Joe Calzaghe Is The Best Boxer In The World!

[ALT-Assassin]

Maybe. They aren't the reason I hold those views though.

Why is that? You rather take the views of the numerous ALTs on this message board instead of professional commentators that are respected by the public of America? At least they were respectful unlike Steve Bunce who called the current American Heavyweights cowards.

[abadger]

Abadger....I actually think Calzaghe would beat Hearns and Haggler both. Partly because he was a little big for either of them, but also because neither of them were especially fantastic boxers. Both had a punch like a freight truck, but again....Joe, "Ironchin" Calzaghe takes a pretty good shot. Never seen the guy hurt at all. He's only been down a couple times, and was never shaken at all, just flash knockdowns. If I had to pick someone to beat Calzaghe, it would probably be Leonard. He was smaller than either Hitman or Marvin, but he was also used to fighting bigger guys. He was also very good at figuring a way to get his punches in, and he was a terrific puncher. Lightning fast hands, great chin, and one other thing...in his prime, he was in in as good a shape as Calzaghe. I still don't know if he'd manage to KO Joe (he'd have a better shot at anyone else), but he would stand an excellant chance at a draw or decision win against him.

I have nothing on you when it comes to rating Calzaghe! Its very refreshing for me not to be being ritually abused! I am no expert at all on Hagler/Hearns/Leonard, in fact I've only watched the fights they had with each other and Duran. The reason I picked Hagler over Cal is his fight with Hearns, I see that commitment to attack and I just ask myself how could Calzghe possibly live with that, iron chin or not? With Hearns its a little closer, I could see him being outsmarted by Joe easily, but he did bring so much to the table and has such a high reputation that i fear it would be tantamount to heresy to out and out pick Calzaghe over him. Ray Leonard is maybe the best boxer I've seen so far. His skill was so subtle and he was such a tough SOB. If I could envisage anyone outsmarting or outfighting Joe it would be him.

[abadger]

Why is that? You rather take the views of the numerous ALTs on this message board instead of professional commentators that are respected by the public of America? At least they were respectful unlike Steve Bunce who called the current American Heavyweights cowards.

What? I don't understand what you mean. I hold my views because of my own judgement, and try to learn from 'experts' by looking out for things I haven't thought of. I hold almost no regard for most views on these boards since so very few seem to be interested in boxing at all other than as a game of vicarious one-upmanship. What did you mean?

[Vladimir303]

Abadger....I actually think Calzaghe would beat Hearns and Haggler both. Partly because he was a little big for either of them, but also because neither of them were especially fantastic boxers

You don't know the sport of boxing.

This isn't worthy of debating.

[ALT-Assassin]

What? I don't understand what you mean. I hold my views because of my own judgement, and try to learn from 'experts' by looking out for things I haven't thought of. I hold almost no regard for most views on these boards since so very few seem to be interested in boxing at all other than as a game of vicarious one-upmanship. What did you mean?

I am talking about the notion you hold that American media/Americans in general have this bias towards Europeans.I wanted to know why you hold those views and what gives you that idea.

[RodBarker]

Abadger....I actually think Calzaghe would beat Hearns and Haggler both. Partly because he was a little big for either of them, but also because neither of them were especially fantastic boxers

That is a ridicules comment with no substance , you say you only seen them once and make a comment like that , its very hard to respect a poster that says things like this solely because he is a fan worshiping his home grown idol , I would bet my bottom dollar that if Cal was an American or a Cuban or anything but a British subject you and a few others in here would not give him a second mention .

[abadger]

I am talking about the notion you hold that American media/Americans in general have this bias towards Europeans.I wanted to know why you hold those views and what gives you that idea.

I don't think there's much doubt that American fans are heavily biased in favour of American fighters, or at least the ones on these boards are. I spoke to Tunney about this once and he told me that in America Calzaghe was viewed for the most part as another Ottke by fans, and we see on the boards to this day the whole Calzaghe fought only bums thing. Any objective boxing fan with any knowledge of the era should know that this is simply untrue. Calzaghe lacked a truly top calss opponent for a long time, but the majority of his defences were against perfectly credible opposition comparable with the majority of Hopkins defences for example. Another example is Kessler, he has achieved plenty in boxing by beating all the guys he has, but Americans on here see comparisons of him with Pavlik as laughable.

As for US media, its not quite so bad. They will give props to any guy that impresses them, but the only way to do that is to beat a boxer who boxes out of America on American soil. It really is the truth. They also have and frequently vocalise a distrust of any result outside of America and any fighter who hasn't boxed there. Sometimes this is justifiable, as in the shenanigans at the first Abraham/ Miranda fight, but very often it is not. For example Kellerman suggested 'home-cooking' when Sakio Bika had a point deducted against Calzaghe, when in fact it was completely fair, and later actually retracted that statement when it became clear that in fact Micky Vann was being lenient with him. The thing was, the damage was done, any US fans watching had UK, Calzagh = Home cooking firmly implanted in their heads.

So really, its not so much I see the US fans/media as having an active animus against non-US fighters, it's really more of this huge presumption that 'only US counts'. With fans as well I should add, it often boils down to nothing more than not having seen the careers of foreigners on TV and simply that assuming that they and their opponents are no good for that reason alone. Thats how you wind up with people saying stuff like Taylor is better than Calzaghe, they don't set out to be biased about it, they just presume he is.

I hope you think all of this is fair. Also, are you from the US or where?

[Vladimir303]

I don't think there's much doubt that American fans are heavily biased in favour of American fighters, or at least the ones on these boards are. I spoke to Tunney about this once and he told me that in America Calzaghe was viewed for the most part as another Ottke by fans, I

Guys like yourself invite that type of criticism coming in here and overrating Calzaghe in our faces looking for approval.

The guy is what he is, a decent to very good fighter who is by all standards considered great, who gets the job done with what he has, nothing more to it.

But you guys want more then that and you're not gonna get it. He isn't sugar ray leonard, RJJ, Ali, Mayweather, Whitaker etc,. when it comes to quality of opposition or the skills department no matter what the number of his title defenses are or his unbeaten streak.

[Kris Silver]

Guys like yourself invite that type of criticism coming in here and overrating Calzaghe in our faces looking for approval.

The guy is what he is, a decent to very good fighter who is by all standards considered great, who gets the job done with what he has, nothing more to it.

But you guys want more then that and you're not gonna get it. He isn't sugar ray leonard, RJJ, Ali, Mayweather, Whitaker etc,. when it comes to quality of opposition of the skills department.

Few if any said he's better than prime Roy, Ali, Mayweather or Whitaker. So why have you just said that? Even just there you've dated back over half a century. Calzaghe is p4p #2 and one of the best fighters of his generation. That's pretty impressive. That's all ppl say, they don't go onto Roy, Ali, or Mayweather, your saying that crap.

[CaRnAgEViOLaToR]

has kessler beat anyone as good as jermain taylor? i think not. kessler is a good fighter with good skills but theres nothing special about him and i think he lacks toughness. pavlik would knock him out

as for the welsch slapper hes a great fighter but he doesnt want to fight pavlik or dawson. i honestly dont care if i ever see his slapping ass after the roy jones fight