The best LHW since 1980 ?

[tiny_acres]

Obvioiusly, some posters (tiny_acres & Tanzio) would never put Calzaghe on this pool, but I can not agree with them....Nothing personal.....

Fair enough just please don't make up crap like you did when throwing in the Klitschko brothers.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Obvioiusly, some posters (tiny_acres & Tanzio) would never put Calzaghe on this pool, but I can not agree with them....Nothing personal.....

Add me please. I can't see Calzaghe in the top 100 at 175.

[Counter-puncher]

Nobody has a bigger hardon for Joe than I do and I don't have him near top 20 or 30.

[Badhusker]

Obvioiusly, some posters (tiny_acres & Tanzio) would never put Calzaghe on this pool, but I can not agree with them....Nothing personal.....

Add me please. I can't see Calzaghe in the top 100 at 175.

You can add me too. Didn't read all the comments, but don't think Calzaghe fought much at all at LH. I think Jones had about equal fights at 168 and 175. I'm not sure Kovalev should be there either, but whatever.
I have Spinks at #1 and RJJ #2....head and shoulders above the rest. RJJ may be able to beat Spinks once because of his odd style of blazing speed and pot shot KO power, a style that Spinks hadn't seen before, but if they fought again Jones would probably get KO'd. I expected Spinks to do better than he did when Tyson destroyed him. I thought for a while he threw that fight. Spinks was a few inches taller than Jones, was smart, and had power. Jones was probably the most athletic, fast guy I have ever seen at LH, but had technical flaws that someone like Spinks would have figured out.

[ValMar]

If boxer X is able to beat boxers Y & Z (both considered as ATG) in the year ABCD-------Boxer X has to considered "The great champion" at least for ABCD year..........Would you remind me of some similar examples, please - Boxer, moving up, beating in the same year two ATGs......

[Badhusker]

If boxer X is able to beat boxers Y & Z (both considered as ATG) in the year ABCD-------Boxer X has to considered "The great champion" at least for ABCD year..........Would you remind me of some similar examples, please - Boxer, moving up, beating in the same year two ATGs......

If you are talking about Calzahge beating Jones and Hopkins, yes he did, but they were far from what they were in their prime. There are lots of examples of guys beating all time greats when past their prime, but sorry, they don't get full credit like you are hoping.

Hopkins lasted longer at a high level because he was technically better than Jones. Once Jones lost a step in speed, he went down fast because he relied mainly on his athleticism and speed, rather than technique....imo.

[ValMar]

If boxer X is able to beat boxers Y & Z (both considered as ATG) in the year ABCD-------Boxer X has to considered "The great champion" at least for ABCD year..........Would you remind me of some similar examples, please - Boxer, moving up, beating in the same year two ATGs......

If you are talking about Calzahge beating Jones and Hopkins, yes he did, but they were far from what they were in their prime. There are lots of examples of guys beating all time greats when past their prime, but sorry, they don't get full credit like you are hoping.

Hopkins lasted longer at a high level because he was technically better than Jones. Once Jones lost a step in speed, he went down fast because he relied mainly on his athleticism and speed, rather than technique....imo.

BH & RJJ are considered world-wide as ATGs. I agree, both of them, were not in their respective primes in 2008, but they both were active fighters (unfortunately) nine years after. JC defeated both of them in 2008, without judges/ref help, it was quite fair. Alow me the comparison, please.
Imagine Crawford defeating Floyd and Pac in 2018 (at 147) and retiring after that.....Yes, it would be a great achievement (at WW), and everone would consider Crawford as a great WW fighter (at least in 2018).............

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Any other fighters in the top 5 in a division during the last four decades with two fights? It's like rating Jones at Heavyweight.

[ValMar]

Any other fighters in the top 5 in a division during the last four decades with two fights?

OK, I suppose there are some proper examples, but, I can not remember (move up and defeat two high level opponents in the same year).....

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Any other fighters in the top 5 in a division during the last four decades with two fights?

OK, I suppose there are some proper examples, but, I can not remember (move up and defeat two high level opponents in the same year).....

