Nigel Benn: "I wish I had Calzaghe's power"

[S. Saddler 1310]

Hopkins did embarrass him even though I think Calzaghe won by 1 round

same conclusion as i drew. Hopkins gave him a technical lesson but didn't have the stamina to last, so his clean punching became less regular and he lost rounds on workrate as the fight progressed.



as for Calzaghe looking ridiculous, let's also mention his goofy-ass showboating. those Ali-shuffles in the Eubank fight.

["Smokin Sugar"]

sorry, couldn't resist.

What a beast of a man!!

["Smokin Sugar"]

same conclusion as i drew. Hopkins gave him a technical lesson but didn't have the stamina to last, so his clean punching became less regular and he lost rounds on workrate as the fight progressed.



as for Calzaghe looking ridiculous, let's also mention his goofy-ass showboating. those Ali-shuffles in the Eubank fight.

I remember B-hop getting humped! So um ya!!
The hate for Calzaghe is rediculous all because he's white. It's really sad that you guys can't get over the race hump. I've always thought that the sport itself helps people meet all different types of races and cultures and you can appreciate other. The racism on this site makes me absolutly sick. You guys need to realise that any race can excell in anything they apply themselves to.

[boxingfan_123]

Good one Nigel Benn as if calzaghe already isn't ridiculed for lacking ko power

[HardSpar]

It's like Eubank said when referring to Calzaghe 'he hit very fast, very often and all of them were hard'

[S. Saddler 1310]

I remember B-hop getting humped! So um ya!!
The hate for Calzaghe is rediculous all because he's white. It's really sad that you guys can't get over the race hump. I've always thought that the sport itself helps people meet all different types of races and cultures and you can appreciate other. The racism on this site makes me absolutly sick. You guys need to realise that any race can excell in anything they apply themselves to.

well, you probably won't believe me, but i share heritage with Joe. he was a frustrating guy to follow, though, and there aren't many standout moments to remember with him. he was all industry against Eubank, Reid, Woodhall, Brewer, Mitchell etc., and that's all well and good, but he was a guy who tended to look sloppy against mediocre opposition, even if he dominated. it's not so much that he fought some unheralded opponents that bothers me about his career, as not every opponent can be a world-beater, and top opponents are not always easy to secure, but more how horrid and uninspiring he looked against them. he really didn't sell himself very well as an attractive proposition for big fights.

on the upside, he saved his two crispest performances for two of his three biggest fights (Lacy and Kessler), so that's something to treasure. i do give him credit for hustling the W over a still very good Hopkins, but it isn't a performance i like to remember. i was an interested follower of both guys at the time, but was hoping Joe could do a clearer job of beating Hopkins in the lead-up to that one. in the end, he just about scraped through on pure workrate, aided by Hopkins' ageing stamina. it was another very solid win to go with the Kessler notch.

while i followed him at the time, Joe just doesn't inspire me to remember him often since he left the game. his career felt lacking ultimately, without getting into who was to blame for this or that, as various factors played their part. we saw that Joe was a genuine talent, but we never saw true proof of Greatness, IMO. he doesn't belong in a Top 100 list.

["Smokin Sugar"]

well, you probably won't believe me, but i share heritage with Joe. he was a frustrating guy to follow, though, and there aren't many standout moments to remember with him. he was all industry against Eubank, Reid, Woodhall, Brewer, Mitchell etc., and that's all well and good, but he was a guy who tended to look sloppy against mediocre opposition, even if he dominated. it's not so much that he fought some unheralded opponents that bothers me about his career, as not every opponent can be a world-beater, and top opponents are not always easy to secure, but more how horrid and uninspiring he looked against them. he really didn't sell himself very well as an attractive proposition for big fights.

on the upside, he saved his two crispest performances for two of his three biggest fights (Lacy and Kessler), so that's something to treasure. i do give him credit for hustling the W over a still very good Hopkins, but it isn't a performance i like to remember. i was an interested follower of both guys at the time, but was hoping Joe could do a clearer job of beating Hopkins in the lead-up to that one. in the end, he just about scraped through on pure workrate, aided by Hopkins' ageing stamina. it was another very solid win to go with the Kessler notch.

while i followed him at the time, Joe just doesn't inspire me to remember him often since he left the game. his career felt lacking ultimately, without getting into who was to blame for this or that, as various played their part. we saw that Joe was a genuine talent, but we never saw true proof of Greatness, IMO. he doesn't belong in a Top 100 list.

Well that's pretty cool man and you do make some good points. I'll always remeber the Lacy performance and I think in the Kessler fight he proved how good he could actually box and adapt! I'm not saying he's the GOAT but he doesn't really get any credit ever. So basically because he wasn't matched absolutley perfect all the time he won't be remembered?? So if you have to be a #1 cherry picker to be remebered??

[S. Saddler 1310]

I'll always remeber the Lacy performance and I think in the Kessler fight he proved how good he could actually box and adapt!

the Lacy show was stunning, and the Kessler performance was his version of a virtuoso display.

he'll be remembered, just (inevitably) not as vividly as other big talents who were in his era, Jones Jr., Mayweather, Pacquiao, Marquez, Toney, etc. he's helped a lot by the fact that he was able to outpoint an aged but still very good version of Hopkins (who went on to do good work after that) - if he'd never gotten the Hopkins fight and gotten that jewel in his crown, he would be pretty anonymous in history outside the UK.

i think there has been more of an appreciation of Calzaghe outside the British fanbase since he retired. he still gets his fair share of stick from the Americans, but a lot of them have turned around on him, and he fares pretty well in fantasy-fight scenarios these days, where once he was picked to lose to everyone.

[Jam Jars]

sorry, couldn't resist.

Wow almost every one of those fighters looked fine to continue at the time of the stoppage. LOL

[daggum]

Wow almost every one of those fighters looked fine to continue at the time of the stoppage. LOL

no way dude. calzaghe was destroying them! watch the entire fight! calzaghe always found a way to win. whether it was cheating and knocking guys out without even hitting them, or cheating and robbing them on the scorecards in a fight where he couldn't hit his opponent. he always wins! we must never forget....the greatness. he also beat roy jones jr! legend killer. calzaghe and danny green. together in eternity.