Steve Collins laid into Joe Calzaghe yesterday!

STP · Post by **STP** » 27 May 2007, 04:14

From RTE

“I like Joe, he's a nice, shy guy and all that. But he still hasn't fought anybody. He just hasn't fought anyone!

“The fact that Robin Reid and Omar Sheika are considered two of his best wins says it all. I knew (Jeff) Lacy stood no chance having seen him at the MEN Arena struggling for his life with Don Wiggins.”

“Joe Calzaghe meant nothing. I came back from holiday and suddenly he was the challenger for my title, this guy who had hardly even been on TV.

“There was no way I could get motivated for a guy who meant nothing.”

“Joe wouldn't have been an easy fight but he only looks great against guys who charge at him.

“I'd have waited for him and that's where he struggles, where straight punches will get there before wide punches.

“He gets low and throws punches in the clinch and there's where I want him.

“I'm smarter than him, I'd have known when to release some punches, went to grab that left arm and when to wrestle my way out of clinches and release some more.

“I'd have got rounds in the bag, frustrated him, rallied late and stopped him.

“I was too strong for him but the case was that I could only get motivated for Roy Jones at that point - Joe wasn't a payday.

“He has that hard winging left hand of course, but if the Bodysnatcher's left hooks to the ribcage couldn't stop me alnight and Nigel Benn's best left hook couldn't blink my eyelid then what could Calzaghe do to tame me?

“To this day, he's still unproven and really didn't mean a lot until last year. But I like Joe, he's one of the nicer guys.”

“If you want to compare the Eubank fights, there's no comparison. Joe was struggling for his life against a Chris who took the fight and had to lose 20-lbs in a week.

“I thoroughly outboxed Chris at Millstreet and lost two or three rounds. Even when he knocked me down, I had a huge grin on my face before I even hit the deck and was looking over at Freddie King laughing.

“Remember this was Eubank at his physical peak, no complains of being weight drained with the Board of Control monitoring his weight and no excuses of having fought six weeks earlier on the 'World Tour' of Britain and Ireland.

“Of course I won 10 or 11 rounds by a landslide in the second (Eubank) fight, which is crystal clear proof that I can (/could) work more effectively on the offensive than Joe.

“Joe has fought some tough fights like Kabary Salem, Byron Mitchell, Evans Ashira and Sakio Bika but if Nigel Benn was in the opposite corner on those nights then I daren't think what might have happened!”

lurkyshaka · Post by **lurkyshaka** » 27 May 2007, 04:21

Collins ought to shut his mouth.

He had the chance to fight Calzaghe years ago but declined the fight and retired. Funny how he gets brave years later when he knows there is no chance he'll ever have to share a ring with Calzaghe. Calzaghe would have spanked Collins back then and he'd have spanked the prime Collins aswell.

thepocketrocket · Post by **thepocketrocket** » 27 May 2007, 04:31

Cant really argue too much with the points hes made...go Steve O!!

m1kee50 · Post by **m1kee50** » 27 May 2007, 04:34

thepocketrocket wrote:Cant really argue too much with the points hes made...go Steve O!!

yeah but it has no more weight than anything we have said on here - Collins has his own questions over him as do ALL FIGHTERS.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 27 May 2007, 04:39

Lol Collins said a while back "I rate Joe Calzaghe very highly- just not as highly as Me, Nigel, Chris, Roy Jones and Mike McCallum.. He's not part of the Fab Five!".. funny guy..

STP · Post by **STP** » 27 May 2007, 05:01

Yep he definitely ducked Calzaghe. No argument, just plain ducked him.

STP · Post by **STP** » 27 May 2007, 05:03

Greg Nicholas wrote:Lol Collins said a while back "I rate Joe Calzaghe very highly- just not as highly as Me, Nigel, Chris, Roy Jones and Mike McCallum.. He's not part of the Fab Five!".. funny guy..

Collins is an IDIOT.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 27 May 2007, 05:29

Collins obviously doesn't look at his own record too well.

But good on him for echoing what a lot of ppl think about Joe.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 27 May 2007, 08:06

“I thoroughly outboxed Chris at Millstreet and lost two or three rounds. Even when he knocked me down, I had a huge grin on my face before I even hit the deck and was looking over at Freddie King laughing"

Bullshit. Eubank should have finished Collins off when he had him over, he was hurt.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 27 May 2007, 08:10

Collins was absolutely out of it after Eubank dropped him with that massive right.

lowersmiths · Post by **lowersmiths** » 27 May 2007, 08:12

looks like collins' ego has got the better of him!

they are both WBO boys, which is all that needs to be said on the matter.

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 27 May 2007, 08:15

he must have been reading these forums and got upset

caster · Post by **caster** » 27 May 2007, 09:02

Collins was always very perceptive and intelligent, and his opinion (IMO)
deserves respect.

I rate Calzaghe highly but, for me, he's lost credibility by taking on people like Pete Manfredo.

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 27 May 2007, 09:36

Collins is correct, but he has to be careful when he slates JC, as he had the chance to fight him, although I do understand the motivation aspect of it.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 27 May 2007, 09:56

Bit out of the blue this attack from Collins but most of what he says is right

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 May 2007, 11:02

Collins is a ginger prat with bad breath!... Chris Eubank said as much about him and he was right!.... who did Collins actually beat besides a past it Benn and Eubank??.... at least Calzaghes never needed to be hypnotised before his fights!!...

