Jermain Taylor: "I Want To Make an Impact at 168"

[dstew]

I forgot to mention that Calzaghe has beaten Hopkins- Taylor's only legitimate victory

Again, what does that have to do with what I actually posted? Which is that Calzaghe's next fight against an old Roy Jones, who he said himself was a disappointing way to end his career?

I'll help you - it's got nothing to do with it.

[abadger]

Why doesent he just come out and say he knows RJJ is past it and it's only for money?

The video of him trashing RJJ and propping up Pavlik only makes him look like a dunce.

As DStew said Taylor was very upfront about not fighting Froch because of the terrible risk/reward involved, plus the fact that the fight makes more money when Froch is champ after beating Pascal.

Why cant Joe be as up front about the real reasons he is fighting RJJ. You should be just as upset as I because he is playing us both for suckers.

I really don't get you guys, obviously Joe could do nothing that would make you critical of him.

The parallel here would be if after Joe beats RJJ he offers Pavlik a fight and Pavlik turns it down to stay at 160 to fight Winky Wright because he is a "living legend and household name in the US"

I would have a fit and tear Kelly apart, something you guys aren't willing to do to Joe Calzaghe no matter what he does. He could be fighting a Lacy rematch instead of Jones and you would justify it.

Slating the fight would simply not be good business, you know this. Calzaghe's job is not only to beat Roy, but make people want to see it. Hence he talks it up. He is probably contractually obliged to do so.

The Wright parallel would hold water if Wright actually were a household name in the US, we both know he isn't. He is not without fans and profile, he's been a PPV fighter, but he's not close to Roy levels of adulation.

Let me draw another parallel. The most meaningful fight for Kelly Pavlik is Arthur Abraham, in what in boxing terms is a more meaningful fight than Calz v Pavlik. This is not happening, at least not now, Pavlik is instead fighting Hopkins because "he is a living legend and household name in the US" and because it will boost Kelly's profile and make money. It's pretty much the same thing, except in Pavlik's case it isn't the last fight of a highly successful career, its one of the first big ones in a career that might or might not be successful in the future

Finally, I can't speak for everyone, but I do wish Joe had chosen Pavlik, but I can see why he didn't. As a fan it is hard to begrudge Joe a big payday and a win over Jones. That assumes of course that it is his last fight and not merely a precursor to a Pavlik fight, which is perfectly possible, not to say even likely.

And if Calzaghe was fighting lacy I would be up in arms.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Why doesent he just come out and say he knows RJJ is past it and it's only for money? (Say it again since he already did once)
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Now that wouldn't be a great way to sell a potentially money spinning fight, would it? Thats a rather ridiculous thing for you to suggest Calzaghe to do.

Clearly he is fighting RJJ for the money and knows he's past it but that doesnt sell a fight. He hasnt at any point denied that Jones is past his best or that hes fighting for money.

He's merely played up on the more positive factors of taking such a fight by saying "Im fighting in MSG against a legend who Ive always wanted to fight - what a way to finish off".

If he'd come out and said something about Jones being as good as he ever was and how this fight would secure his legacy as an ATG then you might have a point.

[dstew]

Totally agree with you Dirk lad. This guy talks utter ****e with no facts to back up his points. He uses the 'lets make up bull****' approach. It's usually irrelevent and its defo a bunch of toss. I still haven't read ONE valid fact based points made by him. He never has a vaild resonse. Agree with alot of what you say btw.

I guess Dirk is the one who posted a video interview and quote after quote in article after article (with links) demonstrating how Joe C. contradicts himself every other month?

No wait, that was me.

I definitely think you should change your name to just "Pugilist".

[Hitman932]

Let me draw another parallel. The most meaningful fight for Kelly Pavlik is Arthur Abraham, in what in boxing terms is a more meaningful fight than Calz v Pavlik. This is not happening, at least not now, Pavlik is instead fighting Hopkins because "he is a living legend and household name in the US" and because it will boost Kelly's profile and make money. It's pretty much the same thing, except in Pavlik's case it isn't the last fight of a highly successful career, its one of the first big ones in a career that might or might not be successful in the future

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Lets be clear that Pavlik vs. Abraham isn't happening because Arthur is tied up with a very important 15-1 underdog mandatory defense.

For sake of comparison, Lockett was only 10-1. In this instance it is Abraham who is eschewing a Pavlik fight for the sake of holding onto a pointless alphabet belt.

Pavlik fighting Miranda, Taylor, Taylor, Hopkins over the course of a year and a half absolutely ****s on any 5 fight span of Joe's career and Pavlik will probably take 4 more p4p level fights in the next 2 years.

It's safe to say that if Pavlik does that, moving up to be champion at 168 in the process not many people will be able to justify ranking Calzaghe ahead of him as far as top champions of the past 20 years.

[Hitman932]

Now that wouldn't be a great way to sell a potentially money spinning fight, would it? Thats a rather ridiculous thing for you to suggest Calzaghe to do.

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Mayorga calls every one of his opponents bums beforehand and has no problem selling them.

[dstew]

Finally, I can't speak for everyone, but I do wish Joe had chosen Pavlik, but I can see why he didn't. As a fan it is hard to begrudge Joe a big payday and a win over Jones. That assumes of course that it is his last fight and not merely a precursor to a Pavlik fight, which is perfectly possible, not to say even likely.

And if Calzaghe was fighting lacy I would be up in arms.

Thank you.

Can't say I blame Joe myself for going after the big payday, as long as that's really what he's after, but his back and forth with Kelly Pavlik in the process is completely unnecessary and shady unless he is just doing it to boost interest in a future fight.

Also, trying to market Jones as a legitimate legacy-building fight insults the intelligence of everyone on this forum.

[abadger]

Lets be clear that Pavlik vs. Abraham isn't happening because Arthur is tied up with a very important 15-1 underdog mandatory defense.

For sake of comparison, Lockett was only 10-1. In this instance it is Abraham who is eschewing a Pavlik fight for the sake of holding onto a pointless alphabet belt.

Pavlik fighting Miranda, Taylor, Taylor, Hopkins over the course of a year and a half absolutely ****s on any 5 fight span of Joe's career and Pavlik will probably take 4 more p4p level fights in the next 2 years.

It's safe to say that if Pavlik does that, moving up to be champion at 168 in the process not many people will be able to justify ranking Calzaghe ahead of him as far as top champions of the past 20 years.

Hey, if Pavlik can outstrip Calzaghe and rack up a better career he will deserve to go above him, I'll have no problem with it. As for the value of the wins he already has, history will have to decide. Miranda is of comparable quality to someone like Kabary Salem, he might actually be worse, if Taylor doesn't get his ass in gear and win another title then he starts to look like a Byron Mitchell type figure, and Hopins with losses to Taylor and now Joe, aged 43 can't be ranked as being a much better win than Joe's over Eubank, if Pavlik beats him.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Mayorga calls every one of his opponents bums beforehand and has no problem selling them.

Your analogies really need some work mate.

You cant really compare obvious trash talk to what you expect Calzaghe to say.

Out of interest, what did Pavlik say about Lockett? Or Taylor about Ouma/Spinks? Or Jones about half his opposition while he was on top.

Accuse me of changing the subject all you want, but you're acting as if its some kind of outrageous unheard of thing that fighters try to exagerrate their opponents ability to increase interest in the fight.

[dstew]

Accuse me of changing the subject all you want, but you're acting as if its some kind of outrageous unheard of thing that fighters try to exagerrate their opponents ability to increase interest in the fight.

The difference is that most fighters aren't ****** enough to open their mouths and label such a fight a "disappointment" and then go ahead and make a deal for that exact fight.