Benn, Calzaghe, Collins, Eubank, Froch...

[Happy Slapper]

Okay, how would your top 5 SMW's go out of these lot peak-for-peak. No styles make fights bull, or anything like that - just pure and simply who do you think was the best when they were at their best:

Mine is as follows:

1. Eubank
2. Calzaghe
3. Benn
4. Froch
5. Collins

[jessi]

Okay, how would your top 5 SMW's go out of these lot peak-for-peak. No styles make fights bull, or anything like that - just pure and simply who do you think was the best when they were at their best:

Mine is as follows:

1. Eubank
2. Calzaghe
3. Benn
4. Froch
5. Collins

Eubank
Calzaghe
Froch
Benn
Colins

C

[Gazmac81]

Calzaghe
Eubank
Benn
Froch
Collins

[Captain Hook]

Okay, how would your top 5 SMW's go out of these lot peak-for-peak. No styles make fights bull, or anything like that - just pure and simply who do you think was the best when they were at their best:

Mine is as follows:

1. Eubank
2. Calzaghe
3. Benn
4. Froch
5. Collins

Calzaghe beat Eubank and retired unbeaten, proving himself against the best SMW America had to offer (Lacy, as RJJ moved up years before) so how is he number two?!

You could even argue Froch is above Eubank, and most definitely if he beats Ward.

For now I'd go:

Calzaghe
Eubank
Froch
Benn
Collins

[Newport Daz]

Calzaghe
Froch
Eubank
Benn
Collins

That would have been a cracking round of fights

[bigjack]

Calzaghe
Eubank
Benn
Froch
Collins

x 2

[yiddo14]

Collins success was all about timing. Eubank was finished after the Watson battle, he was never the same again and Benn was not even a shell of his former self after the G-Man war. The dark destroyer was left in the ring that night.

I would certainly put him at number 5 out of that lot when comparing prime for prime.

On their very best night?
1. Eubank
1. Calzaghe
3. Benn
4. Froch
5. Collins

It's extremely tight though between the top 2. Can't split them

[nobby_nobbins]

Collins was an unfashionable, rather boring lump who looked like a potato but I feel he's being underrated here. He was incredibly strong and relentless, with skills that belied his pasty looks. He gave McCallum hell when Mike was not far off his prime, coming on strong down the stretch after enduring a boxing lesson. For my money, McCallum is one of the best fighters in history, so I really rate Collins' performance there, especially in the light of Herol Graham and Michael Watson's subsequent failures against the Bodysnatcher. I think Collins would probably always have got the better of Nigel Benn.

As for the list, I think I'd put Calzaghe at the top but I really can't make my mind up about the rest because styles make fights and it's all about levels etc, blah, blah...

[youngrell]

The number of people putting Eubank top surprises me, considering a lot of talk has been about Calzaghe being possibly the greatest British boxer of all time!! Never heard Eubank mentioned in this mythical list so it doesn't make sense to me, maybe a bit of nostalgia or just pure dislike of Calzaghe?

For me it would be:

Calzaghe
Eubank
Benn
Froch
Collins

In order of my favourite's

Benn
Calzaghe
Froch
Eubank
Collins

[Jeff Thomas]

Its so hard to choose.

The Benn that beat Mclellon beats any of them thats all i'm certain of.

[Jeff Thomas]

Its so hard to choose.

The Benn that beat Mclellon beats any of them thats all i'm certain of.

You can pick out one night of most great fighters careers and say that they would have beaten anybody on that particular night. Calzaghe vs Lacy for example. Joe was unstoppable that night and just wouldn't be denied. Joe would have beaten any SMW on that performance, he was unboxable (if thats even a phrase)!!

True... Eubank -Wharton

Collins- Eubank 2

...Froch- Ward???? hope so

[Andypittcov]

Calzaghe
Froch
Eubank
Benn
Collins

[yiddo14]

Calzaghe never crops up when I discuss greatest British boxer ever. Anyway, prime for prime is different.

