opinion on joe calzaghe

[hotshot1]

do you think he was good to watch? exciting?

[iamboxing]

No one in British boxing was going to get noticed while the Prince was on the scene, so he was underappreciated for a long time but finally emerged as one of the best British boxers and still very underrated by Americans who believe he should have crossed the pond earlier in his career to face RJJ and Hopkins. Personally, I think the result would have been the same, but it's his stay in the UK in his prime that hurt him somewhat with boxing pundits.

[northernmonkey]

Very underated, may not have had concussive power but the none stop all action style made him exciting to watch.

[EasternEuroFan]

Spent far too long fighting weak opposition.

It's a shame really because when he stepped up and beat the likes of an undefeated Kessler, he showed that he was really that good. He was already mid 30's with shot hands by the time he started fighting better competition after spending his prime years defending the WBO belt against C level fighters.

I think he was excellent but never really had the desire or dared to be great, or maybe he was mismanaged. He only ever showed how good he actually was very few times over a long career.

I think the world never really got to see the best of Calzaghe.

[W1LL]

He is a God of boxing and would have been a champion in any era, from Middleweight to Light Heavyweight.

[W1LL]

Here he is in the summer, at 46 years of age, still faster than men half his age.

[johnbook]

Better than many give him credit.
Someone, like Ali [not saying he was as great], who would always find a way.

Get's accused of slapping, but people forget that he did KD or KO many opponents earlier and busted his hands many times in the process.

Defeated the undefeated Kessler, with his fists, not with headbutts, elbows etc. like Ward did.

It was all the politics that led to JC and RJJ not fighting earlier. Just like we may never see AJ and Wilder.

In some ways, you can't blame fighters for not wanting to cross the pond as the reffing and scoring is so prejudicial for the home guy.

Calzaghe was an ATG.

[johnbook]

Here he is in the summer, at 46 years of age, still faster than men half his age.

Thanks for this.

He looks awesome and does look like he could still take many right now.

[Citizen Koba]

One of my all time favourites, man. Guess some folk are critical of his 'slapping' style in later years, and there are some legitimate complaints about his level of opposition in his prime, but he's undeniably one of the best ever at 168

[Robbie Barrett]

Overrated slapper that avoided the best with lame excuses about being afraid to fly etc. Overcame the fear when the fighters he avoided were way past their best.