Calzaghe to retire in 2008

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 29 Oct 2007, 11:29

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/2007/10/2 ... -20027154/

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 29 Oct 2007, 12:33

Absolutely makes sense, if he beats Kessler he has nothing left to prove - If he doesnt will he be looking for a rematch?

boxerbob · Post by **boxerbob** » 29 Oct 2007, 13:28

nothing more to prove?????

who has he fought in those 20 title defences that was in thier prime and real world class???????

lacy was it and look what he has done since.

calzage should have went to america 5-7 years ago but was more than happy to beat the stiffs warren put in front of him.

at least hamed and hatton got fed up beating stiffs and went to america to beat the best.

calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 29 Oct 2007, 13:58

What Americans where they at 12 stone to travel for?

Roy went to Light Heavyweight.

calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10

Talent wise, he can be No 1.

Coco · Post by **Coco** » 29 Oct 2007, 14:04

boxerbob wrote:nothing more to prove?????

who has he fought in those 20 title defences that was in thier prime and real world class???????

lacy was it and look what he has done since.

calzage should have went to america 5-7 years ago but was more than happy to beat the stiffs warren put in front of him.

at least hamed and hatton got fed up beating stiffs and went to america to beat the best.

calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10

Who r ur top 10 then??

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 29 Oct 2007, 14:43

bernard hopkins.

taylor-pavlik 2 winner.

lucien bute.

chad dawson.

there the best opponents available.

and in that order of importance.

i'd argue hopkins is the only one out there to really enhance his legacy.

pavlik is good but only just on the scene at top level.

same with taylor really although he's got those good results over hops and winky.

the other 2 look the strongest of the rest.

2 more big fights should do it for joe after kessler.

EddieShredder · Post by **EddieShredder** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:03

boxerbob wrote: calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10

I don't like Calzaghe, neither his personality, or as a boxer - for his unwillingness to face real competition and build himself a legacy. That said, he's undoubtedly one of the finest boxers we've produced, and talent wise is probably the best we have now, with only Hatton having a claim to that crown. To be honest... personality aside.... he infuriates me because he really could have been an all-time great. Jones Jr, and maybe Toney aside, he'd have beaten each and every super-middle of his era and gone down a legend. Unfortunetly he really doesn't seem bothered.

To say he's not even in a british top ten is one of the most rediculous posts i've ever read.

EddieShredder · Post by **EddieShredder** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:04

If he's just having 2 more fights after Kessler, provided he wins ofcourse, I'd say Hopkins is a must - thats the only fight which could improve his standing, and then Woods for his IBF in a massive all british affair.

Horse · Post by **Horse** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:23

EddieShredder wrote:If he's just having 2 more fights after Kessler, provided he wins ofcourse, I'd say Hopkins is a must - thats the only fight which could improve his standing, and then Woods for his IBF in a massive all british affair.

There are loads of fights that would improve his standing:
Light Heavyweight - Hopkins, Erdei, Dawson, Woods, Green, Jones Jr.
Super Middleweight - Froch, Bute, Mundine
Middleweight - Pavlik, Taylor, Abraham
Light Middleweight - Winky

boxerbob wrote:calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10

Do you mean all time? Because he surely gets in the current top 10.

EddieShredder · Post by **EddieShredder** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:26

Horse wrote:
EddieShredder wrote:If he's just having 2 more fights after Kessler, provided he wins ofcourse, I'd say Hopkins is a must - thats the only fight which could improve his standing, and then Woods for his IBF in a massive all british affair.
There are loads of fights that would improve his standing:
Light Heavyweight - Hopkins, Erdei, Dawson, Woods, Green, Jones Jr.
Super Middleweight - Froch, Bute, Mundine
Middleweight - Pavlik, Taylor, Abraham
Light Middleweight - Winky

boxerbob wrote:calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10
Do you mean all time? Because he surely gets in the current top 10.

When people look back on his career in years to come, I don't think beating a young Dawson (as good as he looks), Woods, Green, a faded Jones will make people consider him a great. Beating Hopkins would....
Same with Froch Bute or Mundine... and any of the others you mentioned. Don't get me wrong, they're fights i'd like to see, for sure.... but Hopkins is the only one which IMO will improve his standing in years to come.

Coco · Post by **Coco** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:26

Horse wrote:
EddieShredder wrote:If he's just having 2 more fights after Kessler, provided he wins ofcourse, I'd say Hopkins is a must - thats the only fight which could improve his standing, and then Woods for his IBF in a massive all british affair.
There are loads of fights that would improve his standing:
Light Heavyweight - Hopkins, Erdei, Dawson, Woods, Green, Jones Jr.
Super Middleweight - Froch, Bute, Mundine
Middleweight - Pavlik, Taylor, Abraham
Light Middleweight - Winky

boxerbob wrote:calzage best in the uk......my ass..he doesnt even get in the top 10
Do you mean all time? Because he surely gets in the current top 10.

Hopkins and perhaps the winner of Taylor-Pavlik are the only ones out of that list which will improve JC's standing

Horse · Post by **Horse** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:31

I don't think Calzaghe's standing is that great, so any big wins will improve his standing in my book.

I don't want him to fight Hopkins because it will probably be boring, and it will be a waste of one of his two remaining fights(If he really has only two more fights after Kessler).

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 29 Oct 2007, 15:59

Hopkins is an old spoiler. He shouldn't be given another big fight. Some of his recent showings (apart from Tarver) and he'd have been thrown out for not fighting in the ol' days...