Coco · Post by **Coco** » 27 May 2007, 11:07

The criticisms he levelled at JC are generally fair and hve been echoing many people's seniments.

However Steve let himself down when he brought himself into the argument saying JC was nothing, couldn't get motivated, would have stopped him etc

Collins prefered to retire and vacate his title when he had this easy fight coming up!

The fact is Collins realised he was being brought into lose, he knew JC was a real good fighter, the Irishman wasn't getting paid big money so he felt the risk/reward ratio was not big enough.

In his heart the Irishman knew that if the likes of Craig Cummings could floor him in his previous fight, Calzaghe would have finished him.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 27 May 2007, 11:09

I thought It was because of blacking out In sparring that he declined to fight Joe not motivational problems?

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 May 2007, 11:33

God knows I've critcised Calzaghe myself and he's hardly my favourite fighter but Collins comments are cheap shots considering that he ducked Joe himself... the truth is that Collins style would have been made for Calzaghe and Collins probably knew that... Collins is letting himself down with all the talk he keeps giveing lately about who he spanked in sparring and what he would have done to Calzaghe (had he not ducked him!!

) ...I'm still waiting though, for him to tell us the one about how Howard Eastman koed him in the gym when he was wearing a headgaurd and big gloves!!

8)

Carbo · Post by **Carbo** » 27 May 2007, 11:34

Collins and his style would have been made for Joe. Collins is right that Joe looks at his best when people charge at him, but at his peak, when he was in the limelight and fighting Benn and Eubank, isn' that exactly how he fought?

I reall think that Steve has gone over the top. For sure, it would have been a quality match and a hard fought encounter for both men, but Joe has the fitness to live with Collins, and I think the style match-ups favour Joe, too.

And another thing. Fab five? Mcallum, Jones, ermmmmm..... Collins?? Pah. Surely there was a reason that Collins and Eubank never went near the American bunch. They could make a fortune fighting each other here, and they had more chance against each other than they did against peak Toney, Jones, Nunn, and a past it McCallum.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 May 2007, 11:46

Calzaghe would have been too quick for Collins and he was that bit more skilled as well. Collins always seems to overlook the fact that most of the top guys he fought were on their way down when he got them... and even then some of them, like Kalambay, still beat him handily....
Collins was a good fighter but he'd get far more respect if he behaved with more class...

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 27 May 2007, 11:50

Quite honestly I cant understand why Collins made this statement - He had his chance to prove himself against Calzaghe and clearly ducked the fight - I think its some sort of attempt at trying to be remembered in boxing history as being better than he was and better than Calzaghe - Benn and Eubank were far better than Collins in their prime and funnily enough both fighters have the highest respect for Joe and think his record is good - All this shit about Lacy from him and others narks me - Look the fact is hardly anyone even Joes most ardent fans expected him to beat Lacy never mind overwhelm and dominate him - Now people slag off Lacy and say he wasnt that good which is why Calzaghe did a number on him - The truth is Lacy was good but Joe proved to be that much better and very worthy of the top spot - I will go round and round in ever decreasing circles and dissapear up my own fundamental orrofice if Joe doesnt beat the best before retiring and Kessler will be one of them.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 May 2007, 12:04

wildwaylon wrote:Quite honestly I cant understand why Collins made this statement - He had his chance to prove himself against Calzaghe and clearly ducked the fight - I think its some sort of attempt at trying to be remembered in boxing history as being better than he was and better than Calzaghe - Benn and Eubank were far better than Collins in their prime and funnily enough both fighters have the highest respect for Joe and think his record is good - All this shit about Lacy from him and others narks me - Look the fact is hardly anyone even Joes most ardent fans expected him to beat Lacy never mind overwhelm and dominate him - Now people slag off Lacy and say he wasnt that good which is why Calzaghe did a number on him - The truth is Lacy was good but Joe proved to be that much better and very worthy of the top spot - I will go round and round in ever decreasing circles and dissapear up my own fundamental orrofice if Joe doesnt beat the best before retiring and Kessler will be one of them.

I'm not one to boast but I did actually pick Joe to beat Lacy, who I always thought was overhyped and limited, that said though I didnt think Joe would destroy him like he did!... its just a real shame that he hasnt gone on to build on that fight like he could have. As for Collins he comes across as rather bitter sadly and is probably insecure about his own legacy... which is a shame because he had a good career and has nothing to be ashamed about... but he's making himself look silly with all the things he;s been saying lately... reminds me a bit of an old actress running down the modern day actresses....

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 27 May 2007, 12:11

Autobarn wrote:Collins was absolutely out of it after Eubank dropped him with that massive right.

Apparently not.

According to Collins, once Eubank connected Steve contemplated the meaning of life as the ref began his count and had just composed the first few chapters of a thesis on the subject as the count reached 5. Steve still had 3 seconds left in which he mused over a few possible solutions to world debt & famine before continuing on with the bout as if nothing had happened.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 27 May 2007, 13:48

Utter horse shit, Collins was very limited and Joe Calzaghe (especially then, when he was super-hungry) would have boxed his head off....