If Calzaghe fought at MW Hop would never have been champ

[Dirk Diggler UK]

I don't agree. And never agreed with that. He's always been what he is. A solid puncher who may wear you down through accumulation but isn't going to get you out of there with one shot.

I never said he'd get you out of there with one shot. He always threw those slap flurries but he mixed in more solid punches back then. He hurt Eubank several times in their fight with left hands. Compare that to his recent fights and you'll see the difference.

[IMDAZED]

I never said he'd get you out of there with one shot. He always threw those slap flurries but he mixed in more solid punches back then. He hurt Eubank several times in their fight with left hands. Compare that to his recent fights and you'll see the difference.

I don't see the difference. I suspect Eubank's difficulty making weight, plus being given an extremely short time to prepare for Calzaghe (taking it on short notice), may have been a factor. But I don't see anything in Joe's power today that's any different from the guy who fought Omar Sheika. I'm waiting for examples but I don't see any.

[lparm]

I don't see the difference. I suspect Eubank's difficulty making weight, plus being given an extremely short time to prepare for Calzaghe (taking it on short notice), may have been a factor. But I don't see anything in Joe's power today that's any different from the guy who fought Omar Sheika. I'm waiting for examples but I don't see any.

Eubank was still a young guy and was coming off 2 very close and highly controversial decision losses to Collins both which happend in Collins hometown with all Irish judges. There's a hint for ya how bad Eubank was when the novice and practically teenage Calzaghe came in and shut him out. Joe dominated an established prime champion on his first effort.

[Walterson]

If they fought in their primes at a catchweight

it would have been

Hopkins (stamina + agression) versus Calzaghe (Power)

based on the workings of their last fight

i have Hopkins schooling Calzaghe

same goes for Calzaghe versus Jones

Calzaghe (Power) vs Jones (No fear, better speed and footwork)

can't compare Calzaghe's strength to Ruiz, Tarver and Johnson

i have Jones winning by far

End of debate!

[djtmal]

So I'm guessing Hopkins hid out at MW for 16 years because he feared Calzaghe at SMW and Jones at LHW? And then Bernard was so petrified of Joe that he skipped SMW altogether and went for the much easier fight with Tarver?:thinking1:

thats no guess....thats exactly what he did...

[Dirk Diggler UK]

I don't see the difference. I suspect Eubank's difficulty making weight, plus being given an extremely short time to prepare for Calzaghe (taking it on short notice), may have been a factor. But I don't see anything in Joe's power today that's any different from the guy who fought Omar Sheika. I'm waiting for examples but I don't see any.

If you cant see that he was punching with more conviction back then compared to now, then I cant help you.

[IMDAZED]

If you cant see that he was punching with more conviction back then compared to now, then I cant help you.

Nope...can't see it and don't need your help. Have plenty of Calzaghe fights on file and he was always a volume puncher. He stopped you on accumulation, not power. And I see NO difference, from 1997 to his retirement. Pointing to him hurting a Eubank who took the fight on a weeks notice and could barely squeeze into 168 tells me nothing.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Nope...can't see it and don't need your help. Have plenty of Calzaghe fights on file and he was always a volume puncher. He stopped you on accumulation, not power. And I see NO difference, from 1997 to his retirement. Pointing to him hurting a Eubank who took the fight on a weeks notice and could barely squeeze into 168.

What does Eubank squeezing to 168 have to do with the way Calzaghe delivered his punches? Newsflash - Eubank always squeezed down to whatever weight he was fighting at. He was never a hard trainer and wouldnt eat for over a week before fights. He still had one of the best chins of his era.

But you need only watch the shots he landed on him, Sheika, Mitchell, Veit etc and then watch him against Manfredo, Hopkins, Jones etc and see he punched with more conviction back then.

[IMDAZED]

What does Eubank squeezing to 168 have to do with the way Calzaghe delivered his punches? Newsflash - Eubank always squeezed down to whatever weight he was fighting at. He was never a hard trainer and wouldnt eat for over a week before fights. He still had one of the best chins of his era.

But you need only watch the shots he landed on him, Sheika, Mitchell, Veit etc and then watch him against Manfredo, Hopkins, Jones etc and see he punched with more conviction back then.

It has plenty when he's given days to do get down to 168. The guy moved up to cruiserweight after Calzaghe. Common sense isn't so common anymore.

And I've watched all those fights you mentioned, minus Veit and see no difference. The same guy flurrying against Manfredo is the same guy flurrying against Sheika. Solid power at best and he always cleverly mixed in power shots with pitty-pats. It was the first thing I noticed about him.

[lparm]

It has plenty when he's given days to do get down to 168. The guy moved up to cruiserweight after Calzaghe. Common sense isn't so common anymore.

And I've watched all those fights you mentioned, minus Veit and see no difference. The same guy flurrying against Manfredo is the same guy flurrying against Sheika. Solid power at best and he always cleverly mixed in power shots with pitty-pats. It was the first thing I noticed about him.

He had RJJ out on his feet and badly rocked Hop numerous times in their fight. Hopkins said Calzaghe is the hardest puncher he's been in with.