Calzaghe VS Early 90's Elite

[JUYJUY]

Middleweight Masters

It's a much-lamented fact that Joe Calzaghe came on the scene just a few years too late, missing out on the golden era of British and Irish middleweight boxing in the early 1990's featuring Herol Graham, Michael Watson, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Steve Collins.



So how would the half-Italian Newbridge bruiser have fared against these world-class legends of the British and Irish domestic fight scene?

[JUYJUY]

Herol Graham VS Calzaghe
If Calzaghe came on the scene too late for the big-money middleweight clashes, Herol 'Bomber' Graham peaked just a few years too soon.
A boxer of consummate skill, the Sheffield southpaw came from the same Brendan Ingle stable as Naseem Hamed, and Graham's style had a formative influence on the Prince.



Graham's elusiveness left opponents struggling to lay a glove on him, whilst his punching accuracy saw the points rattle up on the judges' scorecards.

Unfortunately his power did not match his accuracy, and the prospect of an awkward, light-punching boxer did little to attract the American audience.

At his peak, Graham would have proved an intriguing challenger to the likes of Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns, but the Bomber was never able to secure the big fights.

Graham would claim the early rounds of a fight with Calzaghe as the Welshman would struggle to come to terms with the man Mike McCallum described as his most awkward opponent.

Calzaghe has proved his boxing skills through a distinguished career as an amateur and professional, though, and would eventually get to grips with the Bomber.

In the later rounds, Calzaghe's heavier punches would take their toll to swing the judges' cards back to the man from Newbridge.

A very tough night's work for Calzaghe, but he emerges with the victory.

[JUYJUY]

Steve Collins VS Joe Calzaghe
Collins is perhaps the least heralded but most successful of the middleweights of the 1990's, boasting win doubles over both Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. Collins sent both Benn and Eubank into retirement and even though they were said to have lost their fighting spirit by the time they fought Collins, it's not exactly an easy feat to absorb punches from any version of men like that and give better.



The Celtic Warrior fought hard to win a place at the top table, taking the toughest challenges away from home against the likes of Mike McCallum and Sumbu Kalambay at developing stages of his career, those fights proved to be vital experience when he came up against Benn and Eubank later on in the prime of his career. Collins never suffered stage fright of any kind against Benn or Eubank and knew that his improved power and ability would put him in good stead to give British boxings golden boys a run for their money.

Never a flashy fighter, Collins was durable, in your face and punishing with his blows.

When given his chance against Chris Eubank in the mid-90's, Collins, though the WBO middleweight champion, was a stand-in for Ray Close and just was not expected to trouble the long-reigning super-middleweight king.

The Irishman managed to psyche out Eubank from the start, though, with claims that he had been hypnotised and was incapable of losing!

In the fight, his hard-working approach was too much for the showboating Eubank as he won a narrow points decision, and the same proved true in the re-match.

If Collins never ducked a foe in his early career, there is little doubt that he stepped from Calzaghe's bludgeoning path at the end.

An ageing Collins would probably not have been able to tame the fast, talented, powerful and determined youngster from Wales.

But what would have happened if the two fighters had met in their prime?

Collins showed the power and ability to stop the likes of Nigel Benn, but his skill was in sapping his opponents' strength and will to resist.

Calzaghe is the superior boxer of the two, and has also shown the conditioning and desire to go the distance against the toughest challenges.

The Welshman went the full 12 for victories over quality opposition like Eubank and Charles Brewer, and even at the nadir of his form against Robin Reid he showed the sheer willpower to claim a points win.

Collins main hope would be to simply out-work Calzaghe as he had done against Eubank. But Calzaghe also out-worked Eubank - albeit a post-prime Eubank - so it would probably come down to who has the superior skills, Calzaghe or Collins?

Collins puts up a good fight, but Calzaghe is in front on two out of three scorecards.

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Michael Watson VS Calzaghe
Everyone knows the current plight of Michael Watson, but the heroics of his fightback from injury were matched by the courage he displayed in the ring.



Watson was the quiet man compared to the flamboyance of the men he fought alongside so memorably, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank.

Whilst Benn and Eubank hated eachothers guts due to their contrasting charactors, they both respected Watson.

He was the ultimate professional, a student of the game who knew his boxing history, analysed the styles of the greats and kept himself in peak physical condition.

He fought bravely against Mike McCallum in the early 1990's challenging for the WBA middleweight title, that was despite Watson being unable to really train for the fight due to having a bout of the flu, and also despite Watson injuring his thumb shortly before the fight. Never one to make excuses, he fought hard to prevent this information getting out to the press because he didn't want anyone to make excuses for him if he lost. On reflection, it was a quite amazing performance against such a high-caliber opponent as McCallum when you consider the circumstances.

Back in the late 1980's, no-one fancied his chances in the clash with Nigel Benn; the Dark Destroyer was supposed to blast Watson out of the ring.

But Watson surprised everyone with his peek-a-boo style, frustrated a flailing Benn for six rounds before taking out the exhausted Commonwealth champion.

He was again the underdog in the two Eubank fights. But Watson's textbook skill and work-rate saw him edge Eubank in their first encounter in most peoples eyes, many felt he was robbed on the scorecards.

