why are fighters like calzaghe who stay in one division

[PittyPat]

In Zags' case, it's not about him staying in the one division - it's the fact that he didn't bother (or wasn't permitted by Warren/was too scared) to clean out until a decade after grabbing his first belt.

Even as a fan, that entire decade of fighting twats and not going after other belts brings him down hugely in my view. Hell, sometimes I wonder why I am a fan anyway... I think it's just his style I liked. Not much else.

[Roger Mellie]

Ahhh...Its been ages since we have had a Calzaghe thread!

[Chr0nic]

In Zags' case, it's not about him staying in the one division - it's the fact that he didn't bother (or wasn't permitted by Warren/was too scared) to clean out until a decade after grabbing his first belt.

Even as a fan, that entire decade of fighting twats and not going after other belts brings him down hugely in my view. Hell, sometimes I wonder why I am a fan anyway... I think it's just his style I liked. Not much else.

pat, you got the jones-del valle fight in decent quality?

[letsgobrady]

Tito had one fight at middle where he beat the second best guy in the division inside five rounds. Would you have preferred he beat 4 more chumps?

that just goes to show how weak the middleweight division was that a ww beat the #2 guy his first fight at middleweight so why does calzaghe get **** for fighting at a weak division when the middleweight division was just as weak

[IMDAZED]

that just goes to show how weak the middleweight division was that a ww beat the #2 guy his first fight at middleweight so why does calzaghe get **** for fighting at a weak division when the middleweight division was just as weak

He wasnt a welter he was the undisputed 154lb champ. Overlooking that is like overlooking super middle. He was also considered the world's best fighter.

[PittyPat]

pat, you got the jones-del valle fight in decent quality?

Nah, man. Never seen it - not even on YouTube. It's the one I've been looking for for ages. :conf2:

[IMDAZED]

pat, you got the jones-del valle fight in decent quality?

Damn it's been a while since I watched it. Del Valle was so underrated. Might have to pop that in tonight.

[Chr0nic]

Damn it's been a while since I watched it. Del Valle was so underrated. Might have to pop that in tonight.

dont tell me you got it you lucky bastard, i love that fight, used to watch it when it was up on youtube, but it got deleted and it's nowhere to be found for download

[PittyPat]

^ Man, both of you are lucky bastages. I've NEVER seen it. Roy's first ever knockdown, too...

You'd think that fight would be doing the rounds.

[deuce_drop]

considered overated????im far from a joe fan..but the man cleaned out an entire division and got every belt there was to get in that division...21 title defenses can't be overated plus the man did beat everyone put in front on him...im not gonna even mention him wins at lightheavy..cause that'll stirr up contravesy...and hopkins who also had 20 title defense gets alot of flack on here for some reason...both of these guys cleaned out their respective divisions and moved up another division to win the ring belt and even defend it......if thats overated then there are no great fighters anymore...

i think people who complain about a fighter staying at one weight class are ignorant.

staying in the same weight class for your whole career or the majority of it, is harder to do than it is to move up. for starters, if you are moving up in weight that means that you are not fighting at your natural weight, and usually, 9 times out of 10, it's because they can't make that weight anymore, why? because they're growing for one thing, but the most important and obvious reason is because they DROPPED WEIGHT to be there.
as you grow older, it's harder to maintain your same weight, your metabolism slows down, and you naturally get heavier due to your body just naturally maturing. maintaining the same weight while all that happens, and fighting at the top level, ignoring temptation to party and eat bad, etc , is harder than moving up in weight.
so when guys that hold up at a certain weight and fight guys moving up, it's not there fault the the guys moving up have out grown their division, or was it really their division in the first place? i say that if you're dropping over 25 pounds to fight in a certain division, you're too big for that division, unless you're a hatton type guy who drinks till you're 80lbs overweight, that is different, because guys like hatton that do that get fat, basically teeter on obesity, that is different vs a guy who isnt a fat sack between fights and is going for what? you guessed it..........wait for it........... yep, going for the weight advantage!!!!!
so to sum it all up, it is a harder feat in my opinion to stay at the same weight your whole career than it is to be a guy that has already dropped weight and is now moving up to where they should be fighting.

hopkins and calzaghe, i think, are what fighters should be. i certainly am not a calzaghe fan, but god do i respect how he trains and takes care of himself, and the preparations that he takes in order to stay at his natural weight, or used to stay at his natural weight. now as a hopkins fan, same thing applies, the dedication he and calzaghe have put into themselves is like no other during their era of boxing.

how calzaghe and hopkins have taken care of themselves throughout their career, should be the core basic guidelines to all boxers, if they want to have a successful career. boxers now a days need to follow the plan set forth by both guys..... IMHO.


i know one thing, if boxers started following their path, boxing would become more popular and we would always have good fights to watch.