Calzaghe had a better career than Eubank but on their best night against each other? I can't separate them. What a fight that would be.

[milpool]

Froch
Eubank
Benn
Calzaghe
Collins

Yes, I am a great fan in the Cobra and I don't apologise for sticking him in at number one.
In saying that if they all boxed each other a hundred times they'd all have their fair share of wins. There really isn't much seperating them.

[stujones]

I think Collins had the style to always give Eubank fits. I don't think Eubank was the same fighter mentally post Watson - but he did put in some of his best performances post that fight (Rochigiani / Wharton to name but two).

Benn wasn't the same fighter physically post McClellan for sure - but again I think Collins had the style to give him fits. One of my abiding memories of the Collins / Eubank / Benn fights was Nigel Benn catching Steve square on the chin with this most telegraphed right swing ever - Collins took it and didn't flinch. I feel he always would have been too strong for Benn.

Collins may have fought at times like Ricardo Mayorga - but he had a granite chin, actually underated boxing skills (before Eubank he showed he was technically sound). He was a monster at Super Middleweight (how he made Middleweight is beyond me) and had decent power, fantastic strength, great engine and this granite chin - a very hard combination.

Roy Jones would have toyed with him, no doubt - Roy was all wrong for Steve. It would have gone the distance, but Roy was too quick both with handspeed and footwork. Whilst his defence was reflex based, he was among the best defensive fighters at the time.

However, Eubank, Benn and Froch do not posess blistering handspeed (I mean Roy Jones esque) and I think Collins would outstrength the lot of them every time. Collins would be capable of doing a similar job as Kessler did when he fought Froch. If Glen Johnson at 42 years of age could give Froch fits, Collins could.

Calzaghe vs Collins, now that is closer - Calzaghe has got handspeed. But has he got the defence and footspeed to keep him off. Would Calzaghe's granite chin hold out for 12 rounds? This wouldn't be a Calzaghe vs Lacy masterclass - it might be more like Cotto vs Maragarito 1. Tough to call.

Its an awkard one - in terms of achievements, Joe Cal has to be number 1. Joe Calzaghe would also be the one to give, for me, the #1 (Collins) the toughest arguement. However, in the "styles makes fight" scenario I would favour a prime Eubank over Joe and Benn vs Joe to be a dandy. They all beat Froch.

So in terms of placing the 5 in order, its very tough cause styles do make fight - but I would have the Celtic Warrior at #1. Did he duck Joe? Yes, very possibly, but he was also past his prime when they would have fought.

[stujones]

He certainly wasn't stupid. He painted Roy Jones to be the one ducking him - doesn't mention that the figures he was offering in terms of payment meant that there is no way the fight could make any money. Sure, Collins would have fought him for the purses he was asking for... Collins would have fought Superman for those prices -

Collins possibly knew that his time was coming to an end with the Craig Cummings fight - but also, not alot was known about Calzaghe at the time. So I do wonder if he says what he is saying now with hindsight (e.g. he was finishing and Joe would turn out to be one of the finest champions in UK history). I do think Collins' comeback bid was geniune and he wanted Calzaghe, but for these blackouts / rumoured knockouts against Howard Eastman in sparring.

[jamesmcdonnell]

For me Eubank and Calzaghe had the most talent and skills of the lot. A prime Eubank v Calzaghe, would have been a great fight. To be fair to Calzaghe, he was not yet at his prime when he fought Eubank, and Eubank was past his, so in some ways, the late sub business not witholding, it was a fair matchup.

I think Calzaghe would have stopped Benn, too quick and too many shots, think Benn would have been outboxed and eventually hammered. Calzaghe also had a great chin, and incredible powers of recovery, the shots he took off Brewer and Salem were huge, and Calzaghe just got straight back up.

Benn could be hurt, he had the heart of a lion, but took longer to recover than Joe, and I think that if he had been caught and hurt, Calzaghe had the tools to finish it.

