Calzaghe Haters: What Is It You Don't Like?

[abadger]

I think Calzaghe is an excellent fighter and deserves to be in the top five P4P. I question some of the choices he made in terms of opponents over the years.

In terms of Calzaghe fans... I feel like we get too much "he could have easily beaten that guy" or "His workrate would have destroyed that guy" I'm more interested in what a fighter has done rather than what he could have or would have done. I'd rather his list of opponents resembeled Glen Johnson's. There is absolutely no reason it shouldn't.

So there it is... Calzaghe is a very good fighter... do we know how good he was? Not really.

Broadly speaking I agree with you, Calzaghe could have had better fights. However, as I've stated, he cannot shoulder all the blame for that. His name is missing from prime Hopkins and Jones resumes too, and remember he is the P4P guy now, not them. Also, as I've stated opponents from his past like Mitchell, Brewer, Reid, Woodhall and Sheika were all Ring ranked SMWs, and should not be dismissed as bums. They were the guys he had to beat back then and he did.

The main problem for Joe is that in order to have a resume like Johnson's is that he would have had to move up to LHW. This would have cost him his belt and status, so its easy to see why he didn't, especially as really the only name genuinely worth persuing was Roy Jones, who was on his way to HW anyway. Tarver and Johnson only really emerged after they beat Jones themselves, at which time Joe was on the lacy and Kessler track to unify his division.

If I could change anything on Cals record though, I probably would have him step up to LHW earlier, since had he done so there is a very real possibility that he could have been the man to hand Jones his first loss. I am really not that bothered about him beating the likes of Tarver and Johnson because had he done so these wins would be regarded by his critics as no better than the Lacy and Kessler wins. That Jones opportunity was a gleaming one though, so all in all I'd say Calzaghe's critics should be glad he didn't move up earlier because it might very well mean that he'd be universally regarded as the P4P #1 right now, with no arguing.

[abadger]

The Ring Ranking as Super Middleweight at the beginning of 2002.

1. Sven Ottke
2. Joe Calzaghe
3. Byron Mitchell
4. Antwun Echols
5. Charles Brewer

Joe beat #5 Brewer a few months later and #3 Mitchell the next year.

Joe's wins might not be against greats but he beat the fighters in his division.

I'm not gonna defend choices like Bika or Manfredo and others , let the Joe Boys do that , but this is a good example of Joe cleaning out his division. Now what you think of his division at the time is on you.

See? All this talk of Joe having bull**** defences is just that. Bull****

If you don't know about something, sometimes its best not to comment on it.

[ALT-Assassin]

Abadger needs to realize it is not just Americans that have negative opinions about Calzaghe.So far we have someone from Croatia,Australia,Britain,Mexico,Puerto Rico and many other locations.

[Lord13]

No........ Hopkins is good but no one is praising him like you guys praise Calzaghe. Aren't you somewhat embarassed a 43 year old "Popkins" was able to floor Calzaghe and make him look that bad?

Not at all, it was a meaningless flash knock down.
Joe got up like a warrior and spanked his ass.
How can you give rounds to someone who's main goal is to spoil the fight?!

Calzaghe wants to dominate and the most I could give to Popkins is 3 rounds because he simply doesn't do enough to bank those rounds.

Throwing 3 counter rights doesn't win you ****. That's why Popkins always lost against men his own size, Taylor beat him, Roy beat him and so did Joe.

If I recall correctly, prior to Joe spaking Popkins, everyone was calling him a legend BUT if you can't answer this question;
"Who did Popkins beat that's better than a prime Kessler?!"
Than Calzaghe deserves all the praise he gets because he came to biased yank-ville, moved up in weight and spanked the **** out of Popkins which was regarded TOP 5 P4P. Popkins beat Tarver and people were cumming all over him, Joe beats Popkins and now yanks start making excuses, how surprising!

Admit it, most of you yanks are thick as **** and can't face defeat the proper way, much like Popkins.

[Clegg]

20+ bull**** defenses over bull**** opponents. Stellar, mate!

I was saying how it's sad that these 2 are pretty much in the same tier even though Pavlik is pretty much just starting his reign and Calzaghe is near the very end of his career.

No, they aren't "in the same tier". Calzaghe is the champion at 2 different weights and recognised as p4p the 2nd best fighter in the world. Pavlik has made one defence of his title. And he did it against someone who was just as bad as the worse Calzaghe opponent you can name.

If Calzaghe beat a Welsh journeyman he'd get criticised for it and receive no credit. Pavlik does it and he's p4p?

Pavlik won the title by getting knocked down by someone who couldn't score a knockdown in a single world title fight, despite mostly fighting guys from 154. Taylor had the title due to 3 very controversial decisions. Is he a good fighter? Absolutely, but don't act as if that one opponent is enough to put him so highly.

When it comes to discussing Calzaghe, all that matters is resumé. When it comes to discussing Pavlik-Lockett, who cares about the opponent? Pavlik looked so good etc.

The double standards on here are just silly.

