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I'm just wondering what Joe Calzaghe would have to do gain just an ounce of respect for his achievements. I'm American and quite literally jumped with joy when he got floored a. vs Hopkins and b. vs Jones, because at the time he went down in both fights, I thought '****! another Brit ****s up haha you lot are ****!'.
It's very easy for internet geeksto pick holes in the record of every boxer who was born outside of the good 'ol US and A. However, 46 fights in to his career and nine former world champions busted up, I'm just trying to work out what Joe could have done in his career to convince the doubters (= jealous Americans).
Domestically, Joe was extremely unfortunate to miss the careers of Nigel Benn, Steve Collins (who, let's remember, vacated rather than fight Joe) and sadly Nigel Watson. Joe did of course take the WBO title from a faded Chris Eubank, a fight he still describes now as his toughest ever. Eubank beaten, he was faced with domestic opposition such as Robin Reid and Richie Woodhall, both former world champions who he defeated.
Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, I didn't hear Joe being called out by Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones. There was no chance of him getting a fight against those blokes unless he took 10% of the purse. And why would he do that? To satisfy dweebs like Julius? No...
Could Joe have pushed harder for a fight in the States? Probably. But isn't it funny how Hopkins and Jones only became interested in Calzaghe when their careers were all but done and they saw $$$$ in front of their eyes.
In the meantime, Joe has defeated 9, yes 9 current or former world champions.
In Ring Magazine before the Lacy/Calzaghe fight (I have a copy) of the 25 experts questioned, 16 picked Lacy to win.
Next came Mikkel Kessler, an accomplished boxer puncher who, younger and stronger than Joe, has a good chance of ruling super middle for a good few years. I was at that fight as I was visiting friends in UK and they had a spare ticket, and whilst it was close for the first six, Joe took him to school for the rest of the fight.
Then comes Hopkins, who has just schooled 'America's great white hope'. Regardless of age, he made Pavlik look like an amateur. But Joe dealt with Hopkins but then that's written off because Hopkins was 'an old man'.
Finally, Jones jnr. Faded, no doubt. Still capable? Absolutely! But, having been on the floor, Calzaghe got back up and then comfortably won the fight.
So, Julius and co.......
Considering that Calzaghe had about as much chance of getting a fight with Hopkins in 2000 as Mikkel Kessler has of fighting Pavlik next, whilst admitting that Joe could have done a bit more to have forced those fights....
What does he have to do to earn a bit of respect from your stars and stripes tinted glasses? He's turned my head, Joe is a true great, a legend, fighting 46 times and not losing 1, half with a broken/sprained hand.
It's very easy for internet geeksto pick holes in the record of every boxer who was born outside of the good 'ol US and A. However, 46 fights in to his career and nine former world champions busted up, I'm just trying to work out what Joe could have done in his career to convince the doubters (= jealous Americans).
Domestically, Joe was extremely unfortunate to miss the careers of Nigel Benn, Steve Collins (who, let's remember, vacated rather than fight Joe) and sadly Nigel Watson. Joe did of course take the WBO title from a faded Chris Eubank, a fight he still describes now as his toughest ever. Eubank beaten, he was faced with domestic opposition such as Robin Reid and Richie Woodhall, both former world champions who he defeated.
Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, I didn't hear Joe being called out by Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones. There was no chance of him getting a fight against those blokes unless he took 10% of the purse. And why would he do that? To satisfy dweebs like Julius? No...
Could Joe have pushed harder for a fight in the States? Probably. But isn't it funny how Hopkins and Jones only became interested in Calzaghe when their careers were all but done and they saw $$$$ in front of their eyes.
In the meantime, Joe has defeated 9, yes 9 current or former world champions.
In Ring Magazine before the Lacy/Calzaghe fight (I have a copy) of the 25 experts questioned, 16 picked Lacy to win.
Next came Mikkel Kessler, an accomplished boxer puncher who, younger and stronger than Joe, has a good chance of ruling super middle for a good few years. I was at that fight as I was visiting friends in UK and they had a spare ticket, and whilst it was close for the first six, Joe took him to school for the rest of the fight.
Then comes Hopkins, who has just schooled 'America's great white hope'. Regardless of age, he made Pavlik look like an amateur. But Joe dealt with Hopkins but then that's written off because Hopkins was 'an old man'.
Finally, Jones jnr. Faded, no doubt. Still capable? Absolutely! But, having been on the floor, Calzaghe got back up and then comfortably won the fight.
So, Julius and co.......
Considering that Calzaghe had about as much chance of getting a fight with Hopkins in 2000 as Mikkel Kessler has of fighting Pavlik next, whilst admitting that Joe could have done a bit more to have forced those fights....
What does he have to do to earn a bit of respect from your stars and stripes tinted glasses? He's turned my head, Joe is a true great, a legend, fighting 46 times and not losing 1, half with a broken/sprained hand.
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