Tszyu vs De La Hoya & others, how come it didn't happen?

[Benny Leonard]

Tito was no Kostya don't ever make that mistake again.

You think Kostya beats Tito?

[Benny Leonard]

Never said that. But, I'll argue Calzaghe's case against the haters all day. Love doing it.

What's your opinion on Joe?

[Wiley Hyena]

He never fought anyone as fast as Mayweather and stylistically, Floyd would be a far tougher match up for Koysta. Unlike Judah, Floyd doesn't make little mistakes like pulling straight back( which cost Zab), getting discouraged and he also doesn't have a weak chin. He had the chin to take what Koysta did dish out because he has ways of rolling his shoulders and neutralizing the effect of it, the way he did against Oscar and Boldimir. European style fighters are not really known for their left hooks( or infighting) and those are two important things that you would need to beat Mayweather. He is simply too fast for Tszyu in the middle of the ring and was the better boxer.

Another thing is that Judah was completely in control at the time of the stoppage. His hand speed and power was causing Tszyu lots of problems.

Well, actually Zab wasn't pulling straight back when Tszyu caught him. He was more or less moving to the side and Tszyu changed the angle of his arc in mid-punch. Pop! Judah doing the chicken dance. Secondly, Tszyu wasn't what I'd call a traditional "European" fighter. He was basically a transplanted Russian fighter. And, he had sting in his left hand. His left set up so much more.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Well, actually Zab wasn't pulling straight back when Tszyu caught him. He was more or less moving to the side and Tszyu changed the angle of his arc in mid-punch. Pop! Judah doing the chicken dance. Secondly, Tszyu wasn't what I'd call a traditional "European" fighter. He was basically a transplanted Russian fighter. And, he had sting in his left hand. His left set up so much more.

He moved to the side then he pulled straight back, and that's something that he admitted in the post fight interview. Also, even Wladimir and Kessler( typical European style fighters) throw at least one left hook in every fight, you have to be a consistent left hook artist the way Castillo and Oscar was( who both gave him all he could handle because of that) to give Mayweather problems, and would have to consistently back him into the ropes.

[Wiley Hyena]

What's your opinion on Joe?

My honest opinion on Joe Calzaghe is that he deserves a lower tier ATG ranking (assuming he continues on the path he's on, or retires). He has a style that, frankly, nobody has been able to figure out, and his length of title reign and record place him in the ATG list. His deficiencies are the holes in his resume....go figure.

Stylistically, it hard to equate Calzaghe with the great technique we've become accustomed to seeing with regard to the great American boxing champions. But, he's one tough, smart, athletic, customer nonetheless. Gotta give him his dues.

That's it.

[Wiley Hyena]

He moved to the side then he pulled straight back, and that's something that he admitted in the post fight interview. Also, even Wladimir and Kessler( typical European style fighters) throw at least one left hook in every fight, you have to be a consistent left hook artist the way Castillo and Oscar was( who both gave him all he could handle because of that) to give Mayweather problems, and would have to consistently back him into the ropes.

Well, I don't know if Kostya would back him on the ropes for the purpose of keeping him there. It's possible. He did that to Gonzales and just dominated him. But, Kostya employed his left all the time, so that's really not an issue IMO.

The issue is what Floyd would do. Kostya loved to stand in the middle of the ring and have a trading contest. Would Floyd comply or shell up and invite Kostya to come in? I'll throw it to you for your opinion.

[Benny Leonard]

My honest opinion on Joe Calzaghe is that he deserves a lower tier ATG ranking (assuming he continues on the path he's on, or retires). He has a style that, frankly, nobody has been able to figure out, and his length of title reign and record place him in the ATG list. His deficiencies are the holes in his resume....go figure.

Stylistically, it hard to equate Calzaghe with the great technique we've become accustomed to seeing with regard to the great American boxing champions. But, he's one tough, smart, athletic, customer nonetheless. Gotta give him his dues.

That's it.

Ah...not bad.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Well, I don't know if Kostya would back him on the ropes for the purpose of keeping him there. It's possible. He did that to Gonzales and just dominated him. But, Kostya employed his left all the time, so that's really not an issue IMO.

The issue is what Floyd would do. Kostya loved to stand in the middle of the ring and have a trading contest. Would Floyd comply or shell up and invite Kostya to come in? I'll throw it to you for your opinion.