Calzaghe / Eubank
Benn
Collins (has to get some credit for beating Benn and Eubank, even if they were a little past it.
Froch

[Gazmac81]

i really cant see how anyone wouldnt have Calzaghe at the top
he was absouloutley phenominal boxer , great speed , Workrate , great chin too

always found a way to win and beat Bernard Hopkins who im sure everyone would rate better than any off these guys - even though some say Hopkins should have won and was old.

[stujones]

For me Eubank and Calzaghe had the most talent and skills of the lot. A prime Eubank v Calzaghe, would have been a great fight. To be fair to Calzaghe, he was not yet at his prime when he fought Eubank, and Eubank was past his, so in some ways, the late sub business not witholding, it was a fair matchup.

I think Calzaghe would have stopped Benn, too quick and too many shots, think Benn would have been outboxed and eventually hammered. Calzaghe also had a great chin, and incredible powers of recovery, the shots he took off Brewer and Salem were huge, and Calzaghe just got straight back up.

Benn could be hurt, he had the heart of a lion, but took longer to recover than Joe, and I think that if he had been caught and hurt, Calzaghe had the tools to finish it.

Calzaghe / Eubank
Benn
Collins (has to get some credit for beating Benn and Eubank, even if they were a little past it.
Froch

In hindsight, think your spot on re Calzaghe vs Benn, Benn's own chin is underated but I think Calzaghe would have outlasted him thinking about it again.

Still think Collins should be #1 though. He didn't just beat them, he truly showed the blueprint in beating Eubank with the rematch and he broke Nigel's tremendous fighting heart. He dominated them.

[stujones]

i really cant see how anyone wouldnt have Calzaghe at the top
he was absouloutley phenominal boxer , great speed , Workrate , great chin too

always found a way to win and beat Bernard Hopkins who im sure everyone would rate better than any off these guys - even though some say Hopkins should have won and was old.

Good points, but I guess its how you view Calzaghe vs Eubank fight. Whilst Joe was green and inexperienced, Eubank was weight drained, late sub and past his prime also. Eubank was also without Ronnie Davies which I think was a massive factor.

It was one of those fights that while the judging was fair, it didn't reflect the contribution Eubank made. Alot of the rounds were relatively close, would Eubank without the rust (don't forget the ring rust also) be able to slip more of Calzaghe's shots, would he have been more accurate himself (Eubank thrived on being accurate)... questions, questions and more questions... thats why it is debated.

On your last paragraph - yep, Hopkins should have won and was old.

[whiskey]

Benn is massively overated for me above 160lb. Eubank not far behind.

Carl and Joe are the top 2 and the rest some distance behind at 168lb.

It's like comparing The Sun, The Daily Sport, The Telegraph, The Independant and The News of the World.

Popularity and fondness warping the perception of who they actually beat. Too many fights avoided for me I'm afraid.

[Gazmac81]

i was toying with having Froch maybe 2nd or 3rd

i think most off these fights would have went the distance as all teak tough

overall on Best performances and ability its Calzaghe for me

i had him beating hopkins on workrate and to me that Result ahs looked better and better since Hopkins performances after that

Benn is massively overated for me above 160lb. Eubank not far behind.

Carl and Joe are the top 2 and the rest some distance behind at 168lb.

It's like comparing The Sun, The Daily Sport, The Telegraph, The Independant and The News of the World.

Popularity and fondness warping the perception of who they actually beat. Too many fights avoided for me I'm afraid.

[loaded_gloves]

Michael Watson would've beaten them all in my opinion. In fact, he did beat the two best fighters on the list - Benn and Eubank.

[Gazmac81]

Ive got an idea of where this is going but Eurbank Beat him Twice mate

Michael Watson would've beaten them all in my opinion. In fact, he did beat the two best fighters on the list - Benn and Eubank.

[loaded_gloves]

Watson clearly beat Eubank the first time regardless of what the judges said.