is Calzaghe HOF or potential future HOF

[mECHsLAVE]

Absolutley not.

He wasted almost his entire career up to this point, and in the grand scheme of things, this win over Lacy is not a HoF ticket.

He'd have to pick it up as of right now and win a title at 175, unify 168, or beat a string of credible top rated fighters.

One fight doesn't make him a HoF fighter.

Wasted his career? Name all the fighters at 168 that he should have fought and didn't? Ottke is the only one that I can think of, and not only was Ottke a protected paper tiger that Joe would have massacred, but he wasn't interested in fighting Joe anyway.

Joe has been undefeated and fought some very solid fighters and defended his title for years and years. Yeah, some of the fighters were stiffs as with every fighter. But is Hopkins a HOF'r? I'm sure you would say yes. Their careers are honestly not that different. Except Hopkins lost to the two best fighters that he fought (Jones and Taylor) and Joe has beaten his- so far.

I think if he can beat the linear LHW champ (Tarver) then you could argue he's one of the top 3 supermiddleweights of all time and with that legacy then you'd have to include him in the HOF, being recognized, unified champ at SMW and then winning the LHW title...and going undefeated for his entire career. Name a fighter who has done that. (crickets) But of course I do realize, that's a big "if"- him beating Tarver. We'll see.

[Derranged]

Absolutley not.

He wasted almost his entire career up to this point, and in the grand scheme of things, this win over Lacy is not a HoF ticket.

He'd have to pick it up as of right now and win a title at 175, unify 168, or beat a string of credible top rated fighters.

One fight doesn't make him a HoF fighter.

Agreed. Too little to late unless he goes all out fighting top fighters and even that would be a stretch.

[JuicyJuice]

It's no fault of Calzaghe's that Jones Jr and Hopkins wouldn't fight him, remember.

[JuicyJuice]

Oh and the day Steve Collins goes into the IBHOF is the day I eat my hat.

[Verstyle]

until he fights out of his country he will not be. cause ppl r going to say eh didnt prove himself. hence why many americans doint know about watson,benn and eubanks

[borikua]

I think so. He hasn't lost, I think he has been champ at 168 for a long time...Right? It's funny ppl say that Hopkins is a HOF and their careers are very similar...But Joe most notable fight was with a true 168 pounder, can't say the same for Bernard.

[JuicyJuice]

It's funny ppl say that Hopkins is a HOF and their careers are very similar...But Joe most notable fight was with a true 168 pounder, can't say the same for Bernard.

Yeah, imagine Chris Eubank fighting Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez. I can't believe so many people so grossly over-rated Hopkins for beating up the blown-up little guys. The only decent, natural middleweight's that Hopkins has fought are Roy Jones and Jermain Taylor.. and he lost to both.

Hopkins' career-defining wins are Robert Allen, as far as I'm concerned.

[JuicyJuice]

I was speaking to my mate Dean Francis after the Evans Ashira fight, and I told him that I believe Joe won't get the respect he deserves until he retires.

I told him that nobody will go undefeated for 15 years (amateur or pro) like he did. I told him that nobody will dominate the number-one ranked amateur in the world (at that weight) like he did (and get robbed as badly as he did!). I told him that nobody will win three ABA titles for three years in a row at three different weights like he did. I told him that nobody will go 40-0 as a pro at that level (beating five former world champions at that weight) like he did. I told him that nobody will break their hand after four rounds in a world title fight and win the next eight rounds one-handed like he did.

Obviously, I was wrong that Joe won't get the respect he deserves until he retires because after that win over Lacy he has the respect now. But I still say he's under-rated and under-appreciated.

Also let's remember that Joe was the first man to ever stop Chris Byrd and the first man to ever floor Chris Eubank.

By the way, I don't know if Calzaghe is HOF material though. His only fights that have been shown outside of Britain are Brewer, Mitchell and Lacy and they were only shown in US (Showtime). But if he can beat Jones Jr, Tarver, Woods and Johnson, and retire at 45-0, then he is one of the very best of all-time!

[dansweeney]

By the way, I don't know if Calzaghe is HOF material though. His only fights that have been shown outside of Britain are Brewer, Mitchell and Lacy and they were only shown in US (Showtime). But if he can beat Jones Jr, Tarver, Woods and Johnson, and retire at 45-0, then he is one of the very best of all-time!

He stopped Chris Byrd? when did he do that? i know it has to be amateurs but that is impressive

[Super Cruiserweight]

http://www.secondsout.com/USA/news.cfm?ccs=229&cs=18858

BENN IS DEFINATELY HOF, COLLINS THOUGH IS NOT AND CALZAGHE ONLY IF HE BEATS TARVER