Will boxing fans allow Calzaghe to retire without facing Pavlik?

[Scott9945]

he owes the sports and fans

Why? He is the 175 lb champion. Pavlik is the 160 lb champion who has made one title defense. If Pavlik can beat Hopkins impressively, then maybe he'll have some ground to call for the fight. Otherwise he should take care of Abraham the same way Calzaghe did with Kessler before there is any reasonable demand for him to fight Joe.

[badboypeenoy]

Why? He is the 175 lb champion. Pavlik is the 160 lb champion who has made one title defense. If Pavlik can beat Hopkins impressively, then maybe he'll have some ground to call for the fight. Otherwise he should take care of Abraham the same way Calzaghe did with Kessler before there is any reasonable demand for him to fight Joe.

I can feel your concern for Calzaghe's need to keep his undefeated record, I really do.

[Johnny Rebel]

Exactly. Joe has been fighting for 16 years, made a fortune, and can retire any damn time he wants to. He owes Pavlik nothing.

JC has also been fighting with a broken bone in his wrist on top of his other hand injuries since the Manfredo fight. If Joe doesn't have the hunger to fight after Jones, he has every right to retire without all this unfair criticism. Joe already beat 2 young undefeated SMW Champions (Lacy and Kessler) who were supposed to beat him and be the future of the division.

Pavlik has yet to have 1 fight at SMW or LHW, and no right to demand a fight with Calzaghe. Pavlik has Kessler and Abraham to deal with.

[El Dominicano]

JC has also been fighting with a broken bone in his wrist on top of his other hand injuries since the Manfredo fight. If Joe doesn't have the hunger to fight after Jones, he has every right to retire without all this unfair criticism. Joe already beat 2 young undefeated SMW Champions (Lacy and Kessler) who were supposed to beat him and be the future of the division.

Pavlik has yet to have 1 fight at SMW or LHW, and no right to demand a fight with Calzaghe. Pavlik has Kessler and Abraham to deal with.

I can agree with what you've said. If a fighter is no longer hungry then he should retire. Fighting in that kind of state can be dangrous.

[Dan...]

Why? He is the 175 lb champion. Pavlik is the 160 lb champion who has made one title defense. If Pavlik can beat Hopkins impressively, then maybe he'll have some ground to call for the fight. Otherwise he should take care of Abraham the same way Calzaghe did with Kessler before there is any reasonable demand for him to fight Joe.

I would not bother with the use of logic. Ill-advised in this case I'm afraid.

[egreezy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpGJrRTmTl0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzyYHSPfXZU - arum/warren

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG7M4aalKU8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmY9K2vXkDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffwigze5kTs

jones wasn't practically signed before they heard from arum. in one of those videos arum/warren discussing fight being made. warren said only thing stopping the fight was joe agreeing to the terms. so to say they only starting thinking about him after roy was signed isnt factual. and he trying to hype himself make a gimic. maybe he doesnt owe the fight but he shouldnt lie about things.

why mention abraham when hes fighting hopkins joe last win?

[Dan...]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpGJrRTmTl0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzyYHSPfXZU - arum/warren

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG7M4aalKU8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmY9K2vXkDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffwigze5kTs

jones wasn't practically signed before they heard from arum. in one of those videos arum/warren discussing fight being made. warren said only thing stopping the fight was joe agreeing to the terms. so to say they only starting thinking about him after roy was signed isnt factual. and he trying to hype himself make a gimic. maybe he doesnt owe the fight but he shouldnt lie about things.

why mention abraham when hes fighting hopkins joe last win?

Because unifying divisions is important.

[egreezy]

Because unifying divisions is important.

it is but hes obviously chasing joe, next best thing is fighting his best win put more pressure. if he fought abraham, they might say something like hes still @ 160 hes not ready and hasnt prove he can fight at higher weight.

[The_Italian]

CAN calzaghe retire without fighting pavlik? yes.

will he be given a lot of criticism if he retires without fighting pavlik? yes.

Unless hopkins beats pavlik or someone else comes along to beat pavlik its only logical that if calzaghe wants the status he seeks that the road to that title is kelly pavlik.

Not many from the media or boxing fans will given calzaghe high acclaim unless he goes after the best in the U.S.A. like a kelly pavlik or even a jermain taylor; etc.

Majority of Calzaghe's wins are against...VIRTUAL no-names and b class fighters.

Who has calzaghe REALLY beat other than bernard hopkins (who is 43 and far out of his prime)??? there isnt many worth mentioning.

If calzaghe were to face and beat kelly pavlik his status would rise greatly due to that win over a highly rated fighter.

[Dan...]

it is but hes obviously chasing joe, next best thing is fighting his best win put more pressure. if he fought abraham, they might say something like hes still @ 160 hes not ready and hasnt prove he can fight at higher weight.

Given the situational factors I think Kessler was a better win for Calzaghe. Hopkins was pretty limited due to his age against Joe and was pretty much limited to spoiling in order to make the fight close.

One of my pet hates in boxing is fighters moving up and down and fighting ppl all over the place when there are still top fighters to be beaten in their own division. Once Pavlik beats AA I would then like to see him move up. But he still hasn't conclusively proven that he is the best MW out there, and that is a problem that I think he should concentrate on rectifying.