Calzaghe Set on Clash with Hopkins

[Abe Attell]

Kessler does everything wrong defensively. He has no head or lateral movement, he moves straight back from punches, his jab goes back to his waist, and it only starts from his midrift. Add in the fact that all he throws are jabs that mainly miss and the occasional 1-2 and it all adds up to a pretty average fighter.
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So I guess I am not the only one that thinks he does look a bit "Amatuerish"...I just don't know about him, maybe I am over-looking him, but he doesn't seem "Elite", but his power seems good.

[El Jesus]

When he's in "brawl" mode I'd agree with that. When he's in the mode that he was against Lacy none of that applies. He has terrific lateral movement, timing and control of distance and his punches are compact, fast and varied. Kessler shows none of that.

Well lets hope he doesnt go into brawl mode for his own sake.

[Abe Attell]

Agree, Joe can't show up fighting like he did this past weekend or he will stand a better chance of losing.

[Cletus Funk]

So I guess I am not the only one that thinks he does look a bit "Amatuerish"...I just don't know about him, maybe I am over-looking him, but he doesn't seem "Elite", but his power seems good.

Pretty much what I was thinking earlier. He has the stereotypical Euro style, very upright and stiff. Strong boy though.

[Guest]

Is it just me, or is this Jeff Lacy all over again? And we all saw how scared he was of him.

Oh yes. .

[dumdane]

Pretty much everything you've said has only been effective because of the level of fighter he's been in with and because of his natural strength and power. All of the defensive faults that I've pointed out would be brutally exploited by any world class fighter.

I'm not saying his jab's bad, it just isn't as great as is being made out. It can be nice and stiff but it's also pretty inaccurate and gets blocked alot. I prefer Jermaine Taylor's.

I really can't believe how anyone could think that Kessler's basic offensive arsenal wouldn't be easily negated by someone of Calzaghe's talent and ring generalship. Kessler shows no more offensive variation than Valuev and I think he'd find himself feeling lost pretty early in the fight.

Well i think the basic difference in how we see it, is how we rate Kessler's (and to some extend Calzaghe's) opposition. If you consider Kessler's opposition no-names, then i can see your point to some extend. However i don't agree with that assessment. If you look into how Kesslers last five opponents were rated at the time by The Ring for example, i think you'd be very surpriced (if you haven't already done it). - i think it's significantly better than Calzaghe's dito. Just shows that everyone does not see it the same way you do.

(just a quick walk-through, Mundine was rated 3, Siaca 2, Beyer 3, Don't know about Lucas and Thysse exactly. Lucas probably around 10, Thysse way further back. But compare that to Calzaghe - Lacy was 3, Veit perhaps 6. The others no better than Thysse in ratings at least)

Add to that that with the exception of the Mundine fight that was at some points pretty even, Kessler has always been completely dominant in his fights. Much more so than Calzaghe.

I don't think this (in it self) proves that Kessler is a better fighter than Calzaghe. But it puts Kessler's performances in a rather different light, than the light you're viewing it in.

[adamk1304]

Yes, I'm sure Calzaghe is terrified of your boy.

You have to wonder, just how on earth has Kessler got two belts without one single solitary name on his resume? Now I'm not saying he's not a good fighter (I simply don't know on that score - nobody does), or that he wouldn't give Calzaghe one hell of a fight (again nobody knows for sure) but the only reason he's even remotely a credible opponent is that he holds them two belts. I was shocked just how bad Beyer looked on Saturday - he's lucky Bika is one dirty mother .... it'd have been a normal defence otherwise.

I do hope a unification fight happens though. Firstly so that one can actually happen (can't remember the last one!), and secondly so that Calzaghe can get some of the credit he deserves. I doubt Kessler's team could afford to bring Calzaghe over (although I did like Eubanks line - Joe is the World Champion. The World should come to him) so I guess it's either the UK or US.

Personally I'd absolutely love to see a Calzaghe-Hopkins fight .... wouldn't be the most spectacular but would be a very interesting fight to watch. And probably the worst style for him to face going on past experience, but then it would be his biggest payday by some margin! Domestically Clinton Woods is the big draw and would make him the two-weight champion but it wouldn't be the most exciting or most difficult fight out there. More dangerous would be Adamek but he's not that well known outside the Polish community.

Mundine, lucas, siaca and beyer are better than some of the names on joe's resume. Calzaghe should take the Kessler fight, boxing needs unification fights, not fighters who will move up in weight to take on a 42 year old.

[Cletus Funk]

That's pretty much what it boils down to. The fighters that you've listed really aren't very impressive to me and I'd pick 3 or 4 other current SMWs to beat every one of them, and probably at least as impressively as Kessler did. But I admit they do stack up to Calzaghe's more recent opponents fairly well.

