Joe Cazalghe vs. Sergey Kovalev at 175

[dan_cov]

IBF light-heavyweight world champion Antonio Tarver
has joined the list of fighters courting Joe Calzaghe,
claiming he is willing to fight the Welshman "wherever he wants".

Tarver's recent victory over Calzaghe's fellow Briton Clinton Woods saw him reclaim the IBF title
and the Florida fighter is now seeking to unify the 175lb division.

Calzaghe moved up from super-middleweight to defeat Bernard Hopkins at the weekend
and while no official title was at stake, his victory has propelled him to the summit of the division.

Legendary four-weight world champion Roy Jones is currently Calzaghe's most likely opponent
for his next and apparently final fight, with the American proposing a lucrative showdown in Britain.
Undisputed middleweight king Kelly Pavlik, WBC champion Chad Dawson
and a rematch with Hopkins have also been mooted.

However, Jones is some way past his best
and has not held a world title since losing to Tarver in 2004.

And the self-proclaimed 'Magic Man' insists a fight with him,
rather than Jones, would be far more meaningful.

In a statement released to the Press Association, Tarver said:
"Everyone was mentioned as Calzaghe's potential next opponent but me,
the true light-heavyweight world champion."

Referring to Calzaghe's post-fight boast after beating Hopkins
who beat Tarver in 2006 - Tarver continued: "I am the real 'legend killer'.
I beat Roy Jones not once but twice.

"I have also beaten Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods
and many more top fighters in the light-heavyweight division.

"I am the only light-heavyweight champion who currently holds two belts
and on my way to unifying the belts this year.

"I will fight Calzaghe in the US, in the UK or wherever he wants to fight."


He also offered to step in for Kessler when they couldn't come to an agreement.

[MDPopescu]

Joe who beat Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr vs. Sergey Kovalev who beat a 49 yrs.old Bernard Hopkins.

Joe is "only" 42 years of age -- as compared with Hopkins who is 49... Joe could came back and show it to you...

[Dirk Diggler UK]

He did fight him at a grand old age of 43 or 44, hardly prime. Even then he bit off more than he could chew and realised B-Hop had way more in the tank than he thought.

Tarver offered him the fight multiple times its well documented, Joe turned it down numerous times to fight bums like Byron Mitchell & Mger Mkrtchyan he then hid behind the ''you lost to Bernard'' excuse. I think they was even going to move up and the fight was in negotiations at one point.

He could of had many career defining fights but was protected by Frank Warren and spent years and years cherrypicking whilst avoiding and pulling out of fights with Glen Johnson (three times wasn't it?) to fight utter bums and ducking everyone with a pulse until he felt they was ripe for the taking.
He can have a pass for Froch but not the others and he'd only just retired hadn't he when Froch won a world title?

His career was practically what Chris John did only he stuck around too long. He'd of been fine if he had Warren guiding him.

Calzaghe signed to fight Hopkins shortly after Hopkins beat Trinidad. Only when Hopkins had nowhere else to go did he call out Calzaghe and the fight was made.

Tarver offered Calzaghe a fight when? If it's "well documented" then I'm sure you'll be able to provide evidence. Calzaghe was up for fighting Tarver in his first fight at LHW but he fought the guy who beat him instead.

There were no career defining fights at his weight until Lacy came on the scene. Unless you count Sven Ottke.

I agree that his career was a bit like Chris John's but then he did unify all the belts in his division and moved up to beat the recognised number 1 in the next division. So then his career became a bit not like Chris John's

[dan_cov]

Calzaghe signed to fight Hopkins shortly after Hopkins beat Trinidad. Only when Hopkins had nowhere else to go did he call out Calzaghe and the fight was made.

Tarver offered Calzaghe a fight when? If it's "well documented" then I'm sure you'll be able to provide evidence. Calzaghe was up for fighting Tarver in his first fight at LHW but he fought the guy who beat him instead.

There were no career defining fights at his weight until Lacy came on the scene. Unless you count Sven Ottke

http://metro.co.uk/2008/04/22/tarver...e-bout-110400/

And after that he fought Roys old ass instead of Tarver - the guy who was world champion and ended Roys career! He could of also fought Dawson or Pavlik but nope slappy Joe picked a 40yr old shot to bits Roy who had no belt.
Like throughout his career he avoided threat and either fought a bum or the weakest link.

