Calzaghe Documentary

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 13 Oct 2006, 05:01

I enjoyed the programme, but it just served to confirm that JC will be quickly forgotten when he retires.

He's a nice enough guy, but he is too much of a 'homie'.

His father is demanding that Joe should be respected & that if he was American, he'd be bigger than Ali!

Nonsense!

As good as Joe is, he did not face any opponents anywhere near the quality of what Ali faced, he lacks the personality that Ali had & he doesn't even really register on the boxing Richter scale, yet alone have any impact outside of boxing!

I'm a big fan of JC's ability, but I'm afraid he missed the boat big time.

He should have gone on the road in 1998 & pitched up in the USA & demanded to fight all the big boys of the day.

RJJ aside,I think he could of beaten them all & he'd probably be a legend today.

punchers chance · Post by **punchers chance** » 13 Oct 2006, 05:43

Decent programme.

Calzaghe came across as expected. Someone who likes his own surroundings, isn’t big on playing the media game yet he has that streak of arrogance and unshakeable conviction that great performers need.

I thought the US interviewees were largely a waste of airtime, particularly Thomas Hauser’s comments on the WBO which were irrelevant to the programme and the journalist from Boston who seemed half pissed & suggested Calzaghe should fight with a broken hand just to get US exposure.

It was interesting to see how well Eubank & Benn get on these days, too.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 13 Oct 2006, 06:24

Watched the Eurosport boxing instead, Branco looked decent in beating Sica.

I hope to catch the Saturday repeat, but I've got a meeting in Stratford so I will be bombing down the various motorways to try and catch it.

Its not on the TV guide beyond Saturday.

assassin · Post by **assassin** » 13 Oct 2006, 06:35

think this documentary confirms a lot of why Calzaghe isn't the big name in sport that anyone other than fight fans feels he should be.

The guy has lived and breathed his whole career through a small town mentality in South Wales and his personality and character have inevitably been shaped by that even with his substantial natural talent for boxing.

He seems to be a laid back down to earth guy whose talent and achievements have never left behind his humble background. Unfortunately, this has left him without the street smarts, life experience and worldly wisdom that developes personality, character and wit. Hence the hamfisted remark about the Sports Personality thingy. Benn and Eubank have grown up in very different circumstances and have lived through very different formative years. That has obviously made them who they are. He is an excellent boxer who felt that the mountain should come to Mohammed, but that is naive in the extreme.

The documentary showed the contrast in the lowkey lifestyle of Calzaghe and the hype and razzmatazz that is part of the American boxing machine (boxers, promoters and journalists). One wonders if he had dipped his toes early enough, and fought there, whether he may have adjusted to the experience and learned how to navigate his way through the BS or whether he is just intimidated by it.

What an excellent post, exactly my thoughts but expressed better than i could have managed!!
Good documentary as well

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 13 Oct 2006, 09:58

SticknMove wrote:I think this documentary confirms a lot of why Calzaghe isn't the big name in sport that anyone other than fight fans feels he should be.

The guy has lived and breathed his whole career through a small town mentality in South Wales and his personality and character have inevitably been shaped by that even with his substantial natural talent for boxing.

He seems to be a laid back down to earth guy whose talent and achievements have never left behind his humble background. Unfortunately, this has left him without the street smarts, life experience and worldly wisdom that developes personality, character and wit. Hence the hamfisted remark about the Sports Personality thingy. Benn and Eubank have grown up in very different circumstances and have lived through very different formative years. That has obviously made them who they are. He is an excellent boxer who felt that the mountain should come to Mohammed, but that is naive in the extreme.

The documentary showed the contrast in the lowkey lifestyle of Calzaghe and the hype and razzmatazz that is part of the American boxing machine (boxers, promoters and journalists). One wonders if he had dipped his toes early enough, and fought there, whether he may have adjusted to the experience and learned how to navigate his way through the BS or whether he is just intimidated by it.

BTW Honeyghan looks like he's feeding much more on Curry today than he did against Donald. And jeez that is saying something.

Best post I have read on here for a while, thought provoking! Hadn't really thought about it like that but I think you are right.

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 13 Oct 2006, 12:03

I enjoyed the documentry. However, some of the comments made by Enzo Calzaghe were laughable: "If Joe were american, he'd be bigger than Ali".

I hope Joe does fight in America before he retires & against top-opposition, but I am not optimistic of this happening. I do not agree with those who feel Calzaghe at his best would have beaten Roy Jones at his. Sorry, no way!

I also feel Hopkins would have too much for Joe. Even now, if they were to fight at LHW, I'd back Bernard to win. Apart from them, Joe would have probably beaten the likes of Benn, Eubank, Watson, Collins etc.

On the programme, there was all talk of how Hopkins, Jones priced themselves out of a fight with Joe. However, we must remember that they would have probably had to have come to the UK for the fight. So maybe they were not offered enough when you take this into consideration!

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 15 Oct 2006, 07:39

Rocky Balboa wrote:I enjoyed the documentry. However, some of the comments made by Enzo Calzaghe were laughable: "If Joe were american, he'd be bigger than Ali". !