[CICATRICES]

Roy is going to hurt him to the body.

[Vladimir303]

Broadly speaking I agree with you, Calzaghe could have had better fights. However, as I've stated, he cannot shoulder all the blame for that. His name is missing from prime Hopkins and Jones resumes too, and remember he is the P4P guy now, not them. Also, as I've stated opponents from his past like Mitchell, Brewer, Reid, Woodhall and Sheika were all Ring ranked SMWs, and should not be dismissed as bums. They were the guys he had to beat back then and he did.

The main problem for Joe is that in order to have a resume like Johnson's is that he would have had to move up to LHW. This would have cost him his belt and status, so its easy to see why he didn't, especially as really the only name genuinely worth persuing was Roy Jones, who was on his way to HW anyway. Tarver and Johnson only really emerged after they beat Jones themselves, at which time Joe was on the lacy and Kessler track to unify his division.

If I could change anything on Cals record though, I probably would have him step up to LHW earlier, since had he done so there is a very real possibility that he could have been the man to hand Jones his first loss. I am really not that bothered about him beating the likes of Tarver and Johnson because had he done so these wins would be regarded by his critics as no better than the Lacy and Kessler wins. That Jones opportunity was a gleaming one though, so all in all I'd say Calzaghe's critics should be glad he didn't move up earlier because it might very well mean that he'd be universally regarded as the P4P #1 right now, with no arguing.

From that aspect, he made the right choice to stay at 168. Otherwise that unbeaten record would have been lost a long time ago.

Right now he is 45-0 with one more fight before retirement. He made the right choice. The only wrong choice he is making right now, is thinking that Jones is old and washed up enough for him to take him on.....unstead of going after the Prime Pavlik - who he would have a better shot against with his rhytmless uncoordinated style.

[bsrizpac]

Abadger is chopping everybody apart here.

Go post some more racist bull**** about how hatton lost cause he's white and Floyd won cause he's "African".

No one cares what you think ****ing troll douchebag.

PS, Abadger has not responded to all my points. Not a big shock.

[bsrizpac]

Not at all, it was a meaningless flash knock down.
Joe got up like a warrior and spanked his ass.
How can you give rounds to someone who's main goal is to spoil the fight?!

Calzaghe wants to dominate and the most I could give to Popkins is 3 rounds because he simply doesn't do enough to bank those rounds.

Throwing 3 counter rights doesn't win you ****. That's why Popkins always lost against men his own size, Taylor beat him, Roy beat him and so did Joe.

If I recall correctly, prior to Joe spaking Popkins, everyone was calling him a legend BUT if you can't answer this question;
"Who did Popkins beat that's better than a prime Kessler?!"
Than Calzaghe deserves all the praise he gets because he came to biased yank-ville, moved up in weight and spanked the **** out of Popkins which was regarded TOP 5 P4P. Popkins beat Tarver and people were cumming all over him, Joe beats Popkins and now yanks start making excuses, how surprising!

Admit it, most of you yanks are thick as **** and can't face defeat the proper way, much like Popkins.

LOL. Idiot. ****ing clueless dolt.

Yes, Hopkins always three three counter rights a round, like when fought Roy.

Joe didn't spank ****. That just reveals you are a pathetic nuthugger. The fight was much closer than it should have been, and the fact that you think anyone got "spanked" means you have your head straight up Joe's ass.

YOU are the reason people hate Joe C.

You should go back to Race trolling. You're better at being a racist ******* than trying to make sense of boxing.

[ALT-Assassin]

Not at all, it was a meaningless flash knock down.
Joe got up like a warrior and spanked his ass.
How can you give rounds to someone who's main goal is to spoil the fight?!

Calzaghe wants to dominate and the most I could give to Popkins is 3 rounds because he simply doesn't do enough to bank those rounds.

Throwing 3 counter rights doesn't win you ****. That's why Popkins always lost against men his own size, Taylor beat him, Roy beat him and so did Joe.

If I recall correctly, prior to Joe spaking Popkins, everyone was calling him a legend BUT if you can't answer this question;
"Who did Popkins beat that's better than a prime Kessler?!"
Than Calzaghe deserves all the praise he gets because he came to biased yank-ville, moved up in weight and spanked the **** out of Popkins which was regarded TOP 5 P4P. Popkins beat Tarver and people were cumming all over him, Joe beats Popkins and now yanks start making excuses, how surprising!

Admit it, most of you yanks are thick as **** and can't face defeat the proper way, much like Popkins.

We can't face defeat?HA HA.Did you see this board after the Hatton Mayweather fight? Do you realize how many excuses were made after Hatton's head bounced off the turnbuckle?"Mayweather was using elbows"Hatton was coming up in weight"Cortez was biased towards Hatton"The turnbuckle didn't have enough padding on it"Hatton benifited throughout his whole career with biased refs and his fans go crazy when he doesn't get his way this one time.Mayweather is head and shoulders above Hatton in every department yet there wasn't many British posters who gave Floyd any credit.