Calzaghe: I'm 100% retiring

[Kris Silver]

I know, I got pwned.
I was hoping he would fight Pavlik, and maybe he still will. But if he reitres then fair enough, he has been around a long time now. And his hands ain't getting any better.

You never got pwned, that's almost impossible.

I think the extent of Calzaghes hand injuries really aren't common enough knowledge. When he was a kid the doc told him he couldn't and shouldn't box, yet he carried on. He used to hurt people in his twenties, and still has in his thirties, Lacy and Kessler being examples. It canes him, and he often breaks or seriously injures his hands during fights, and they shake afterwards. Plus he's getting cut like every fight now. His heads told him to retire around 2008 for years, and his body is too.

Going out as planned against a someone like RJJ simply is a perfect, natural last fight and retirement all considered. Deserves more respect than some just fighting on for the sake of it, and others retiring 2 or 3 times, or Lacy retiring for the entire time he was asleep.

[Dan...]

You never got pwned, that's almost impossible.

I think the extent of Calzaghes hand injuries really aren't common enough knowledge. When he was a kid the doc told him he couldn't and shouldn't box, yet he carried on. He used to hurt people in his twenties, and still has in his thirties, Lacy and Kessler being examples. It canes him, and he often breaks or seriously injures his hands during fights, and they shake afterwards. Plus he's getting cut like every fight now. His heads told him to retire around 2008 for years, and his body is too.

Going out as planned against a someone like RJJ simply is a perfect, natural last fight and retirement all considered. Deserves more respect than some just fighting on for the sake of it, and others retiring 2 or 3 times, or Lacy retiring for the entire time he was asleep.

Yeah tbh I would just advise all the Joe fans to ignore all the idiots. I do the same with ppl who say Roy fought cab drivers for a decade. It gets tiring attempting to reason with them.

[IMDAZED]

Some predictable comments, some more insightful. I wish Joe woulda ventured to the states earlier, but going by what happened he fought the best Americans that were in the division, Brewer, Mitchell, Lacy and others all in the top ten at the time. May not be the absolute best all round but this whole expectancy of jumping through hoops in America is so out dated and un-realistic it's unreal.

A good few in America just didn't know that much of him before Lacy because of the networks and general ignorance, so think he has pretty much only a few years of meaningful ness in his career and late on, wrong. You just started taking significant notice late on and are pissed it's so late that some other elites are older and he's now close to retiring as planned, and unlikely to lose to the new latest american whom will win this time.

Joe hasn't actually ducked anyone contrary to some beliefs, unlike a lot of other elites even Jones and Pavlik, whom genuinely have ducked. Calzaghe's never turned down any fight, is 36 and breaks his ****ing hands in most fights, and hardly talks way more **** than the average boxer of today. Give the guy a break and keep things in context.

I think you'd like for a lot of this to be true but that's not the case,.

First, Joe Calzaghe has been on Showtime since the late nineties. So anyone who had that channel saw plenty of his fights. Not to mention being featured on the undercard of a huge Tyson card - where he famously said he'd fight light heavyweight king Roy Jones...at 168. Anyway, it's easy to dismiss people by saying, oh you never saw him earlier...no, we did.

Second, the idea that Jones and Pavlik ducked while Calzaghe didn't is...ludicrous. Really. And I wish you'd back that up with more factual statements, Kris.

[Kris Silver]

I think you'd like for a lot of this to be true but that's not the case,.

First, Joe Calzaghe has been on Showtime since the late nineties. So anyone who had that channel saw plenty of his fights. Not to mention being featured on the undercard of a huge Tyson card - where he famously said he'd fight light heavyweight king Roy Jones...at 168. Anyway, it's easy to dismiss people by saying, oh you never saw him earlier...no, we did.

Second, the idea that Jones and Pavlik ducked while Calzaghe didn't is...ludicrous. Really. And I wish you'd back that up with more factual statements, Kris.

Define, we did. I never said no one saw him if I did I didn't mean to. I'm saying like a lot do, that not many saw him. I said I partially blame the networks for not showing enough of him, amongst some other European fights and fighters. I didn't cite it as the entire reason, and tbh was softening the blow of listing one other larger factor of ignorance.

I have full respect for your knowledge and seeing more of these fights, but that doesn't mean a comparable amount watched pre Lacy fights of his, versus post Lacy fights. That's what you seem to make out, and I'm saying highly doubtful.

On the whole ducking talk, tbh I tend to just play devils advocate with it. Defining a true duck is so subjective I tend to play the same game and list if they did he did, just to point out flaws in ones own claims. If pushed on the topic certainly of late, I would say Pavlik has ducked Abraham and Kessler (whom called him out and would take fights soon for a good deal imo) far more than Calzaghe talking of a few names for his likely fight, then choosing one over the other. I find it odd you list Calzaghe talking of fighting Roy in the same post too, that seems to help my argument not yours.

Anyway fair points for the most part, hope that clarifies at least somewhat.

[fightingfigs]

Joe shouldnt open his mouth anymore.

he should fight RJJ duck Pavlik and retire. I would have more respect for his decision to not fight Pavlik if he hadnt made comments like

"Pavlik doesnt want to fight me"

[IMDAZED]

Define, we did. I never said no one saw him if I did I didn't mean to. I'm saying like a lot do, that not many saw him. I said I partially blame the networks for not showing enough of him, amongst some other European fights and fighters. I didn't cite it as the entire reason, and tbh was softening the blow of listing one other larger factor of ignorance.

I have full respect for your knowledge and seeing more of these fights, but that doesn't mean a comparable amount watched pre Lacy fights of his, versus post Lacy fights. That's what you seem to make out, and I'm saying highly doubtful.

On the whole ducking talk, tbh I tend to just play devils advocate with it. Defining a true duck is so subjective I tend to play the same game and list if they did he did, just to point out flaws in ones own claims. If pushed on the topic certainly of late, I would say Pavlik has ducked Abraham and Kessler (whom called him out and would take fights soon for a good deal imo) far more than Calzaghe talking of a few names for his likely fight, then choosing one over the other. I find it odd you list Calzaghe talking of fighting Roy in the same post too, that seems to help my argument not yours.

Anyway fair points for the most part, hope that clarifies at least somewhat.

Yes. Agreed on the ducking. I'm not sure why you believe Pavlik ducked Abraham and Kessler (two guys who he may face in the coming months - especially Abraham) but what's good for the goose is good for the gander. And if you consider that ducking, you have to consider that Calzaghe ducked Glen Johnson, Roy and others in recent years. Recently on this board, myself and others posted a quote from Joe Calzaghe on June 28, 2003 where he admitted he never wanted to fight Roy. And while Dirk Diggler and other fanatics disputed the veracity of the quote, I can assure you I remember reading it back THEN, shrugging my shoulders and not thinking much of it.

Bottom line is, if Calzaghe retires, he leaves behind a great legacy. Not an all-time great one, but one he can be proud of but leaves us wanting for more.

[Da Hammer]

If Calzaghe doesnt fight Pavlik its the same as DLH not fighting Margarito. They will both look like cowards to a lot of people...

[Dan...]

If Calzaghe doesnt fight Pavlik its the same as DLH not fighting Margarito. They will both look like cowards to a lot of people...

Anyone who calls any of hese guys cowards is a ****ing moron.

[Dynamite Kid]

good the sooner this fraudster retires the better

[hishaam15]

calzaghe didnt duck pavlik. he was talking about fighting RJJ and retiring before june, when pavlik faced lockett.