Roy wasn't a high level opponent at that point. Either way, the answer is no. Whitaker had 1 fight at 140, he'd beat most anyone there. That doesn't make him an accomplished jr welterweight.

[imaioral]

A bit tendentious post... Some weren't all carreer in such division, but for those that kept most fighting in the division I vote for the 1st Roy, then Virgil Hill and B. Hop.

[Badhusker]

Any other fighters in the top 5 in a division during the last four decades with two fights?

OK, I suppose there are some proper examples, but, I can not remember (move up and defeat two high level opponents in the same year).....

To me if your toughest fight of your career (Calzaghe admitted) was against a 43 yr old guy, that you won by a somewhat disputable split decision, it does not make you the best LH in the last 35 years, when you only fought a couple of times at the weight. Just because Leon Spinks beat Ali doesn't automatically get him in the conversation of heavyweight all time greats.
It was Calzaghe's first fight at LH, but only Bhop's 3rd. He should have fought both years earlier, but I'm sure he knew what the result would be. Instead he stayed at home and defended about 20 times. Not the kind of thing a guy that wants to prove he is the best does.

[ValMar]

Any other fighters in the top 5 in a division during the last four decades with two fights?

OK, I suppose there are some proper examples, but, I can not remember (move up and defeat two high level opponents in the same year).....

Roy wasn't a high level opponent at that point. Either way, the answer is no. Whitaker had 1 fight at 140, he'd beat most anyone there. That doesn't make him an accomplished jr welterweight.

RJJ was a high level opponent 2008, Hopkins too-----the highest possible level..........

[ValMar]

Any other fighters in the top 5 in a division during the last four decades with two fights?

OK, I suppose there are some proper examples, but, I can not remember (move up and defeat two high level opponents in the same year).....

To me if your toughest fight of your career (Calzaghe admitted) was against a 43 yr old guy, that you won by a somewhat disputable split decision, it does not make you the best LH in the last 35 years, when you only fought a couple of times at the weight. Just because Leon Spinks beat Ali doesn't automatically get him in the conversation of heavyweight all time greats.
It was Calzaghe's first fight at LH, but only Bhop's 3rd. He should have fought both years earlier, but I'm sure he knew what the result would be. Instead he stayed at home and defended about 20 times. Not the kind of thing a guy that wants to prove he is the best does.

"Disputable decision" ? No ! JC deserved the win, it was fair. I do not claim that Calzaghe was the best LHW since 1980, but he deserves to be on this list.....Leon Spinks defeated Ali, Buster Douglas defeated Tyson, but they did not achieve anything worthy after that....JC defeated two ATGs...If he did not do anything at SMW, he should be remembered in boxing history as a great champion, because of these two victories.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

OK, I suppose there are some proper examples, but, I can not remember (move up and defeat two high level opponents in the same year).....

Roy wasn't a high level opponent at that point. Either way, the answer is no. Whitaker had 1 fight at 140, he'd beat most anyone there. That doesn't make him an accomplished jr welterweight.

RJJ was a high level opponent 2008, Hopkins too-----the highest possible level..........

No, RJJ was not a high level opponent. Nobody in their right mind gave him a chance. Hopkins was a high level opponent. It's still ridiculous to put a guy in the top 5 of almost half a century off of two fights.

[tiny_acres]

I honestly thought that the poll would of had Spinks as the run away winner.

[Lackeos]

Yes, and he beat Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Junior....According to you, he had to defeat Klitschko brothers to be proven.....

That win against RJJ was worthless. RJJ was 5 years beyond the end of his prime and borderline top 10 at the time. It was about as good as a win against Jean Pascal would be today.

Kevin McBride and Danny Williams beat Mike Tyson, but most people are capable of recognizing that Mike Tyson was past his prime, and that those wins were not of great merit. Omar Eduardo Gonzalez beat past-prime Roberto Duran. Brian Nielsen beat past-prime Larry Holmes. Memo Ayon beat past-prime Sugar Ray Robinson. Charles Ellis beat past-prime James Toney. Larry Donald beat past-prime Evander Holyfield. Carlos Bojorquez beat past-prime Pernell Whitaker. These wins do not have much merit, because the past-prime legends did not have much ability or a great ranking at the time that the fight happened. I mean, seriously, how do you not understand how primes work?

