirmed the opinions of those who said he belonged on the world stage. When he then went on to beat Kessler, who again was and remains perceived as the best SMW after Joe, it was confirmed even more. Many posters argue that Kessler should not have that status, but it is a simple fact that after beating him Joe was universally recognised as the best in the division, to the point where there was no-one left for him to fight and where he became the draw for any of the big US names that wanted to fight him. The proof is that everyone knew those fights would happen and now they have and are.
Now, I know that maybe you, or someone else will want to say that 'Joe hasn't fought the elite', but is that really fair? If you look at your big champs they really do (for the most part) have very similar careers to Joe, starting with youthful promise, a big impressive winning of a title that sets them on their way, a prime career in which they face some good fighters some not so good, and then in their thirties beginning to face the real names in the division. This model can be applied with a fair degree of accuracy to Hopkins, Jones, Tarver, Winky, Toney, and really most boxers who make it to their late prime with reputation intact. Not always perfectly, and with some variations, but nontheless this is the standard model. What Calzaghe is doing now is exactly what Jones was doing when he left SMW and began his LHW and HW adventures, and what Hopkins did after making his name beating Trinidad, he is going for the big fights that his reputation has earned. Yes it is late in his career, but this is not unusual at all, it has been the norm for most of his competition, so why on earth shouldn't it be so for him.
So what i am saying is this. Joe Calzaghe is not some unproven no-name, he is as solid a champ as exists in the sport of boxing today. His career has followed a sometimes slow, but steady path towards the status he holds today, with Joe always overcoming the barriers that would have prevented him taking the next step. Calzaghe's work in his career is just as deserving as any of the fighters he is usually compared to, and he is continuing to show that with his win over Hopkins, and possible fights against Jones and/or Pavlik.
It is easy to say that Joe doesn't belong at the highest level, but the simple truth is this: we are still waiting for the opponent to come along who will prove to us that he doesn't, until that happens, I think it is only fair to recognise that finally, he does.
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