Steve Collins: "I'd of beaten Calzaghe"

[JUYJUY]

"I don't think Joe's quite good enough to of been a top 10 contender in the 1980's and 1990's at middleweight or super-middleweight, those divisions have had no decent fighters for 10 years, the peak was 15 years ago and there hasn't been a new generation yet.

"I got in there with Mike McCallum after just 16 fights, then I was robbed in my next world title shot against Reggie Johnson who is better than anything Joe has defended against. I beat Johnson. I beat Eubank and Benn twice apiece and sent them into retirement. Joe can't match my resume, let alone my heart and courage to succeed. I still consider it my title that Calzaghe has, he didn't win it off me.

"I would of stood in front of him and he wouldn't be able to cope with that because I wouldn't of budged, I'd of landed body shots from the opening bell and would of worked the body early on so that towards the end of the fight he's more weakened. I'd of needed to do that because he's a busy fighter. His power is overrated, he's not knocking guys out. I'd of walked through his shots. I'd of grabbed the centre of the ring halfway through the fight while biting down on my mouthpiece, pitching my toes into the canvas and letting him have it. I'd be trying to get inside because once we get into the infighting then the fun starts and we see if Calzaghe can last with me. I'd of roughed him up, it's all good being pretty like him but he'd of had to of rolled his sleeves up with me.

"I'm much more durable than him too, I had better timing than he has and I know how to plant my feet. I'd of taken him. I'd of taken him to the cards and left him in a bad way. I don't see myself losing more than a couple of rounds if I fought Joe Calzaghe.

"He had a very close, infighting battle with Charles Brewer in which he was left in a bad way but got the win. He was well and truly dropped to the canvas like a sack of spuds when he got on the inside with Byron Mitchell. With all due to respect to Brewer and Mitchell, those guys aren't Nigel Benn. They are a couple of classes below Benn. You see what I did to Benn?

"I've never been whacked like I've been whacked by Benn, he was just a heck of a hard puncher. No way does Calzaghe whack like that. Nigel's shots were bouncing off me, so how does Calzaghe get to me?

"You have to remember that I fought Eubank in his prime, he was champion when I fought him. Calzaghe can't claim that he has ever fought a champion, I beat Eubank at his best and he beat Eubank at his worst.

"Calzaghe is a good fighter, but Benn and Eubank were great fighters. Nigel hit you to vital points; the heart, the liver, the solar plexus, behind the ear, under the floating rib, and on the chin - all with bad intentions. I see Joe and he's nothing like that, he doesn't know here he's punching. He hasn't got the cruel radar like Nigel had. Calzaghe's just trying to stun you with speed or whatever and nothing more, Calzaghe can't hurt me. My smartness matches his speed, my smartness and timing overlaps his speed. My smartness, timing, toughness. There's no way Joe Calzaghe could beat me."

[The Infamous]

"I don't think Joe's quite good enough to of been a top 10 contender in the 1980's and 1990's at middleweight or super-middleweight, those divisions have had no decent fighters for 10 years, the peak was 15 years ago and there hasn't been a new generation yet.

"I got in there with Mike McCallum after just 16 fights, then I was robbed in my next world title shot against Reggie Johnson who is better than anything Joe has defended against. I beat Johnson. I beat Eubank and Benn twice apiece and sent them into retirement. Joe can't match my resume, let alone my heart and courage to succeed. I still consider it my title that Calzaghe has, he didn't win it off me.

"I would of stood in front of him and he wouldn't be able to cope with that because I wouldn't of budged, I'd of landed body shots from the opening bell and would of worked the body early on so that towards the end of the fight he's more weakened. His power is overrated, he's not knocking guys out. I'd of walked through his shots. I'd of grabbed the centre of the ring halfway through the fight while biting down on my mouthpiece, pitching my toes into the canvas and letting him have it. I'd be trying to get inside because once we get into the infighting then the fun starts and we see if Calzaghe can last with me. I would of roughed him up, pretty face.

"I'm much more durable than him too, I had better timing than he has and I know how to plant my feet. I'd of taken him. I'd of taken him to the cards and left him in a bad way. I don't see myself losing more than a couple of rounds if I fought Joe Calzaghe.

"He had a very close, infighting battle with Charles Brewer in which he was left in a bad way but got the win. He was well and truly dropped to the canvas like a sack of spuds when he got on the inside with Byron Mitchell. With all due to respect to Brewer and Mitchell, those guys aren't Nigel Benn. They are a couple of classes below Benn. You see what I did to Benn?

"I've never been whacked like I've been whacked by Benn, he was just a heck of a hard puncher. No way does Calzaghe whack like that. Nigel's shots were bouncing off me, so how does Calzaghe get to me?

"You have to remember that I fought Eubank in his prime, he was champion when I fought him. Calzaghe can't claim that he has ever fought a champion, I beat Eubank at his best and he beat Eubank at his worst.

"Calzaghe is a good fighter, but Benn and Eubank were great fighters. Nigel placed his punches accurately to vital points; the heart, the liver, behind the ear, under the floating rib, the solar plexus - right on the buttons, all hard punches too. I mean Nigel was very accurate, I see Joe and he's nothing like that. Calzaghe's just trying to stun you with speed or whatever and nothing more, Calzaghe can't hurt me. My smartness matches his speed, my smartness and timing overlaps his speed. My smartness, timing, toughness. There's no way Joe Calzaghe could beat me."

Collins talks like he was actually good. But ****head is weak at heart, so you never know.

[masterdirector]

Umm...sure he'd have beaten Calzaghe.

But Jones would've beat his ass down.