The second fight followed a similar pattern as he overwhelmed Eubank, dropping him in the 11th, only for the Brighton man to rise from the canvas with that fateful uppercut to Watson's jaw. It really is a crying shame that Watson's career was cut so short and so tragically.

A clash between Joe Calzaghe and the Michael Watson who defeated Nigel Benn would be lapped up by the boxing connoisseur.

The two stylists would fight out an intriguing tactical battle, whilst never neglecting to get the hard work done on the inside.

Of all Calzaghe's opponents, perhaps Richie Woodhall is the nearest in style to Watson. Woodhall competed for 10 high-class rounds against the Welshman, edging him in atleast three or four of the rounds, but over the course of the 30 minutes Calzaghe's heavier punching dragged the fight in Calzaghe's favor as Woodhall could take no more. But Watson was a class above Woodhall, and so if Watson was edging Calzaghe on points, Calzaghe would be forced to go all-out. If Watson could withstand Benn's best leather, then he could withstand Calzaghe's too.

Watson hangs on in there to win by one or two rounds on all three scorecards, Calzaghe accepts that the best man won.

[JUYJUY]

Chris Eubank VS Calzaghe
Calzaghe claimed his WBO super middleweight title in a classic clash with Eubank back in the late 1990's.



After Calzaghe floored the Brighton bruiser in the first round, an all-action fight ensued where the Welshman rattled up the points and threw in the heavy bombs, but had his own chin tested by Eubank's powerful and accurate volleys.

Eubank had always styled himself as 'Simply the Best,' and his fans would argue that he took the Calzaghe fight at short notice and that he was - in any case - past his peak.

Whatever his claims to being a boxing master, the monocled mauler's success had been built on a chin made of granite and a right fist made of stone.

In his fights with Nigel Benn and Michael Watson, Eubank had rarely avoided their blows - he was simply able to absorb the punishment before replying with his own destructive pummelling.

Eubank proved against Watson, as well as against Irishmen Ray Close and Steve Collins, that he had a bombastic right hand in reserve if needed. Eubank fell short of his potential as a fighter due to failing to press home his advantages, but he was able to land late knockdowns at will if he was trailing on points and almost did so against Calzaghe right in the dying seconds of their slugfest.

In his prime, sharper and desperate to remain undefeated, if Eubank was trailing on points then Eubank could very possibly of knocked Calzaghe out with a single shot late on in the fight. The pre-Watson Eubank - before he lost his finishing instinct - would likely of been able to pummel Calzaghe into submission late on, he did so to a prime Benn in their infamous, classic first fight.

If Calzaghe was trailing on points to the younger version of a more awkward, counter-punching Eubank, it would of made life even easier for Eubank than it was previously in the fight due to Calzaghe being forced to go all-out - Eubank always craved a fighter to attack him so that he could catch them with counters.

Either way, Eubank wins.

[JUYJUY]

Nigel Benn VS Calzaghe
Whatever the attractions of Graham, Collins, Watson and Eubank, this would be the one Calzaghe's supporters would like to see!



The Dark Destroyer could draw the fans like no other. He was the man who Bob Arum hailed as "the most exciting fighter in the world."

His uncompromising, all-action style often proved as dangerous to himself as to his opponents, but it guaranteed an electrifying fight. Benn made 10 defences of his WBC super-middleweight crown and by no means would he of been an easy fight for absolutely anybody.

The Dark Destroyer's furious punching could take out even the highest class of opposition.

Who can forget the stunning single round against Iran Barkley, or the jaw-dropping, tragical intensity of the Gerald McClellan fight?
Both men were former WBC middleweight champions who had reputations as being toughnuts, yet Benn simply out-fought them and out-punched them.

Both Benn and Calzaghe could whack. Would it come down to who has the strongest, more durable chin? If so, Calzaghe would win. Or would it come down to who has more experience of ferocious fights? If so, Benn would win.

Calzaghe has never felt the kind of power that Benn could unleash, but Benn has felt more power than Calzaghe could unleash from his furious fight with McClellan. Benn didn't even give Barkley a chance for Barkley to show him his power. The Ilford slugger overwhelmed the menacing Barkley and McClellan, both of whom had stronger, more durable chins than he had. They also had stronger, more durable chins than Calzaghe has.

Benn KO6.

[Kimmy]

Calzaghe would beat all of the above. He`d KO Graham, Benn and Watson and widely beat Eubank and Collins on points. I`m not a Calzaghe nut hugger but i your seriously under estimating Calzaghe.

[JUYJUY]

Calzaghe would beat all of the above. He`d KO Graham, Benn and Watson and widely beat Eubank and Collins on points. I`m not a Calzaghe nut hugger but i your seriously under estimating Calzaghe.

NO WAY

He doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breathe as Benn or Eubank.

[NAB]

Calzaghe would beat all of the above. He`d KO Graham, Benn and Watson and widely beat Eubank and Collins on points. I`m not a Calzaghe nut hugger but i your seriously under estimating Calzaghe.

NOW you've done it...!

[the giant one]

Calzaghe would beat all of the above. He`d KO Graham, Benn and Watson and widely beat Eubank and Collins on points. I`m not a Calzaghe nut hugger but i your seriously under estimating Calzaghe.

Pre Mclellan Nigel would KO Joe in a war. And Eubank in his prime might be able to squeak out a SD against Joe. Never saw enough of the other guys to comment