Also, anyone who says "Taylor beating me has done me a favor - it guarantees me another big payday" is the pits.

josh fg · Post by **josh fg** » 29 Oct 2007, 16:18

I think Hopkins is a big name who has proved a lot in his carrer and both fighters reputations would be enhanced by fighting the other. However I think Calzaghe's reputation will be forever ruined for his refusal to fight the best fighters in the world when he has a chance, and is now too old to chainge that.

Horse · Post by **Horse** » 29 Oct 2007, 16:40

josh fg wrote:I think Hopkins is a big name who has proved a lot in his carrer and both fighters reputations would be enhanced by fighting the other. However I think Calzaghe's reputation will be forever ruined for his refusal to fight the best fighters in the world when he has a chance, and is now too old to chainge that.

It is not too late, but by only having two more fights he isn't allowing himself to change things that much. Fighting Hopkins is kind of a chicken move, and more of the same old calculated Calzaghe matchmaking if it happens.

boxerbob · Post by **boxerbob** » 30 Oct 2007, 08:27

these fighters in no order are all better fighters and beat better opponents than joe

hamed
hatton
lewis
benn
eubank
honeyghan
buchanan
wilde
lynch
turpin
graham
mcguigan

there are a lot more who i will add later as these are just the ones off the top of muy head.

if any of the above fought the guys joe fought , they too would have made 20 title defences

Horse · Post by **Horse** » 30 Oct 2007, 13:28

boxerbob wrote:these fighters in no order are all better fighters and beat better opponents than joe

hamed
hatton
lewis
benn
eubank
honeyghan
buchanan
wilde
lynch
turpin
graham
mcguigan

there are a lot more who i will add later as these are just the ones off the top of muy head.

if any of the above fought the guys joe fought , they too would have made 20 title defences

Will you still see it that way if Calzaghe beats Kessler?

josh fg · Post by **josh fg** » 30 Oct 2007, 13:38

Horse wrote:
josh fg wrote:I think Hopkins is a big name who has proved a lot in his carrer and both fighters reputations would be enhanced by fighting the other. However I think Calzaghe's reputation will be forever ruined for his refusal to fight the best fighters in the world when he has a chance, and is now too old to chainge that.
It is not too late, but by only having two more fights he isn't allowing himself to change things that much. Fighting Hopkins is kind of a chicken move, and more of the same old calculated Calzaghe matchmaking if it happens.

Hopkins looks like the man at light heavy and is a fighter who has dominated a devision, if his next two fights are a title unification against an undefeated fighter and a move up in weight against Hopkins who has a clame to be an all time great then that will do as much as any other fight out there. However him not fighting Ottke or any other champion until Lacy will always damage him.

EddieShredder · Post by **EddieShredder** » 30 Oct 2007, 13:51

Yep, until Lacy - Joe never actually defeated a reigning world champ did he? The WBO was vacant when he faught Eubank. Unbelievable. In fact, to this day then.... Joe has only defeated one reigning world champ

Horse · Post by **Horse** » 30 Oct 2007, 15:09

josh fg wrote:
Horse wrote:
josh fg wrote:I think Hopkins is a big name who has proved a lot in his carrer and both fighters reputations would be enhanced by fighting the other. However I think Calzaghe's reputation will be forever ruined for his refusal to fight the best fighters in the world when he has a chance, and is now too old to chainge that.
It is not too late, but by only having two more fights he isn't allowing himself to change things that much. Fighting Hopkins is kind of a chicken move, and more of the same old calculated Calzaghe matchmaking if it happens.
Hopkins looks like the man at light heavy and is a fighter who has dominated a devision, if his next two fights are a title unification against an undefeated fighter and a move up in weight against Hopkins who has a clame to be an all time great then that will do as much as any other fight out there. However him not fighting Ottke or any other champion until Lacy will always damage him.

Does Hopkins really look like the man at Light Heavyweight? He is not the linear champion, he doesn't have one of the big four belts and he has not shown that he is the best fighter in his division, so in my opinion he is not the man.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 30 Oct 2007, 17:35

boxerbob wrote:these fighters in no order are all better fighters and beat better opponents than joe

hamed
hatton
lewis
benn
eubank
honeyghan
buchanan
wilde
lynch
turpin
graham
mcguigan

there are a lot more who i will add later as these are just the ones off the top of muy head.

if any of the above fought the guys joe fought , they too would have made 20 title defences

Eubank was beaten by Joe and no doubt that those guys beat better names but they ain't better than Joe.

boxerbob · Post by **boxerbob** » 31 Oct 2007, 14:27

eubank was way past his best when he fought joe and had to loose 10lbs in a week to make the fight.

joe if he beats kessler still doesnt get in.

he should have went to denmark to fight him , he has always had home advantage

if he beat kessler in denmark then a few fighters in america then yes he is in the top 10 easy.

but he wont he knows he is limited and and feels out of place away from home

ps....the only guy he fought away from home was veit...a guy he knocked out in the first round in teh first fight....very brave joe

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 31 Oct 2007, 15:06

Not Joe's fault he was born a bit later or wasn't around when Chris was prime and Eubank didn't have to accept the fight.

Home advantage Is irrelevant as long as the opponents good.

He had to go to Germany because Kohl won the purse bids.

Limited, yeah right.

Tszyu and Castillo were past their best too yet Hatton's already In the top 10 for two wins when he hasn't even fought Floyd yet.

Double standards there.

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 31 Oct 2007, 15:12

The only reason to fight in America is money.

The old myth that fighters have to go there to be good is bull.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 31 Oct 2007, 15:25

Cannibal wrote:The only reason to fight in America is money.

This is the only motivating factor for Calzaghe and has been for a long time. He even said as much to Buncey.

The lad will be fighting until the pay cheques dry up - and why not? It's not as if he's getting bashed up.