Why Calzaghe deserves more respect around here.

[abadger]

Who cares about fake ass polls. Real champs prove it in the ring not on fan polls. Till then Joe gets **** from me. So if some fan poll makes you happy thats up to you but then your no better than floyds legacy. peace.

This is the attitude I don't understand. Calzaghe beat everyone at SMW in the ten years he was there, then unified the belts against highly rated and much younger champions, then moved up to LHW and beat the best fighter there, all without losing once. He has two Ring Belts and a 45 fight unbeaten pro career. It is absurd to suggest he hasn't proved anything in the ring.

[Joe2608]

+1

Checkmania i don't see how you can say he hasn't proven anything in the ring.

[Check]

This is the attitude I don't understand. Calzaghe beat everyone at SMW in the ten years he was there, then unified the belts against highly rated and much younger champions, then moved up to LHW and beat the best fighter there, all without losing once. He has two Ring Belts and a 45 fight unbeaten pro career. It is absurd to suggest he hasn't proved anything in the ring.

I dont think benard is the best at 175. Hes the biggest name there but not the best. Calzaghe has proved stuff in the ring but after spending his career mostly in the UK he finally received some popularity after the kessler fight. So instead of fighting a young gun he takes hop. Which is fine, even take Roy but after that you must take on some younger guys. I think Joe needs to fight a Chad Dawson, a Kelly Pavlik, maybe even an Abraham.

[Dan...]

+1

Checkmania i don't see how you can say he hasn't proven anything in the ring.

The hate for Calzaghe runs pretty deep in several sections of this forum. Whilst I personally am not a fan I can acknowledge his incredible talent and achievements as a fighter. Many others fail to achieve this.

[Check]

+1

Checkmania i don't see how you can say he hasn't proven anything in the ring.

I didnt mean to say he has proved nothing. I think Lacy and Kessler fights are something but I don't think they are amazing fighters to add to a HOF's resume. If thats the best hes got with bernard to me that is pretty fake and misleading. Kessler is his best win and even Kessler is unproven as hell.

[Joe2608]

I dont think benard is the best at 175. Hes the biggest name there but not the best. Calzaghe has proved stuff in the ring but after spending his career mostly in the UK he finally received some popularity after the kessler fight. So instead of fighting a young gun he takes hop. Which is fine, even take Roy but after that you must take on some younger guys. I think Joe needs to fight a Chad Dawson, a Kelly Pavlik, maybe even an Abraham.

There are talks that he will fight Pavlik after Jones at 168 lbs. If he beats Pavlik will you give him credit?

Abraham is highly unlikely because first of all he isn't big enough to do a PPV with Calzaghe. Secondly, it won't do much to Calzaghe's resume because not many people know who Abraham is and Abraham hasn't beaten anyone worth noting so people still won't give him credit. Dawson would be a good fight but i'd rather see him fight Pavlik.

[abadger]

I dont think benard is the best at 175. Hes the biggest name there but not the best. Calzaghe has proved stuff in the ring but after spending his career mostly in the UK he finally received some popularity after the kessler fight. So instead of fighting a young gun he takes hop. Which is fine, even take Roy but after that you must take on some younger guys. I think Joe needs to fight a Chad Dawson, a Kelly Pavlik, maybe even an Abraham.

But in fact with the Ring belt and victories over Tarver and Winky, Hopkins was easily the best LHW when the fight was signed, and had he beaten Joe still would be. As for young guns, you forget that immediately before fighting Hopkins he beat Kessler and Lacy, champs in his own division, neither Dawson nor Pavlik is a markedly different fight from these, though i agree I'd rather see him take these on than Jones.

[Kris Silver]

I dont think benard is the best at 175. Hes the biggest name there but not the best. Calzaghe has proved stuff in the ring but after spending his career mostly in the UK he finally received some popularity after the kessler fight. So instead of fighting a young gun he takes hop. Which is fine, even take Roy but after that you must take on some younger guys. I think Joe needs to fight a Chad Dawson, a Kelly Pavlik, maybe even an Abraham.

Back to the age excuse. No matter what you think, Ring and most on here and in boxing thought Hopkins was the #1 at LHW, especially after beating Tarver not so long ago post 40.

The young champions thing has oddly only been said much since the 1 fight against a significantly older guy in Hopkins whom was #1. So it's just the latest in a long line of excuses.

I think it's unfortunate that some fans like me are left wanting Calzaghe to face someone like Pavlik, not because they feel he needs to much, has much to prove or that it's sensible, but to merely try to silence the relentless and cynical doubters. I think it's risky though because really the doubters have always found new excuses when Calzaghes beaten one guy they've mentioned, so it's just pressuring Calazaghe and his fans into fighting such and such, and fighting past what was expected.

Ultimately thats bringing the likelyhood of a loss up, which I think is what some of the doubters want, and will be all over the shop posting I told you so over one fight, after years of blatantly actually being proven wrong.

[majestiC]

I dont think benard is the best at 175. Hes the biggest name there but not the best. Calzaghe has proved stuff in the ring but after spending his career mostly in the UK he finally received some popularity after the kessler fight. So instead of fighting a young gun he takes hop. Which is fine, even take Roy but after that you must take on some younger guys. I think Joe needs to fight a Chad Dawson, a Kelly Pavlik, maybe even an Abraham.

Who is better at light-heavy than Hopkins then?

[Check]

Who is better at light-heavy than Hopkins then?

You know whos better than HOP at 175. I don't even need to answer that.