Benn: Joe in defeat would be at crossroads

Al Savani · Post by **Al Savani** » 10 Oct 2007, 05:40

Boxing legend Nigel Benn has said that if the unthinkable happens and current king Joe Calzaghe suffers defeat at the hands of Jermain Taylor-conqueror Kelly Pavlik next year, Calzaghe will be at a crossroads.

"If Joe lost a fight, which I can't see, the case would be this: he either dusts himself down and aims for titles or he calls it a day.

"If you're fighting, make sure you're fighting for titles, because if you're fighting for money you aren't going to get the money. When you're fighting for money you can get hurt."

Benn recalls his first loss to Michael Watson in Finsbury Park in 1989.

"Man, I thought the world was on my shoulders. I cried my eyes out.

"Now remember, two months earlier and HBO, who screened Hagler-Hearns and Mike Tyson, offered this lad from Illford £2million to fight in Wembley Stadium against pound-for-pound best Michael Nunn, saying highlights of my KO's would sell the fight.

"I turned it down because I went super-nova and wanted £3million.

"I picked myself up, dusted myself down and decided I wanted titles. Jorge Amparo had been in with the best, and when I physically felt my hand shatter on his head I knew that my first 22 opponents were nothing but Pedro's!

"Amparo was no Manuel Calvo, that's for sure. The only Pedro's I fought for the rest of my career were late subs and I couldn't get up for them.

"Joe has had his share of opponents he couldn't get up for, too, and has not showed his real self in many fights.

"But when he's been pushed by some of the Yank lads who came to have a go, he's responded and we've seen his repertoire. That's what he needs."

Benn also insists fighters must be wanting to fight for titles if they want to make money.

"The way you make money is you fight for titles, because you put it secondary. If you win titles, money will always follow.

"I had multi-million dollar fights with Leonard and Hearns lined up when a certain big mouth from Hove turned up.

"I didn't prepare like a champion because, and I hold my hands up to this, it had all got to my head again. Chris prepared like a champion.

"Did I learn my lesson? You bet I didn't. After McClellan, I turned down $10million to fight Roy Jones because I wanted $25million.

"But I still got in with Steve Collins a couple of times. I didn't walk away after the Watson defeat, like some do."

The Dark Destroyer says he can't be accused of avoiding anyone in his career but questions why Calzaghe hasn't gone Stateside.

"I fought everyone and never ducked anyone. No one else would get in with Watson, Eubank, Collins, Barkley and McClellan and no one gave me a hope against De Witt or when I went to Italy.

"I went in there to go to war to please the public.

"I was a professional boxer for less than 10 years, Joe has been a champion for 10 years and in that time, maybe at some point he should have packed his bags and gone away to America to try to force guys like Jones and Hopkins in with him.

"It's a shame, but that's the way it is. He's certainly the best British super-middleweight ever, though, and I've been saying that for years. I take my hat off to him."

Benn tells us that Calzaghe hasn't had it easy outside of the ropes either and how he deserves credit for this.

"Don't forget, he's been through a messy divorce and custody battle, this messes your head up.

"But he managed to put it behind him, beat it and get up for a tough guy like Lacy to do a number on him and earn his respect when people said he was going to get beaten."

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 10 Oct 2007, 06:14

For someone who wants to put boxing behind him, he's always got something to say about his old division!

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 10 Oct 2007, 06:46

Nigel said on TalkSport (radio) how he wished he was never a boxer and slated the sport (i was gutted), but then turns up at the Hatton/Castillo fight less than a couple of wks later..

i agree with him about Calzaghe, he has simply missed too many chances down the yrs and maybe it's too late to put it right now.. Kessler will go down as another Lacy-hype if Joe does a job on him, and rightly so because really what has this Kessler done..?? Siaca and Beyer were the two worst titlists in boxing..

thunderfromdownunder · Post by **thunderfromdownunder** » 10 Oct 2007, 08:49

Greg Nicholas wrote:Nigel said on TalkSport (radio) how he wished he was never a boxer and slated the sport (i was gutted), but then turns up at the Hatton/Castillo fight less than a couple of wks later..

i agree with him about Calzaghe, he has simply missed too many chances down the yrs and maybe it's too late to put it right now.. Kessler will go down as another Lacy-hype if Joe does a job on him, and rightly so because really what has this Kessler done..?? Siaca and Beyer were the two worst titlists in boxing..

