Had Calzaghe not ducked America

[robertzimmerman]

Berry Picker,

World" champs Hops and Roy could have fought in other parts of the world too you know? america isn't the world and never will be.

Roy and Bernard never really had to leave America.

Their circumstances were different to Joe's.

[robertzimmerman]

Berry Picker,

How many years earlier was Ruiz destroyed when Roy fought him?

How is that relevant to this discussion?

Completely different circumstances. Ruiz was caught by Tua at HW. He then won a belt, and became a top 5 guy.

Roy then moved up and beat him.

How is that the same as Joe not wanting to fight a washed up Roy, who'd been knocked out twice, and was nearly 40, only to then change his mind and take the fight?

[robertzimmerman]

junior gong,

Calzaghe didnt duck america so this whole thread is fooked.

The point is, he could have gone over much sooner than he did.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Dirk Diggler UK,



That's right, it was just a mere possibility. Nothing else. He said he could make 168 if the deal was right. In the end, he went with a better option.

I never said that he should have dropped his title. Again, I appreciate the predicament he was in. But it's a fact that without either moving up to 175 or fighting in America, he was never going to get a big money shot against Roy back then.

If he'd have moved up = There'd have been a chance.

Without moving up = There was literally no chance of it happening.

You have to look from Roy and HBO's perspective.

He wasn't a mandatory, and he brought no money to the table. Like you've said, the U.S. fans didn't really know anything about Joe until he'd hammered Lacy in 2006. But Joe could have changed that. He could have made himself a name sooner. There's things he could have done that he didn't.

He never wanted to put in the groundwork like Ricky Hatton did. He could have tried to have made a name for himself and moved up the rankings at 175. It is realistic to say, that he could potentially have found himself as Roy's mandatory.

Ricky Hatton had 40 fights before he fought Tsyzu. Only then did he go across to America and he was given big money to do so because of his following.

It's easy to say Calzaghe should have "worked his way up the rankings" but the guy was already a world champion and making good money in the UK. It's unrealistic to say he should go to America and make less with the hope of one day facing Jones which may have never happened anyway. I remember Steve Collins jumping in the ring after one of Roy's fights to call him out and he never got the fight.

He was willing to go to America to fight Hopkins as early as 2002 but Bernard walked away from the deal.

[daggum]

Ricky Hatton had 40 fights before he fought Tsyzu. Only then did he go across to America and he was given big money to do so because of his following.

It's easy to say Calzaghe should have "worked his way up the rankings" but the guy was already a world champion and making good money in the UK. It's unrealistic to say he should go to America and make less with the hope of one day facing Jones which may have never happened anyway. I remember Steve Collins jumping in the ring after one of Roy's fights to call him out and he never got the fight.

He was willing to go to America to fight Hopkins as early as 2002 but Bernard walked away from the deal.

pretty sure we've been over this hmmm 50 times but the deal to fight hopkins was in wales. calzaghe wasn't going anywhere so hopkins asked for more money and the fight died.

[IMDAZED]

pretty sure we've been over this hmmm 50 times but the deal to fight hopkins was in wales. calzaghe wasn't going anywhere so hopkins asked for more money and the fight died.

I think the silly part is to pretend the dial was to fight Calzaghe. The deal was with Showtime and included three fights, one with Calzaghe that was probably a couple years away. Hopkins pulled out over money squabbles with King. I don't hear anyone saying he ducked Harry Simon (who was part of the deal) because it's just silly. So is this debate.

[Weebler I]

Hopkins nor Roy were jumping to fight him either to be fair

and Mayweather was in no hurry to travel to the UK when Hatton was the man at 140 after beating Tszyu, "I ain't goin to England" was the cry from little Floyd.

These cnuts all love their home advantage for good reason, but none more self-entitled than the fans of US fighters who think it's their God-given right to fight at home with pet refs, and promoters jobbing opponents with corrupt judging.

"You got to come to America to fight" [to suit the US fighter] - Sturm had the right idea after getting robbed, he never went back.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

pretty sure we've been over this hmmm 50 times but the deal to fight hopkins was in wales. calzaghe wasn't going anywhere so hopkins asked for more money and the fight died.

Frank Warren wanted to put the fight on in Wales obviously - he's a UK promoter. Hopkins said he wanted it in America and $3m. Calzaghe agreed. Hopkins changed his demands the following day.

[IMDAZED]

http://www.secondsout.com/usa-boxing-news/usa-boxing-news/noskys-nuggets-hopkins-backed-into-corner

Reportedly, Hopkins was to receive around $2 million for the Hakkar fight. The middleweight champion apparently believed that amount was for him. However, he was only recently made aware that the $2 million was not his take but that he would have to pay his promoter, Don King, and Hakkar out of that money.

This was deemed unsatisfactory by Hopkins and Showtime reportedly pulled the deal off the table.

Ironically enough, in a press release on Tuesday night, the WBC still has the Hopkins-Hakkar fight listed as a go for August 17. A lot will have to change for that to hold up now.

****

Calzaghe, by the way, will take on the unknown Miguel Jimenez on the 17th after deals to match the Welshman with dangerous fighters such as Antwun Echols and David Telesco fell through with eerily similar stories coming from both failed negotiations.

[JDD1]

and Mayweather was in no hurry to travel to the UK when Hatton was the man at 140 after beating Tszyu, "I ain't goin to England" was the cry from little Floyd.

These cnuts all love their home advantage for good reason, but none more self-entitled than the fans of US fighters who think it's their God-given right to fight at home with pet refs, and promoters jobbing opponents with corrupt judging.

"You got to come to America to fight" [to suit the US fighter] - Sturm had the right idea after getting robbed, he never went back.

Hatton and Calzaghe can't become the best unless they come here .The reason Hatton and other foreign fighters come to the US is the same reason US soccer players go outside of the US to play-its where the best are.

If a US player tries to become the best he can't do it just competeing in whatever the US soccer league is. I think we'd agree beating the Red Bulls is slightly less significant than beating Man U.

Its not about home cooking its about competition.