I think Mayweather would use his superior hand speed and faster feet to out box Tszyu in the middle of the ring, and since i can't see Koysta being an effective pressure fighter against this caliber opponent, he really doesn't have that many chances of winning IMO. Hes not faster than Mayweather or as good of a boxer. This fight reminds me of Calzaghe against Kessler. A good European fighter that's a great boxer but basic, running into a faster boxer that's quicker on his feet and has a better variety of punches.

[Benny Leonard]

Well, actually Zab wasn't pulling straight back when Tszyu caught him. He was more or less moving to the side and Tszyu changed the angle of his arc in mid-punch. Pop! Judah doing the chicken dance. Secondly, Tszyu wasn't what I'd call a traditional "European" fighter. He was basically a transplanted Russian fighter. And, he had sting in his left hand. His left set up so much more.

Article: Shane Mosley & Kostya Tszyu: Boxing’s Smiling Assassins
Tue 29-Jul-2008 09:21

http://www.secondsout.com/world/news.cfm?ccs=225&cs=27106

"It was as amateur boxers that Tszyu and Mosley first met in 1990 at the Goodwill Games held in Seattle, USA.

Tszyu won the Gold medal for the Soviet Union team at 140lbs at that tournament. Mosley was an 18 year-old Bronze medallist for the American team at 132lbs.

Even back then, Mosley says 20 year-old Tszyu stood out from the other boxers on the Soviet team and it wasn’t just his unique hair style that distinguished him.

“I remember his hair plait was longer than what he has it now,” said Mosley. “He stood out in a number of ways. He was a real boxer back then. He would slip and slide and duck. I’ve always believed that the fight starts from right here inside your head. He had that. We used to say he was like an American. He moves around and he boxes. He counters real good. He was real slick and fast.

“We liked him even back then before anybody even knew about him. He just stood out. He was very determined. You could see the determination in his eyes. He went on to have good power, but as an amateur it was weird, he wasn’t knocking anyone out. He was a fantastic boxer, then he turned pro and was knocking everybody out.”

Asked about his early memories of a young Shane Mosley, Tszyu replied with one word, “Speed!”

...............................


Mosley recalled that he had attended two of Tszyu’s fights in person. The first was against Diosbelys Hurtado in November 1998 at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, USA. It was a thrilling fight that Tszyu won by 5th round knockout, even though both boxers hit the canvas in an explosive first round.

“That was a good fight,” said Mosley. “Kostya was ****ing him to the body and the head, he was trying to run, but Kostya wouldn’t let him run.”

Mosley was also ringside at one of Tszyu’s best professional nights, when he became undisputed world champion by knocking out Zab Judah in two rounds at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in November 2001.

“I saw Judah dance,” Mosley smiled at Tszyu. “I was there when Kostya knocked him out. You lined him up and bam! Right down the pipe. Zab was going to his right. He kept stepping to his right and you seen him do it once.”

“Yes, he did it once in the first round and I missed it, just a bit,” replied Tszyu.

“Yeah, you missed it,” Mosley continued, “but you said, ‘I’m going to get him if he does that again’. I saw that. You looked at him and you knew you were going to get him with the right hand.”
..................................


Mosley was reminded that in 1999 he relinquished his IBF lightweight world title to move directly to welterweight. After two tune-up fights, he secured his “Destiny” super fight with Oscar De La Hoya in June 2000, one of the best nights of his career when he won a twelve round points decision in a magnificent battle.

“A great night,” said Mosley. “That’s the fight that first made me the most money. I thought I won the fight, but thought they might give the decision to Oscar.”

Mosley shook his head and smiled when asked if jumping straight from lightweight to welterweight and bypassing Tszyu, who was the WBC world champion at the time, had been on purpose.

“I was really a 140lbs fighter fighting at 135,” he explained. “When I first turned pro, what I wanted to do was win the lightweight title, then go to 140 and fight for a little bit, then go to 147. What happened was they kept me at 135, after I fought Philip Holiday. They kept me down there to make me prove myself. After I fought John Brown, it was just too much. Then I got the chance to move straight to welterweight and the fight with Oscar.”

[Wiley Hyena]

Great article.........................