Mundine, Lucas, Beyer and Andrade are better than joes last 4 opponents

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 10 Oct 2007, 09:42

Greg Nicholas wrote:Nigel said on TalkSport (radio) how he wished he was never a boxer and slated the sport (i was gutted), but then turns up at the Hatton/Castillo fight less than a couple of wks later..

i agree with him about Calzaghe, he has simply missed too many chances down the yrs and maybe it's too late to put it right now.. Kessler will go down as another Lacy-hype if Joe does a job on him, and rightly so because really what has this Kessler done..?? Siaca and Beyer were the two worst titlists in boxing..

I doubt it. If he loses to Joe, it would also matter HOW he lost to Joe. And he'd probably go on to win more world titles. Kessler has nothing to do with Lacy. To be honest, I think the loss hurts Joe a lot more because of all the fights he didn't get and because of the crap ones he has at times had. Whether you like 'em as title holders or not, Siaca and Beyer were top to world class opposition while Calzaghe has had no qualms about fighting fringe contenders so he can have more notches on his WBO belt. Also, add Andrade - who had a good win over the weekend - as a mandatory of all things & Mundine - who has world class skills - and this makes Joe's recent resume look pretty poor.

Matt W · Post by **Matt W** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:00

Am I the only one who detects a few digs at Hamed here? 'He was no Manual Calvo', and talk about coming back after Watson, which some don't do.

After Hamed criticising Benn's retirement against Collins it's no wonder he's having a dig.

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:26

Sir Ian Botham, well done Ian - Calzaghe and Hatton will have to be 50 ish, I would think, but they too will become Knights of the Garter without doubt for what they have achieved in boxing especially if they are involved in charity work as well.

STP · Post by **STP** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:34

Benn is a deep Christian, Hamed is a deep Muslim. They should do an exhibition - hell, that would Sell tickets! They'd do 500,000.

Apparently they almost got into proper scraps on a few occasions in the past, in Tenerife and at the Brit Awards.

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:44

Nigel said on TalkSport (radio) how he wished he was never a boxer and slated the sport (i was gutted), but then turns up at the Hatton/Castillo fight less than a couple of wks later..

Wow! I'm quite disappointed with Nigel for making such comments. What would Benn have been if hadn't have been a professional boxer, what direction would his life have taken?

I like Nigel, who was a highly entertaaining fighter, a real crowd pleaser who gave his all. However, it seems to me he's now trying his hardest to distance himself as much as possible for the sport. One wonders what will happen next? Will Benn become one of boxing critics in the future? The sport has enough of those, thanks!

Goping by comments like the quote above, anyone think Benn's boxing career was a big dull episode in his life. I argue that this cannot be the case.

Anyway, saying one thing about the sport, then turning up at a fight only a few days/weeks later, doesn't make sense. Either you're with or against the sport. Just like if you are a top calibre fighter, you're either committed or not. No messing about!

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:45

STP wrote:Benn is a deep Christian, Hamed is a deep Muslim. They should do an exhibition - hell, that would Sell tickets! They'd do 500,000.

Apparently they almost got into proper scraps on a few occasions in the past, in Tenerife and at the Brit Awards.

Wouldn't Hamed have an unfair weight advantage over Benn these days?

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:56

oliverfennell wrote:
STP wrote:Benn is a deep Christian, Hamed is a deep Muslim. They should do an exhibition - hell, that would Sell tickets! They'd do 500,000.

Apparently they almost got into proper scraps on a few occasions in the past, in Tenerife and at the Brit Awards.
Wouldn't Hamed have an unfair weight advantage over Benn these days?