No defining fights? Jones was there, B-Hop was there, Toney was there, Tarver, Michaelewski and so on all at 168-175 when Joe was champion and in the prime of his life!

Trying to find the other, absolutely positive Tarver called him out before that too and they was in negotiations at one point. Sure I recall his scared of flying excuse back then too

[Dirk Diggler UK]

IBF light-heavyweight world champion Antonio Tarver
has joined the list of fighters courting Joe Calzaghe,
claiming he is willing to fight the Welshman "wherever he wants".

Tarver's recent victory over Calzaghe's fellow Briton Clinton Woods saw him reclaim the IBF title
and the Florida fighter is now seeking to unify the 175lb division.

Calzaghe moved up from super-middleweight to defeat Bernard Hopkins at the weekend
and while no official title was at stake, his victory has propelled him to the summit of the division.

Legendary four-weight world champion Roy Jones is currently Calzaghe's most likely opponent
for his next and apparently final fight, with the American proposing a lucrative showdown in Britain.
Undisputed middleweight king Kelly Pavlik, WBC champion Chad Dawson
and a rematch with Hopkins have also been mooted.

However, Jones is some way past his best
and has not held a world title since losing to Tarver in 2004.

And the self-proclaimed 'Magic Man' insists a fight with him,
rather than Jones, would be far more meaningful.

In a statement released to the Press Association, Tarver said:
"Everyone was mentioned as Calzaghe's potential next opponent but me,
the true light-heavyweight world champion."

Referring to Calzaghe's post-fight boast after beating Hopkins
who beat Tarver in 2006 - Tarver continued: "I am the real 'legend killer'.
I beat Roy Jones not once but twice.

"I have also beaten Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods
and many more top fighters in the light-heavyweight division.

"I am the only light-heavyweight champion who currently holds two belts
and on my way to unifying the belts this year.

"I will fight Calzaghe in the US, in the UK or wherever he wants to fight."


He also offered to step in for Kessler when they couldn't come to an agreement.

So he mouthed off to the media about fighting Calzaghe in his last fight? Not exactly "multiple offers"....

A fight with an increasingly irrelevant Tarver or 10million to clown on an old Roy Jones on PPV? Tough choice.

If Tarver hadn't got his arse handed to him by Hopkins, the fight probably would have happened.

[Dirk Diggler UK]

http://metro.co.uk/2008/04/22/tarver...e-bout-110400/

And after that he fought Roys old ass instead of Tarver - the guy who was world champion and ended Roys career! He could of also fought Dawson or Pavlik but nope slappy Joe picked a 40yr old shot to bits Roy who had no belt.
Like throughout his career he avoided threat and either fought a bum or the weakest link.

No defining fights? Jones was there, B-Hop was there, Toney was there, Tarver, Michaelewski and so on all at 168-175 when Joe was champion and in the prime of his life!

He fought the biggest money fight.Roy Jones on PPV was his most lucrative option and he cashed in having already decided to retire long before.

James Toney was a bloody Cruiserweight by the time Calzaghe fought for his first title. Just sensational revisionist history.

[Citizen Koba]

Kovalev better than prime Kessler? Wowser!

I would say Kovalev beats a prime Kessler. In fact they've got a few similarities stylistically and IMO Kovalev is better in most areas, in addition to his size and power advantage.

Maybe I'm mistaking you, but do you think otherwise?

If you do... why?

[Wolfie*]

There is a difference between a calzaghe slap and kovalev right hand. Kovalev by KO.

[SterlingStained]

if two forty year old wash ups dropped calzaghe, what the hell do you think kovalev is going to do?

enjoy your ******* joe.

[Foreign Soil]

Erm, yes.

The articles presented clearly state it.

I'm guessing you weren't following boxing then because it's common knowledge that Calzaghe chose to fight Roy Jones's corpse instead of Pavlik.

Is that your only defense? I picked Hopkins to school Pavlik..., while we're assuming, I bet you were one of the clueless who picked Kelly by knockout.