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12 ROUNDS WITH MAX KELLERMAN
Joe Calzaghe is 45-0 and is perhaps the greatest fighter ever to come out of Great Britain. No man in the 25-year history of the super middleweight division has dominated it for as long as Calzaghe did, 10 years. Roy Jones Jr. is considered by many to have been the most the dominant boxer in the world from 1993 to 2003. So who's going to win this matchup of legends? Max Kellerman, a commentator for HBO, pounds out 12 rounds on key criteria to answer that question. (It should be noted that Kellerman has been a huge fan of Jones over the years, and said that if this fight took place in the 39-year-old's prime, "You could go right down the list (rounds) and just say, Roy, Roy, Roy...")
Ding ding!
October 27, 2008 - by Nat Gottlieb
ROUND 1 [Size]
What's important here about size is how it has played a part in the downfall of Roy Jones. When Roy gained 18 pounds of muscle to fight John Ruiz for his heavyweight title, and then had to lose it, that really changed him. I don't think Roy has ever fully recovered from that. Size then favors Calzaghe as a result of Roy's past. Even though Roy has been fighting at light heavyweight for a long time, both are natural super middies, so again I feel size favors Calzaghe.
Calzaghe 10-9
ROUND 2 [Strength]
Once upon a time the answer would have been Roy Jones. But one thing I have noticed since he took off the weight is he has lost a lot in his legs. Even against Tito we saw he was unable to circle him and had to fight off the ropes. Calzaghe has the fresher legs, so I score it for Calzaghe.
Calzaghe 10-9
ROUND 3 [Speed]
Roy's hand speed in his prime would easily win this. In my opinion he has the fastest hands of anyone of all-time. Nobody was ever faster, not Ray Leonard, not Meldrick Taylor or Hector Comacho. I have seen tape of Sugar Ray Robinson and some home videos, and while he was exceptionally fast, Roy's hands were faster. But because Roy's speed is not what it used to be, I give the round to Calzaghe.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 4 [Jab]
Roy in his prime never had a real technique because he was so athletically gifted. He has quite an excellent jab but he doesn't want to use it. He never had to before because his hands were so fast he could sit back and wait for his opponent to make a mistake and then hit him with a leaping left hand or right hand. In a sense, his fast right hand was like a jab. He has the most under-used jab in history. So give the edge to Calzaghe.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 5 [Defense]
Roy, even now, has better defensive instincts than Calzaghe. If Roy doesn't want to get hit, you can't hit him. But Calzaghe is a high volume puncher, and even if you make him miss five straight punches, he comes right back with five more. Roy's defense is better, but Calzaghe's high volume offense is in effect so taxing that I would give defense to Calzaghe.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 6 [Experience]
Roy is way more experienced than Calzaghe. He has fought far better opponents, so I give the edge here to Roy.
Jones, 10-9
ROUND 7 [Ability to take a Punch]
The fact that Roy was knocked out cold by Glen Johnson and (Antonio) Tarver gives the edge to Calzaghe, who has never been knocked out. In his prime, Roy was so fast nobody could hit his chin, so it was never really tested. Tarver, in the second fight with Roy, hit him so hard his eyes were blinking uncontrollably, making Roy look like a damaged fighter.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 8 [Fighting Inside]
At this point I would give it to Calzaghe. Roy was never an inside fighter because with his hand speed he wanted to keep the fight at a distance. Calzaghe is not a brawler, but if he gets inside he can land punches effectively.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 9 [Counterpunching]
Roy is a super counterpuncher. Once upon a time he based his game on counterpunching. He would feint at hitting you, draw you in and then land on you. I give the edge here to Roy.
Jones, 10-9
ROUND 10 [Conditioning]
Both fighters are always in excellent condition. I expect both to be fully prepared physically, but I give the edge to Calzaghe because he is the fresher fighter.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 11 [Ring Generalship]
I never really know what people mean by that term. It's very nebulous. To me, the ring general is the one who is winning the fight -- and the guy I expect to win the fight is Calzaghe, so I give him the round.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 12 [Heart]
Roy showed a lot of heart in the Tarver rubber match because he never quit, he kept on fighting. But heart and the will to win, which I think is important, are different things. Roy could have won the rubber match. It was there for him to grab in the later rounds, and he didn't step on the pedal when it was winnable. That didn't show heart. Calzaghe has never lost, and to me that says he has the greater will to win.
Calzaghe, 10-9
WINNER:
Calzaghe, 118-110
FOOTNOTE:
Max went an extra round of sorts, giving his take on Jones' place in history, his own personal feelings about being an analyst for a fight in which he is conflicted by his memories of Roy in his prime and what he expects to see in the ring Nov. 8:
MAX: Everybody knows Roy is not half the fighter he once was. Roy was the greatest fighter ever to compete in the super middleweight division in its 25-year history, but he didn't fight there long. Calzaghe, on the other hand has accomplished much more in the division, so I would say Calzaghe is the greatest super middleweight ever.