I've been following Calzaghe pretty closely over the last 9 years and I've seen him perform pretty much to the level that he did against Lacy on a few occasions in the first half of his career, and against fighters that I'd rate as highly, or more so, than Kessler. I tend to judge fighters with my eyes as opposed to some of the Boxrec junkies that you get on here. I've seen 4 Kessler fights now and nothing I've seen from him comes close to what Calzaghe's able to produce at his best.

You make your points well though, and it makes a nice change from reading Jangeorg's lame attempts at talking ****.

Well i think the basic difference in how we see it, is how we rate Kessler's (and to some extend Calzaghe's) opposition. If you consider Kessler's opposition no-names, then i can see your point to some extend. However i don't agree with that assessment. If you look into how Kesslers last five opponents were rated at the time by The Ring for example, i think you'd be very surpriced (if you haven't already done it). - i think it's significantly better than Calzaghe's dito. Just shows that everyone does not see it the same way you do.

(just a quick walk-through, Mundine was rated 3, Siaca 2, Beyer 3, Don't know about Lucas and Thysse exactly. Lucas probably around 10, Thysse way further back. But compare that to Calzaghe - Lacy was 3, Veit perhaps 6. The others no better than Thysse in ratings at least)

Add to that that with the exception of the Mundine fight that was at some points pretty even, Kessler has always been completely dominant in his fights. Much more so than Calzaghe.

I don't think this (in it self) proves that Kessler is a better fighter than Calzaghe. But it puts Kessler's performances in a rather different light, than the light you're viewing it in.

[jangeorg]

This post pretty much somes up your level of knowledge of the sport. Do you even know what a good fighter looks like?

Kessler does everything wrong defensively. He has no head or lateral movement, he moves straight back from punches, his jab goes back to his waist, and it only starts from his midrift. Add in the fact that all he throws are jabs that mainly miss and the occasional 1-2 and it all adds up to a pretty average fighter.

A fight with Joe wouldn't even be close. Kessler would be eating counter right hooks and straights all night. After watching the Beyer fight again I don't even think he'd see the final bell. And I don't think we'll see you ever again on here after the fight if it ever comes off. You're no fan of boxing.

We all know Calzaghe are so great and in yours opinion he is a god,Calzaghe has always fought world-class fighter,and he has never duck anyone and now he are chasing a 42-year-old middleweight to avoid Kessler.
Mikkel Kessler is a real champ, not a hand-selected media-hyped bum like Jeff Lacy. If Calzaghe is the real deal, THIS is the fight he needs to take -- win or lose. Warren/Joe should take an example in Markus Beyer. At least the guy had guts
Calzaghe is a GOD he has never met anyone that is not slow, old or a middleweight - the undefeated and unified chaaampion o the woooolrd. The pride of the lake - Joe "The Duck" Calzaghe
Team Calzaghe tries to get out of the 168 divisoin as soon as possible before the great Dane catches them, if has be through the back door

[jangeorg]

Hopkins is already 41 and has retired, and unretired to beat the crap out of a bigger man Antonio Tarver.

Meanwhile, Calzaghe (don't get me wrong, I like your bloke) has been sent an open challenge from the other guy @168 holding the two other major titles. Is he deaf, or just smeggin afraid of the Viking Warrior?

It is not like Mikkel Kessler is calling out a retired champion. I mean, if Kessler called out some former champ that is now retired, and said that if the former champ does not make a comeback, the former champ will lose all the respect that he gathered through his career. That would be totally wrong. Totally disrespectfull.

But that is not what is happening here. Mikkel Kessler is calling out a champ that is at the peak of his career. He is calling out a champ that claims he is number one in this weight division. Mikkel says "OK prove it against me and you can have all 4 belts and there will be no doubt that you are number one" But the great champ does not answer this challenge.

Calzaghe thinks too much of himself and too little of boxing fans.
Does he really think he has sealed his legacy ? Does he think that the Lacy fight which Joe himself says was his greatest performance ever will allow him to enter a Hall of Fame. I dont think so do you ? I know he has fought other great opposition. But it is not enough.

He thinks too little of boxing fans because he basically wants us to accept his claim that he is number 1 ON FAITH. He wants us to BELIEVE. He thinks that he does not have to PROOVE it to us. But he does not want to do that. He is above that apparently. But to proove it would be so very simple for him to do in this situation. But no.

If this situation does not anger boxing fans then.... I dont know. A great moment in boxing history is flushed out the toilet because of one man who has the audacity and boldness to call himself number one without being willing to prove it