Could Calzaghe have got to 50-0?

[LetOutTheCage]

Yes he easily could have gone to 50 and 0. He was a good fighter and not a cherry picker at all. He beat a prime Kessler and Kessler beat Froch. He came to the states to beat both Hopkins and Jones so how in the *** is that being a cherry picker???????????????????????

Because of the time in which he fought Hopkins and Jones. Jones was already washed up and Hopkins was old. He could have fought those two much earlier (when they were in their prime) but avoided them.

[hayZ]

Calzaghe arguably drew with Bika, he was going to lose to the elite of the SMW division. Kessler's hand was injured prior to their bout, and had surgery after their bout which postponed his career by a year.

HUH?

Arguably? Calzaghe outworked him the whole fight. Bika was awkward and resilient but in terms of round by round scoring, it was Joe's.

The Kessler he beat would wipe the floor with every SMW around today and Froch convincingly. Both fights v Froch were very competitive.

[Cutthroat]

HUH?

Arguably? Calzaghe outworked him the whole fight. Bika was awkward and resilient but in terms of round by round scoring, it was Joe's.

The Kessler he beat would wipe the floor with every SMW around today and Froch convincingly. Both fights v Froch were very competitive.

Calzaghe was trading his pitty pat shots for the cleaner harder punches by Bika, this fight was VERY close. I re-watched the fight and was shocked at how close it was compared to the commentary, Joe was even asking his father what he should do in the 12th, a round that he lost. Even he knew the fight was close and couldn't win a round he was trying to win.

Kessler had an injured right hand against Joe, he had surgery after that bout which is why he didn't come back for another year. It should be obvious based on the Froch fight what a healthy Kessler looks like.

[AddiX]

Calzaghe was scared of the top American fighters in there prime.

Even the guys who were willing to go to his city to fight he wanted no part of. Calzaghe fans like to pretend this isn't true. They like to forget how he "got injured" twice when he was suppose to fight Glen Johnson.

I give him props for the way he beat Kessler, Lacy, and Eubanks.

But in my mind his legacy will always be that of a fighter who could have accomplished more and didn't even try. That's what I'll remember him for.

[soul_survivor]

Because of the time in which he fought Hopkins and Jones. Jones was already washed up and Hopkins was old. He could have fought those two much earlier (when they were in their prime) but avoided them.

I'll give you Jones being washed up and old but old does not apply to Hopkins, who at the time, was the best light heavyweight on the planet and one of the top 2 or 3 light heavyweights up until the age of 49.

Calzaghe was scared of the top American fighters in there prime.

Even the guys who were willing to go to his city to fight he wanted no part of. Calzaghe fans like to pretend this isn't true. They like to forget how he "got injured" twice when he was suppose to fight Glen Johnson.

I give him props for the way he beat Kessler, Lacy, and Eubanks.

But in my mind his legacy will always be that of a fighter who could have accomplished more and didn't even try. That's what I'll remember him for.

What top American fighters fought at 168lb?

And the reality is, after Calzaghe got injured and Warrens attempted to renegotiate the fight, Johnsons team turned it downed and even released a press statement.

Why the hell would Calzaghe be worried about journeyman Johnson if he had already fought better opposition and would face better opposition.

[mathed]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Joe would have smoked everyone around him.

[mathed]

Calzaghe was trading his pitty pat shots for the cleaner harder punches by Bika, this fight was VERY close. I re-watched the fight and was shocked at how close it was compared to the commentary, Joe was even asking his father what he should do in the 12th, a round that he lost. Even he knew the fight was close and couldn't win a round he was trying to win.

Kessler had an injured right hand against Joe, he had surgery after that bout which is why he didn't come back for another year. It should be obvious based on the Froch fight what a healthy Kessler looks like.

Bika butted him and Joe still controlled the fight.... Won by at least 4 rounds.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Yeah I think so...

Around 08-09, the names he could have fought:
Tarver
Johnson
Pavlik
Taylor
Abraham
Bute
Froch
Kessler 2

I would have favored Joe over all of them

[soul_survivor]

Yeah I think so...

Around 08-09, the names he could have fought:
Tarver
Johnson
Pavlik
Taylor
Abraham
Bute
Froch
Kessler 2

I would have favored Joe over all of them

Don't know about those 2. I highly doubt Calzaghe would have come down to smw to fight Bute.

Froch may seem likely on paper but the guy was a complete unknown in the UK and even with his WBC belt, he didn't mean much to Calzaghe. However, I do agree that Calzaghe beats them both.

He also makes Pavlik look ****** for 12 rounds.

[robertzimmerman]

He ended his career at 46-0, with back to back wins over HOFers, having spent the better part of a decade clearing out the super middleweight division. If he had carried on boxing post 2008, over the next couple years or so, do you think he could have reached 50-0?

He obviously wouldn't have been at 168 so the Froch, AA and Ward fights seem unlikely, unless Froch moved up, even then I feel Calzaghe (at 36) would beat those versions of those fighters.

Or, if he was to stay at LHW, would there have been a Hopkins rematch? A Pascal fight? Possibly Dawson?

Joe says he retired due to his hands, and due to not having any desire to carry on. But if his hands had been healthier and he'd have had a desire to get to 50, then most definitely. But in my opinion, he wouldn't have taken any risky fights that may have prevented him from getting there. So there wouldn't have been a Hopkins rematch, and there's no way he would have gone on to fight a guy like Dawson. The fights would had to have been selected wisely.