Joe Calzaghe: Final Options For The Italian Dragon

[hammerhiem]

I want him to rematch Bernard Hopkins. He clearly lost that fight in my view and if he could beat him convincingly it would leave us no doubt that he is the best fighter from 168 to 175.

If you scored that fight clearly for Hopkins then the only thing Joe could ever do to satisfy someone like yourself is to KO Hopkins and we both know thats not going to happen.

[SonOfCuba]

go ahead retire with you weak ass resume on no respect

[BKM-]

Only god knows how anyone could think that Hopkins "clearly" won that fight. I scored it for Calzaghe but I am ok with ppl having it for Hopkins, as long as they are willing to admit that if he did win it it was by a razor thin margin. There was nothing clear about it.

It is clear to me, because I don't doubt the conclusion I have come to. I don't see it as a draw, or a 'razor thin decision' that could have gone either way. Every time I score the fight I have it 2 or 1 point for Hopkins, in a clear win, so it's clear to me that Hopkins won that fight.

If you scored that fight clearly for Hopkins then the only thing Joe could ever do to satisfy someone like yourself is to KO Hopkins and we both know thats not going to happen.

Maybe he shouldn't get knocked down in the opening round, or run into flush shots that nearly knocked him down again, or having a 43 year old dictate the pace of the fight for the first half, and hit Bernard with more than just ONE clean flush shot in the whole fight, or be made to look like a fool at times, or rely on a computer that does not accurately tell the tale of the fight etc. I could go on. There were a lot of flaws in that supposed "win". That's why I want him to prove he's the best before he retires, thinking he already is. Bernard in last few fights disposed of somewhat shot-Tarver and unbeaten Pavlik as a massive underdog. Is Calzaghe clearly the best right now?

[The_Visitation]

Never went Prime v Prime against Excellent Boxers such as RJJ and Hopkins who were in their Prime in their era.

You are suggesting JC had some sort of choice. He didn't, because they wouldn't fight him. He was the WBO champion. From Wales. That nobody in the US had even heard of. Who was obviously dangerous. You don't have to be a fr*gging genius to work out why those fights never happened.

Back on topic I only see two real options, retire or fight Chad Dawson. Plenty have spouted garbage about him 'ducking' Dawson as they are unable to actually look at the facts and realise Dawson didn't even become a serious contender for a fight against JC until he beat Tarver. However, if he fought anyone else I think that would be a reasonable accusation, Dawson is now obviously 'the' man and the strongest potential opponent. Retirement would not be 'ducking'; JC has nothing to prove.. it just depends whether he really wants it any more. I don't think he does, or he would never have threatened to retire in the first place.

[Dan...]

You are suggesting JC had some sort of choice. He didn't, because they wouldn't fight him. He was the WBO champion. From Wales. That nobody in the US had even heard of. Who was obviously dangerous. You don't have to be a fr*gging genius to work out why those fights never happened.

Back on topic I only see two real options, retire or fight Chad Dawson. Plenty have spouted garbage about him 'ducking' Dawson as they are unable to actually look at the facts and realise Dawson didn't even become a serious contender for a fight against JC until he beat Tarver. However, if he fought anyone else I think that would be a reasonable accusation, Dawson is now obviously 'the' man and the strongest potential opponent. Retirement would not be 'ducking'; JC has nothing to prove.. it just depends whether he really wants it any more. I don't think he does, or he would never have threatened to retire in the first place.

You need to be careful here because your post implies that Joe was clamouring for fights against the big names in the States and they just wouldn't take them. That isn't entirely true. Whilst I don't deny that the Americans didn't really want to fight him, Joe hardly made every effort possible. It is a combination of the two effects.

[.Mik.]

Fight Chad Dawson or give Hopkins a rematch.

I dont really care. If he wants money, that's his choice, but if there ever as a boxer who had no right to play the "Legend" card it's Calzaghe.

Never went Prime v Prime against Excellent Boxers such as RJJ and Hopkins who were in their Prime in their era.

It's pathetic the only decent guy Calzaghe went Prime v Prime with was Kessler, possibly Lacy, though he was relativley green and anyone with any knowledg about boxing felt Lacy was going to get KO'd anyway.

Calzaghe has never been the underdog, which says alot.

You know what, just retire, you're a let down

Thats pretty much all pure bull****. Very few 'experts' on this site, or in the boxing world recognised Lacy as being over-hyped and virtually none of those who did expected Calzaghe to KO Lacy.

He's been a massive underdog at least twice probably three times.

Eubank
Mitchell
Lacy.

[Nautilus]

Calzage vs Pavlik would be a great fight. After that, win or lose, Calzage can retire.

[Rude]

How is it that everyone fails to mention Glen Johnson in a discussion of the top light heavies around. You have Dawson as Calzaghe's first option but the fact is that Johnson already beat Dawson and was robbed of the decision. Maybe the reasons are that everyone knows that Johnsons's style, relentless pressure with an iron chin, will be too much for Calzaghe. Just as Margarito wore down Cotto. Another reason is that Johnson does not have the following with casual boxing watchers. Any true boxing fan knows that Johnson is a verybad man.

[DrewWoodside]

Dawson - won't be enuf $ in it for him to take it
Kessler - already beat his ass clearly enuf that a rematch ain't necessary
Hopkins - won't rematch him, and won't be much demand for it cuz it was dull
AA - won't happen cuz he ain't gonna go to 175 and Joe won't go back to 168
Froch - won't be enuf $ in this either

I'm pretty sure Joe C is done.

This sums it up.

[hermes]

Dawson may be the hottest light-heavy around, but he is not a fan favorite. In fact there really isn't any "hot' fights out there for Joe. Pavlik may have been an anticipated match, but his run in with BHop killed that and a bout with Johnson may be a real action fight, but who really cares. Joe's best bet is retirement.