[Orange Sneakers]

Stevie was a hard man. But he was an overachiever.

No way does Stevie beat Eubank or Benn at their bests.

Calzaghe outpoints him,too talented for him.

86-94 Collins stood in the middle of the ring with his gloves grabbing his head,waiting for an opportunity to unleash aggressive inside work then trying to have the last word in exchanges(chin,workrate). He was kind of a tough boxerpuncher or tough counterpuncher back then,more patience for the right time.

95-97 Collins was just a marauding warrior who continuously came forward with no guard at all,relying on his own chin and toughness to wear his opponents down. He outhussled you.

[Orange Sneakers]

But there was no secrets to Steves style generally,it was ugly. He was all about heavyhandedness and natural stamina. He had no knockout power at all and it looked as if he had never really learned how to punch properly. Even though he was lacking in power and skill,he was effective in what he did. What he was able to do was put full effort into each and every punch throughout the whole fight which made him awkward to handle. He got the job done,he did what he had to do. He knew tricks,he knew how to be dirty. He got the job done. But the guy wasnt pretty to watch.

[OliverNo1]

He sure talks a good game thats for sure.......

He was very lucky ,in my opinion, to have caught Benn/Eubank right at the end of the line.

To listen to him you would think he was in the HOF!

[NAB]

"I'd OF...." LMAO

[theclawoftheTiger]

Lol, there's a good reason why Collins pulled out of his fight with Calzaghe with only 10 days to go .. Collins ducked him, took the easy way out and retired instead of fighting Calzaghe ..

(Chris Eubank was scheduled to fight at cruiserweight at Disneyland Paris but had to quickly get to Sheffield from France to replace 'The Celtic Worrier' to give Calzaghe an opponent with only a weeks notice and 25 lbs bodymass to lose!)

[theclawoftheTiger]

Heres a different one ..


Boxing: Joe's missed a great chance

May 15 2005

Peter Shuttleworth, Wales on Sunday

STEVE Collins last night told world No 1 Joe Calzaghe: 'I'm sad you missed out on our golden generation.'

The WBO champion has reigned supreme in an otherwise sparse super-middleweight division for almost eight years but Collins insists Calzaghe's lack of top-class opposition has cost him dear.

The unbeaten Welshman's 16th defence in Mario Veit's backyard last weekend - where he ended the German's resistance in the sixth round - hoisted Calzaghe's record up with the UK's all-time elite. But Collins, however, handed out a dose of realism last night.

Calzaghe's record is magnificent since he first ruled the roost in October 1997, beating Chris Eubank. But it's a lack of real, quality scalps on his role of honour since that diminishes Calzaghe's reputation.

Yet the 'Celtic Warrior' who lorded over the super-middleweight division during the halcyon days of the early 1990s, completing an awesome double over Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank - is sympathetic to Calzaghe's plight.

"What you must remember is that Joe is the only decent super-middleweight around today," said Collins.

"Joe is a very good fighter, by far and away the No 1, without question, as no-one comes close to challenging him. But he can't realise his potential as there's no-one good enough to test him.

"I feel sorry for Joe because he has a great attitude, shown dedication and deserves everything he gets.

"As he's a big super-middleweight he's had to train hard so he's needed a good attitude; he's been a champion for all this time and has come through personal problems. But when it comes to proving himself as one of the great super-middleweights of all time, he hasn't been given a good going-over. It's a different league now compared to ten or 15 years ago. Boxing divisions have great highs leading to depressing lows and that's what the super-middleweight division has experienced since Benn, Eubank, myself and a few of the American lads quit.

"It would have been great for the sport, let alone Joe, if he'd have been around then as he would have improved as a fighter and been better than he is now because he'd have had experience of fighting excellent boxers. "As it is, he's kind of lost it because winning is pretty easy for him.

"The experience of fighting Americans in America is something that can't be underestimated and a greater arsenal of fighters would have tested Joe. Unfortunately, we don't know what his flaws are as no-one has been good enough to even start to expose them.

"The fact he hasn't fought a real big name since Eubank in '97 means Joe can't be classed as one of British boxing's greats. While his defence record is phenomenal, the fact that Charles Brewer and Robin Reid are among his best wins says it all for me.

"I don't think Joe would have been No 1 fifteen years ago, he'd have been in the top ten; I think most of the ex-pros agree on that.

"We were just better fighters in a better division.

"Unfortunately we'll never really know, but one thing's for sure he would have become a better fighter and improved his style and that would have given him an American break."

Unbeaten Calzaghe, who holds the world record of 39 successive pro victories, has struggled for Stateside recognition.

And Collins, who defended his WBO title eight times, said: "Joe hasn't endeared himself to American TV as they don't like his style. They like the American toe-to-toe style rather than Joe's typically European busy-busy style.

"But my advice to Joe would be not to worry about it. If he doesn't get big fights because there's no-one out there then that's life, it's not his fault. Joe's title defence record is one of the best ever and he's earned a lot of money so he'll be talked about as one of the greats."

Calzaghe is planning a voluntary defence of his WBO crown in the summer with Brian Magee top of the possible list. He should have fought the Ulsterman in February but was forced to withdraw at the last minute as Veit's promoters stole in to seal a mandatory shot against the German.

But Collins added: "He could do with going up a weight now to try and seal his two-weight world championship dream against one of the Americans.

"Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver are big names but as Calzaghe isn't, American TV won't pay big money for the fight. And Joe's too big a risk if the Yanks aren't getting a bumper pay day."

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0700s...name_page.html

[fistlegend]

collins would win, i dont think both of em are exactly exciting but both of them are quite equal, it should be a good match