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:56

oliverfennell wrote:
STP wrote:Benn is a deep Christian, Hamed is a deep Muslim. They should do an exhibition - hell, that would Sell tickets! They'd do 500,000.

Apparently they almost got into proper scraps on a few occasions in the past, in Tenerife and at the Brit Awards.
Wouldn't Hamed have an unfair weight advantage over Benn these days?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 10 Oct 2007, 10:58

Matt W wrote:Am I the only one who detects a few digs at Hamed here? 'He was no Manual Calvo', and talk about coming back after Watson, which some don't do.

After Hamed criticising Benn's retirement against Collins it's no wonder he's having a dig.

If Hamed criticised Benn for quitting, then he's a bigger arsehole than I thought he was. Benn went to hell and back several times in his career, Hamed got defeated once, and then that once that planet sized ego of his was punctured, couldn't recover from it.

What a tool!

I respect Hamed's achievements as a figther, but outside the ring he makes himself look like a classless buffoon.

Crew2 · Post by **Crew2** » 10 Oct 2007, 11:03

Personally think Nigel is going abit bonkers these last few years, obviously the religious stuff ( though I dont judge anyone ), this strange love affair with Ricky Hatton ( which seems quite unhealthy because he hasnt had a bad word to say about him while plenty for Naz, Eubank, Calzaghe, Roy Jones & everyone else ), suddenly turning on allegedly on the Calzaghe docu, saying he was Satans right hand man, selling his belts after seeing McLellan, praising himself for fighting Jorge Amparo, etc. Though I agree with alot of what he says here.

Miuna · Post by **Miuna** » 10 Oct 2007, 11:22

Arum talked up a Nunn-Benn fight in an interview for ITV's Boxings year end show of 1988... looking now, it's abit crazy because it was Benns second year as a pro! Nigel was absolutely flying back then, was W.B.C #4 after the Noel fight, always remember a haired Steve Bunce leaping up after the left-hook ko to Noel ala Hatton-Maussa, it was on B.B.C for some reason

Matt W · Post by **Matt W** » 10 Oct 2007, 12:19

Matt W wrote:.

If Hamed criticised Benn for quitting, then he's a bigger arsehole than I thought he was. Benn went to hell and back several times in his career, Hamed got defeated once, and then that once that planet sized ego of his was punctured, couldn't recover from it.

What a tool!

I respect Hamed's achievements as a figther, but outside the ring he makes himself look like a classless buffoon.[/quote]

If memory serves Hamed said something along the lines that you could cut both of his arms of and he'd still be fighting. To be fair, when he was in there he showed heart - Kelley & Sanchez fights stand out - but given how his career petered out the criticism of Benn looks very silly.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 10 Oct 2007, 12:34

Hamed can say if you did this and that, he'd still be fighting, but... he isn't still fighting, is he.

m1kee50 · Post by **m1kee50** » 10 Oct 2007, 12:45

Rocky Balboa wrote:
oliverfennell wrote:
STP wrote:Benn is a deep Christian, Hamed is a deep Muslim. They should do an exhibition - hell, that would Sell tickets! They'd do 500,000.

Apparently they almost got into proper scraps on a few occasions in the past, in Tenerife and at the Brit Awards.
Wouldn't Hamed have an unfair weight advantage over Benn these days?

Benn would have every other advantage tho, Heart not the least. Man was a true warrior

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 10 Oct 2007, 12:48

Matt W wrote:
Matt W wrote:.
If Hamed criticised Benn for quitting, then he's a bigger arsehole than I thought he was. Benn went to hell and back several times in his career, Hamed got defeated once, and then that once that planet sized ego of his was punctured, couldn't recover from it.

What a tool!

I respect Hamed's achievements as a figther, but outside the ring he makes himself look like a classless buffoon.

If memory serves Hamed said something along the lines that you could cut both of his arms of and he'd still be fighting. To be fair, when he was in there he showed heart - Kelley & Sanchez fights stand out - but given how his career petered out the criticism of Benn looks very silly.[/quote]

It was clear watching both those Collins fights, than Benn was badly shopworn. His balance looked shot to shit, and he kept stumbling forward when he threw shots. As I recall, wasn't Benn pulled out by his own corner in one of those fights?