Joe Calzaghe is 45-0 and is perhaps the greatest fighter ever to come out of Great Britain. No man in the 25-year history of the super middleweight division has dominated it for as long as Calzaghe did, 10 years. Roy Jones Jr. is considered by many to have been the most the dominant boxer in the world from 1993 to 2003. So who's going to win this matchup of legends? Max Kellerman, a commentator for HBO, pounds out 12 rounds on key criteria to answer that question. (It should be noted that Kellerman has been a huge fan of Jones over the years, and said that if this fight took place in the 39-year-old's prime, "You could go right down the list (rounds) and just say, Roy, Roy, Roy...")
Ding ding!
October 27, 2008 - by Nat Gottlieb
ROUND 1 [Size]
What's important here about size is how it has played a part in the downfall of Roy Jones. When Roy gained 18 pounds of muscle to fight John Ruiz for his heavyweight title, and then had to lose it, that really changed him. I don't think Roy has ever fully recovered from that. Size then favors Calzaghe as a result of Roy's past. Even though Roy has been fighting at light heavyweight for a long time, both are natural super middies, so again I feel size favors Calzaghe.
Calzaghe 10-9
ROUND 2 [Strength]
Once upon a time the answer would have been Roy Jones. But one thing I have noticed since he took off the weight is he has lost a lot in his legs. Even against Tito we saw he was unable to circle him and had to fight off the ropes. Calzaghe has the fresher legs, so I score it for Calzaghe.
Calzaghe 10-9
ROUND 3 [Speed]
Roy's hand speed in his prime would easily win this. In my opinion he has the fastest hands of anyone of all-time. Nobody was ever faster, not Ray Leonard, not Meldrick Taylor or Hector Comacho. I have seen tape of Sugar Ray Robinson and some home videos, and while he was exceptionally fast, Roy's hands were faster. But because Roy's speed is not what it used to be, I give the round to Calzaghe.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 4 [Jab]
Roy in his prime never had a real technique because he was so athletically gifted. He has quite an excellent jab but he doesn't want to use it. He never had to before because his hands were so fast he could sit back and wait for his opponent to make a mistake and then hit him with a leaping left hand or right hand. In a sense, his fast right hand was like a jab. He has the most under-used jab in history. So give the edge to Calzaghe.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 5 [Defense]
Roy, even now, has better defensive instincts than Calzaghe. If Roy doesn't want to get hit, you can't hit him. But Calzaghe is a high volume puncher, and even if you make him miss five straight punches, he comes right back with five more. Roy's defense is better, but Calzaghe's high volume offense is in effect so taxing that I would give defense to Calzaghe.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 6 [Experience]
Roy is way more experienced than Calzaghe. He has fought far better opponents, so I give the edge here to Roy.
Jones, 10-9
ROUND 7 [Ability to take a Punch]
The fact that Roy was knocked out cold by Glen Johnson and (Antonio) Tarver gives the edge to Calzaghe, who has never been knocked out. In his prime, Roy was so fast nobody could hit his chin, so it was never really tested. Tarver, in the second fight with Roy, hit him so hard his eyes were blinking uncontrollably, making Roy look like a damaged fighter.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 8 [Fighting Inside]
At this point I would give it to Calzaghe. Roy was never an inside fighter because with his hand speed he wanted to keep the fight at a distance. Calzaghe is not a brawler, but if he gets inside he can land punches effectively.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 9 [Counterpunching]
Roy is a super counterpuncher. Once upon a time he based his game on counterpunching. He would feint at hitting you, draw you in and then land on you. I give the edge here to Roy.
Jones, 10-9
ROUND 10 [Conditioning]
Both fighters are always in excellent condition. I expect both to be fully prepared physically, but I give the edge to Calzaghe because he is the fresher fighter.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 11 [Ring Generalship]
I never really know what people mean by that term. It's very nebulous. To me, the ring general is the one who is winning the fight -- and the guy I expect to win the fight is Calzaghe, so I give him the round.
Calzaghe, 10-9
ROUND 12 [Heart]
Roy showed a lot of heart in the Tarver rubber match because he never quit, he kept on fighting. But heart and the will to win, which I think is important, are different things. Roy could have won the rubber match. It was there for him to grab in the later rounds, and he didn't step on the pedal when it was winnable. That didn't show heart. Calzaghe has never lost, and to me that says he has the greater will to win.
Calzaghe, 10-9
WINNER:
Calzaghe, 118-110
FOOTNOTE:
Max went an extra round of sorts, giving his take on Jones' place in history, his own personal feelings about being an analyst for a fight in which he is conflicted by his memories of Roy in his prime and what he expects to see in the ring Nov. 8:
MAX: Everybody knows Roy is not half the fighter he once was. Roy was the greatest fighter ever to compete in the super middleweight division in its 25-year history, but he didn't fight there long. Calzaghe, on the other hand has accomplished much more in the division, so I would say Calzaghe is the greatest super middleweight ever.
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