Joe Calzaghe Announces Boxing Masterclass

[JuicyJuice]

You stated #1 contenders for the W.B.O. title are the #1 fighters.

Well, they are the #1 contenders for the world title. There are usually no more than 15 different names that make up the top 10 of all the four sanctioning bodies - the lists are always very similar and it really doesn't matter what letters are on your belt as long as you fight good fighters Joe has fought 11 number-one contenders (Veit twice, and Veit hasn't lost elsewhere), the other five of the 17 defences were the only guys willing to fight him.

Branko Sobot, Will McIntyre, Miguel Angel Jiminez and Tocker Pudwill are probably the worst he's fought out of the 17 and they were all late replacements for Thomas Tate (Joe wanted to be the first man to stop Tate since Roy Jones Jr) - not number-one contenders. Mger Mkrtchian beat WBO NABO champ Freeman Barr in an eliminator, Kabary Salem was the number-two contender when Mario Veit said he needed more time to get ready for a Calzaghe rematch, and Don King made Evans Ashira number-one contender because Don King can do anything he wants (no fault of Joe's).

That's 10 official number-one contenders - the experienced Juan Carlos Giminez (went the distance with Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Roberto Duran), former Olympic medalist and WBC champ Robin Reid (beat him with hand injuries), Rick Thornberry (beat him with hand injuries), Dave Starie (ABA 156 champ in 1993 that Joe won year previous and while Joe was ABA 165 champ, ABA 165 champ in 1994 that Joe won year previous, made debut on Lennox undercard like Joe did year previous, later robbed against Sven Ottke, Calzaghe beat him with hand injuries), Omar Sheika (very good fighter back then, later gave Lacy hell, Joe finally showing his 1996/97 form again with hand injuries behind him), former Olympic medalist and WBC champ Richie Woodhall (Joe finally showing his 1996/97 form again with hand injuries behind him, first man to beat him fair and square since Roy Jones Jr in Olympic semi-final), 30-0 Mario Veit (beat Markus Beyer five times in amateurs), former IBF champ Charles Brewer (brutalised Antwun Echols but got robbed - 99 out of 100 referee's would of stopped it in favor of Brewer in second round, 99 out of 100 referee's wouldn't of stopped in favor of Echols in third round, Echols gave Hopkins hell, Brewer robbed against Sven Ottke but Joe beat him up), former WBA champ Byron Mitchell (beat Jeff Lacy in one round at 1996 Golden Gloves, 90 KO's in amateurs, beat Frankie Liles to become Lineal champ, Mitchell robbed against Sven Ottke but Joe beat him up).

Also throw in top prospect Mark Delaney, KO1 against Frank Minton (who had been in with six former or future world champions), Joe C fought a cruiserweight in just his tenth pro fight (Bobbie Joe Edwards, cousin of Chris Eubank), Joe C had 10 1st-round wins en route to his world title shot, and ofcourse Chris Eubank (former two-weight WBO champ, stopped Nigel Benn and Michael Watson, made 15 world title defences at 168, later winning every round against cruiserweight Carl Thompson in both fights before eye shut both times, Calzaghe the first man to ever legitimately floor Eubank and doing so with the first punch he threw!).

The only big name on his record is Chris Eubank, but that's not the only decent fighter he's fought (far from it).

[JuicyJuice]

At the end of the day, the guy has 40 wins from 40 fights and is the ****ing longest-reigning world champion in boxing today. That demands respect.

He's beaten five former world champs - Eubank, Reid, Woodhall, Brewer, Mitchell.

He wasn't willing to go to Germany and fight Sven Ottke or Markus Beyer because he knew he risked being robbed, and can you blame him? Ottke and Beyer weren't willing to come to Cardiff, either. But Brewer and Mitchell were robbed against Ottke whereas Joe battered them. Richie Woodhall was robbed against Beyer whereas Joe battered him. Glenn Catley beat Beyer whereas Joe KTFO Catley in the 1992 ABA final. Mario Veit beat Beyer five times in the amateurs whereas Joe stopped Veit twice - once in one round and once in Germany (he went to Germany to fight Veit again because he was offered the biggest payday of his career).

Joe won three ABA titles at three different weights - 1991 at welter, 1992 at light-middle, 1993 at middle. He also has a stand-out win over Chris Byrd, becoming the first man to ever stop Byrd (just before Byrd turned pro).

If he beats Lacy, which is unlikely unless the fight happens at 175 (because Joe has really struggled to make 168 these last three or four years and it has taken his power away, he struggles more and more with each fight to make the 168 limit), but if he does beat Lacy then the guy is just.. awesome. If he moves up and beats Tarver, the guy is just awesome.

Say what you want about your boys Jones Jr and Hopkins, but you can't argue with the facts - Jones Jr has refused to fight Calzaghe for 10 years and Hopkins has refused to fight Calzaghe for five years.

[Mech.]

Joe won three ABA titles at three different weights - 1991 at welter, 1992 at light-middle, 1993 at middle. He also has a stand-out win over Chris Byrd, becoming the first man to ever stop Byrd (just before Byrd turned pro).

Whered you get this info? Exactly?

[JuicyJuice]

Whered you get this info? Exactly?

Well, I've known for years and years that he won ABA's three years in a row at different weights and beat Chris Byrd.

But here are some links -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/2932769.stm (scroll down halfway)

http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopi...3a72369f93d960 (scroll down halfway)

http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11209 (scroll down halfway)

http://www.geocities.com/pedrinet/byrd.html (scroll down to bottom)

[JuicyJuice]

Also bare in mind that Calzaghe has never lost legitimately in his life - he posted a 128-2 amateur record. The first fight Calzaghe lost was when his opponents dad was the referee and scored the fight for his son, that man was banned from refereeing or judging amateur boxing again.

And the last time Calzaghe lost was at the 1990 European Championships against an Eastern European in the Czech Republic - it was reported that it made Roy Jones Jr's loss to Park Si-Hun look Fair by comparison!

[JuicyJuice]

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/boxing/story/0,,1469346,00.html

[Mech.]

Well, I've known for years and years that he won ABA's three years in a row at different weights and beat Chris Byrd.

I meant the part about KO'ing byrd,where is that at? I didnt see in those links,and two of those links were just to some guys on a forum.

[JuicyJuice]

I meant the part about KO'ing byrd,where is that at? I didnt see in those links,and two of those links were just to some guys on a forum.

He was the first man to ever stop Byrd in 300+ fights.

scroll to the bottom of this link: http://www.geocities.com/pedrinet/byrd.html


('L RSC-3' means third-round stoppage)

[Mech.]

He was the first man to ever stop Byrd in 300+ fights.

scroll to the bottom of this link: http://www.geocities.com/pedrinet/byrd.html

what does " L RSC-3" mean?

[slick12]

This should be a good fight. I don't rate Calzaghe as highly as some, but I don't think Lacy is all that great either. Calzaghe has decent power (at the top level) and good handspeed, and pretty good skills. He has a decent chin, but judging by his last few fights, looks like he is peaked. Lacy is strong and agressive, with good power. Thats for me, is the key. If Calzaghe can handle Lacy's punches, and box, using his speed, he can win on points. If he decides to trade, or he can't handle the power, its possible Lacy could stop him.

Lacy hasn't fought at the top top level in the division, so hes a bit of a unknown quantity, and when compared with Calzaghe, is inexperienced. If you watch Lacy's fight against Tyspko (or however you say it), he was getting outboxed, until it was ruled a no contest (due to headbutt?).

Gut feeling says Lacy, maybe in style too. I just don't think Calzaghe can handle the power.