Yes I noticed that as well. A truely ridiculous statement. I enjoyed a lot of the documentary and thought it was very well made etc, but I just coudn't get on with a lot of Enzo Calzaghes comments to be honest, but I suppose he unlike us is looking at Joe throught fathers eyes.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 15 Oct 2006, 08:07

What I found most interesting about the documentary (I did catch it) was the footage of Joe as an amateur. With his defensive weakness', I've often wondered how he achieved the things he did as an amateur. I got my answer - his power looked awesome as an amateur.

Its the first time I have seen amateur footage of Joe, it was impressive.

I don't know what his weight was in 1992, but I do think Enzo had a point. Joe could well have been an Olympic medalist.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 15 Oct 2006, 09:28

Does anyone know the full story of why Calzaghe was not picked for the Olympic team?

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 15 Oct 2006, 13:00

Good documentary I thought. Great to see the respect between Eubank and Benn is still there.

Calzaghe came across quite well, seems he's not into all the media nonsense which I take to, he wants to be a boxer not a 'celebrity'

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 15 Oct 2006, 18:19

Rocky Balboa wrote:I enjoyed the documentry. However, some of the comments made by Enzo Calzaghe were laughable: "If Joe were american, he'd be bigger than Ali".

I hope Joe does fight in America before he retires & against top-opposition, but I am not optimistic of this happening. I do not agree with those who feel Calzaghe at his best would have beaten Roy Jones at his. Sorry, no way!

I also feel Hopkins would have too much for Joe. Even now, if they were to fight at LHW, I'd back Bernard to win. Apart from them, Joe would have probably beaten the likes of Benn, Eubank, Watson, Collins etc.

On the programme, there was all talk of how Hopkins, Jones priced themselves out of a fight with Joe. However, we must remember that they would have probably had to have come to the UK for the fight. So maybe they were not offered enough when you take this into consideration!

Yes, we should always take debates over pricing things out with a pinch of salt without the views of both parties - especially as no exact figures were mentioned. We don't know how much Joe was asking, did he feel he justified equal pay, were Jones/Hopkins' figures not making financial sense even if Joe would take the fight for nout.

Steve Collins went to the negotation tables with Jones and came out saying Jones was scared - Jones revealed how much Collins wanted to get paid it soon became apparent that he was equally to blame.... Same with Nigel Benn, he had a figure in his head were he would fight Jones, but it wasn't doable and Benn sort of new it.... Had it been accepted, Benn would have fought - he would also be laughing out loud all the way to the bank.

I agree with what Benn was saying pretty much everytime. While Joe came across well, I did get the impression that money is a bigger passion (especially after the divorce) than boxing. As Benn said, sometimes you might have to take a pay cut, to get the big fight and to springboard yourself to the next level.

Eubank talking about Calzaghe advertising "your bubble gum and things" cracked me up.

JC · Post by JC » 16 Oct 2006, 07:40

A telling moment for me was when Calzaghe claimed one of the reasons he did not get the same respect as Eubank and Benn was that he had no big rivalries in his career as they did, but this was not his fault because he had been "so far ahead of the competition."

I found this strange considering after a close fight with Ried, many thought could have gone either way, the rematch never materialised. This for me is the key difference between Joe's career and say Benn's, Benn believed he was the best and was willing to do whatever it took to proove that. Calzaghe has been more content to claim he's the best rather than actually make the fights that would remove any doubt.

Incidentally I feel Calzaghe was better than Ried but Robin might have won one fight in a trilogy, but sadly we'll never know.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 16 Oct 2006, 07:58

J-C wrote:A telling moment for me was when Calzaghe claimed one of the reasons he did not get the same respect as Eubank and Benn was that he had no big rivalries in his career as they did, but this was not his fault because he had been "so far ahead of the competition."

I found this strange considering after a close fight with Ried, many thought could have gone either way, the rematch never materialised. This for me is the key difference between Joe's career and say Benn's, Benn believed he was the best and was willing to do whatever it took to proove that. Calzaghe has been more content to claim he's the best rather than actually make the fights that would remove any doubt.

Incidentally I feel Calzaghe was better than Ried but Robin might have won one fight in a trilogy, but sadly we'll never know.

Good point, and how can Joe ever say he was so far ahead of the rest - when over the pond was Roy Jones.... who was so far ahead of the rest.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 16 Oct 2006, 10:02

Interesting to see his home life, although the doc maker strangely didn't seem to have a CLUE about boxing ( he's gob smacked when Enzo says Joe is ready a week before the Bika fight - well he f***ing should be! )

And yes, Joe and Enzo are just as down to earth world class boxing team as you'll ever see. Looked like Enzo was living in the same house he'd always lived in. Small semi with a small garden - he must be pretty well off by now ( I hope ) but good for him. No frills and no doubt a fantastic boxing trainer.

And you have to forgive him the Ali comment - he's talking about his own son there, and we all make throw away comments at times, just his are caught on TV.