Hamed had all the big talk, but once he lost, he shrivelled up and blew away to a chorus of boos against Calvo.

If Hamed loved to fight as much as he claimed, he would have made a go of it, he was definetly young enough to come back from the Barrera defeat, but his ego was shot to shite.

jimmy the gent · Post by **jimmy the gent** » 10 Oct 2007, 13:51

in fairness to hamed he had obviously fallen out of love with the sport by then. He had made forty odd million, so why carry on if the hunger isn't there any more.

IMO they both showed tons of heart in their careers and have eff all to prove to anyone.

whiskey · Post by **whiskey** » 10 Oct 2007, 14:11

I liked and enjoyed both careers.

To be honest they both have a squillian quid so they dont care much either !

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 10 Oct 2007, 14:20

search wrote:been should shut up. who gives a flying eff about nigel benn now? certainly not me. he should shut up as regards current boxing.

on the other hand calzaghe is a complete joke in my opinion.

20 defences and who has he fought?

lacy is the only name on his record even he scraped past typsko i believe (correct me if im wrong).

calzaghe did his best to avoid roy jones as he would have recieved a splendid hiding which i would have enjoyed. hopkins, tarver, johnson, toney, Nunn, Winky, mccallum would all have beaten calzaghe. i could go on.

calzaghe isn't even in their league.

can you honestly see him even testing a prime roy jones. anyone besides the tedious max on this board who is a complete prat by all accounts.

to be honest, this board is nothing more than garbage and of course there will be replies from people saying calzaghe would have beaten jones and hopkins

what can i say, most of you dumb brits even think hatton will beat PBF

talk about idiots

Troll off mate. You're boring, go and play with the other illiterates on the current forum, nobody here can be bothered to take your juvenile rantings to heart.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 10 Oct 2007, 14:49

You don't fit in anywhere as you are a moron.

Well seeing as I cannot recal a single person on here saying that Calzaghe would have beaten Roy Jones, you are clearly, as usual talking shite, Calzaghe himself even admitted he wouldn't have beaten Jones in his prime, so what are you on about. Show me one quote on here of someone saying he would have beaten Jones.....

As for Hatton, he has as good a chance of anyone out there of winning, but I'm sure if you conducted a poll on here, most people would make Floyd favourite.

So your point is?

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 10 Oct 2007, 15:02

search wrote:been should shut up. who gives a flying eff about nigel benn now? certainly not me. he should shut up as regards current boxing.

on the other hand calzaghe is a complete joke in my opinion.

20 defences and who has he fought?

lacy is the only name on his record even he scraped past typsko i believe (correct me if im wrong).

calzaghe did his best to avoid roy jones as he would have recieved a splendid hiding which i would have enjoyed. hopkins, tarver, johnson, toney, Nunn, Winky, mccallum would all have beaten calzaghe. i could go on.

calzaghe isn't even in their league.

can you honestly see him even testing a prime roy jones. anyone besides the tedious max on this board who is a complete prat by all accounts.

to be honest, this board is nothing more than garbage and of course there will be replies from people saying calzaghe would have beaten jones and hopkins

what can i say, most of you dumb brits even think hatton will beat PBF

talk about idiots

You favoured Lacy to win at the time too.

No you couldn't go on, out of that shitty list only Jones Is reasonably favoured over Calzaghe. I din't say Joe would beat him I said a 50/50 either way you paddy mongloid.

Winky lol? Wouldn't he be considered a blown up light middle?

Johnson can;t even throw straights without sounding like he needs a shit Is so slow.

fornicating paddy can;t respect anyone.

You ain't even In my Intellectual league, I would make sweet love to you In any real debate. I would Lacy you even.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 10 Oct 2007, 15:05

What Roy Jones are we talking about anyway? A clean one or Roid Jones?