Comments Thread For: Joe Calzaghe named as the greatest fighter in British boxing history

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It was a mandatory, you are correct. But the reason it ended up in Germany and on Eurosport is because Sky didn't want to put up the money for it.

I would have liked to see him drop the belt much sooner and fight an IBF mandatory to force an Ottke fight.

It’s a shame Mitchell didn’t get the decision against Ottke because he would have unified with Joe I reckon, fought him afterwards in an exciting fight tbf.

[doom_specialist]

It's the defeating of Lacy, Jones and Hopkins that did it. Besides Lennox, Brits don't really beat that many 'named' Americans.

I'd put Holyfield, Tyson, and V. Klitschko up against that any day.

[M312]

I was a Joe fan myself, I was at Lacy and Bika in Manchester and went to Wales for the Kessler fight and Manfredo. Might be getting confused but I’m sure the Lacy fight was on at like 2-3am UK time too. That was definitely the best atmosphere at a Calzaghe fight I attended.

However, Calzaghe never really captured the UK public the way Hatton did. I really wish he would have stepped up his competition earlier. I think people got bored of him in the early 2000’s. Did beat some decent contenders, but in between Eubank and Lacy he fought way too many nobodies in irrelevant WBO title defences.

He was a slow burner, but for me, I just loved watching him. Any time he or Ricky were fighting, I was there.

Obviously didn't have the following of Ricky, but that period was great for British boxing, probably the best time for British boxing in the last 30 years. Every boxing fan watched.

[super-x]

Only 2 notable wins on the record. Undefeated mikkel kesler was his best win, jeff lacy being the other... lacy is questionable as we dont know whether he was overhyped or joe beat him so bad where he was a mere shadow after that. Didnt fight a prime bhop or jones based on fear of flying, yet flew across the pond once they had been well past it, bhop still gave him all he can handle. He had frank warren as his promoter who was and still is notoriously known for carefully hand picking opponents and building padding records.

[FeFist]

The award loses credibility and makes a mockery of British boxing.