[squiggy]

Personally I do rank calzaghe low top 10 at light heavy in the past 40 years on just those two wins.

[tiny_acres]

Personally I do rank calzaghe low top 10 at light heavy in the past 40 years on just those two wins.

I can at least accept that. But you would not have him number one in that time frame at light heavyweight.

At super middleweight I have him number 3 all time.

[squiggy]

Yeah, certainly not No. 1 at light heavy. No. 1 at super middle, though.

[ValMar]

Yes, and he beat Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Junior....According to you, he had to defeat Klitschko brothers to be proven.....

That win against RJJ was worthless. RJJ was 5 years beyond the end of his prime and borderline top 10 at the time. It was about as good as a win against Jean Pascal would be today.

Kevin McBride and Danny Williams beat Mike Tyson, but most people are capable of recognizing that Mike Tyson was past his prime, and that those wins were not of great merit. Omar Eduardo Gonzalez beat past-prime Roberto Duran. Brian Nielsen beat past-prime Larry Holmes. Memo Ayon beat past-prime Sugar Ray Robinson. Charles Ellis beat past-prime James Toney. Larry Donald beat past-prime Evander Holyfield. Carlos Bojorquez beat past-prime Pernell Whitaker. These wins do not have much merit, because the past-prime legends did not have much ability or a great ranking at the time that the fight happened. I mean, seriously, how do you not understand how primes work?

I understand very well how primes work, and I have to repeat that I do not claim Calzaghe is the best LHW since 1980, but, he deserved his place on this list....Anyway, I did not vote, because I am note convinced about the best LHW since 1980 (prime to prime).
Concerning Michael Spinks, there is a pretty sad fact - all my friends, casual fans generally speaking, remember Spinks destroyed by Tyson. Frankly speaking, me too....If I could change the past (at least boxing past) I would like to see the fight between experienced Spinks and young, hungry Holyfield (at CW, of course).....I feel that Spinks hade made a great mistake skipping CW, but I can understand him, because money and glory were/are/will always be at HW....

[Badhusker]

If you think about it, and it shouldn't take too much thought.........Calzahge only fought TWICE at Light Heavyweight. 2 times. He should not be considered in any way, shape, or form to even be in the discussion!

Can someone tell me if I am wrong? He fought twice at LH. Can we now talk about Roy Jones Jr and how he ranks at heavyweight?

[ValMar]

If you think about it, and it shouldn't take too much thought.........Calzahge only fought TWICE at Light Heavyweight. 2 times. He should not be considered in any way, shape, or form to even be in the discussion!

Can someone tell me if I am wrong? He fought twice at LH. Can we now talk about Roy Jones Jr and how he ranks at heavyweight?

Budhusker, I tried to explain why I put Calzaghe on my list, but it seems that this thread are going in the wrong direction. Joe Calzaghe is only one fighter out of five on this list, and according to this pool only few posters consider him the best one.

[squiggy]

If you think about it, and it shouldn't take too much thought.........Calzahge only fought TWICE at Light Heavyweight. 2 times. He should not be considered in any way, shape, or form to even be in the discussion!

Can someone tell me if I am wrong? He fought twice at LH. Can we now talk about Roy Jones Jr and how he ranks at heavyweight?

27th.

[Jip]

If you think about it, and it shouldn't take too much thought.........Calzahge only fought TWICE at Light Heavyweight. 2 times. He should not be considered in any way, shape, or form to even be in the discussion!

Can someone tell me if I am wrong? He fought twice at LH. Can we now talk about Roy Jones Jr and how he ranks at heavyweight?

If joe only fought once at lh but looked like magic, better than prime jones, than calzaghe would be the best lh ever.

Since he looked very good but not on jones level or even close to jones level he aint a top lh.