Calzaghe vs Ward - Who wins?

[milpool]

It's interesting that when these Calzaghe v whoever thread comes up that there is a lot of love for Joe...

[mickey1975]

It's interesting that when these Calzaghe v whoever thread comes up that there is a lot of love for Joe...

That will increase over the years as all the good fighters get beat...

[Bard of Boxrec]

I'm not a massive fan of Calzaghe but I just feel his workrate would have been too much for Ward and Ward doesn't really have the power to make Joe think.

[Lenny]

The slickest fighter Calzaghe took on was 200 year old Bernard Hopkins and he arguably lost.

he took Hopkins to school.

Is throwing lots of slapping shots that miss and getting put on your arse in the process considered a schooling these days?
Really tough fight to score, depends on what you prefer. I had Hopkins winning but wouldn't argue with anyone that had it close either way. I also had Strum beating Macklin for instance, some punches should be more worthy than others, this isn't amateur boxing

[desperados]

Hopkins flooring Calzaghe was the only punch he landed in the fight. Rounds 2-12 he tried to spoil his way out of the fight and got outworked for his trouble. The fight wasn't close. Calzaghe outlanded Hopkins by over 100 punches. It was a schooling.

[Finn]

Hopkins flooring Calzaghe was the only punch he landed in the fight. Rounds 2-12 he tried to spoil his way out of the fight and got outworked for his trouble. The fight wasn't close. Calzaghe outlanded Hopkins by over 100 punches. It was a schooling.

Hopkins knew he couldnt outland Calzaghe so opted to try and spoil, cheat, out fox and then beat calzaghe in the clinches and on the break. His and Roaches mistake was underestimating Calzaghes ability to adapt and use his hand speed to still outland an opponent. Hopkins had no plan B if he had started boxing properly calzaghe would have outpointed him with ease. He used the best game plan available but it wasnt good enough. I think it was a close fight but only because of Cortez's farce of a job at reffing the fight. If calzaghe had lost it would have been a travesty. Calzaghe should have then stuck around for another 3 fights instead of just fighting RJJ, he should have taken pavlik then moved onto guys like tarver, pascal, cloud or dawson, he would have then cemented his legacy rather than it being discredited by guys on the other side of the pond.

Bottom line of the Calzaghe v Hopkins fight is - Hopkins was landed on more in that fight that any other fight he had ever been in.

[Lenny]

Calzaghe outlanded Hopkins by over 100 punches. It was a schooling.

Yay, punchstats, whoop whoop!!!

[Final round]

I've revisted that fight a couple of times and it doesn't get any better upon repeated viewings. At the time I couldn't believe Hopkins produced such a foul display of spoiling , wingeing and feigning low blows and he still almost won the fight. Let alone the white boy jibe made him look and even bigger cock. Then he slapped up Pavlik and looked exciting in the process

[desperados]

Calzaghe outlanded Hopkins by over 100 punches. It was a schooling.

Yay, punchstats, whoop whoop!!!

punch stats > uhm.... fouling, moaning, clinching and everything bar fighting

[thomasjkelley]

Although I hate talking theoretics when it comes to boxing match ups, I don't mind when fans with an open mind want to have an honest discussion about what would have been. Tell me a prime RJ Jr. would have boxed circles around Calzaghe or Ali would have dribbled both Klitschkos in one night, then I don't want to get involved in your fantasies. Anyhow, here is my opinion. Being an American, I will not be telling you that Calzaghe would get the best of Andre Ward, I simply cannot do that. However, if you watch the Kessler/Ward fight 2 or 3 times, you will notice that there was a lot more going on than Ward out boxing Kessler 7 rds to 3, 8-2 or however it was scored. Ward has never fought like that in his life, nothing even remotely close in his career. I don't want to hear that Ward was cheating though. If you want to say he got favorable refereeing, then I would concede. But after two rounds, it became Kessler's fault for not adjusting & playing roughhouse back. I digress. As I was saying, something about Kessler kept Ward from fighting a gentlemen's fight (you know what I'm saying). Ward did not want to trade punches with Kessler, he didn't even want to box with him. He felt their was danger in letting the chips fall where they may. Calzaghe on the other hand, did the opposite; which he did against all opponents. Joe knew he could beat you at your own game, no matter what the heck it was, he didn't care. Never played it safe, did Calzaghe. So in ending...... Andre Ward, UD 120-108, x3.....

[lefty]

waht hopkins and Kessler have done since calzaghe beat them has done wonders to show how good calzaghe was,

Everyones always looking for a new Supersatr and Ward as good as hes looked has alot still to do and hopefully will be in some more big fights.

i would pick Calzaghe to win this mythical Bout

Yeah but on the flipside Ward dominated Kessler and knocked out Chad dawson who beat Hopkins.

[lefty]

Im gonna go against the majority and say Ward. As ugly as his style is to watch at times, I think some people vastly underrate him.

[Final round]

I actually thought Ward's stoppage of Dawson was an exciting performance and he was pretty damn impressive neutralising Froch. Boring as hell at other times though.

[ALI]

Since were talking hypothetically, here's another question: would Calzaghe have taken a fight with Ward if he had been around during his time?

I'd say no.

[lefty]

Since were talking hypothetically, here's another question: would Calzaghe have taken a fight with Ward if he had been around during his time?

I'd say no.

I agree

[jamesmcdonnell]

Quite possibly not - he didn't even want to face Lacy, and had to be talked into it, and never wanted to give Reid a rematch. Calzaghe didn't like counterpunchers, and Ward is one of the best.

I don't think we've even seen the best of Ward yet, he's barely been tested - and he's still improving.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Hopkins flooring Calzaghe was the only punch he landed in the fight. Rounds 2-12 he tried to spoil his way out of the fight and got outworked for his trouble. The fight wasn't close. Calzaghe outlanded Hopkins by over 100 punches. It was a schooling.

I scored it a draw....Calzaghe's work was very ineffectual, he barely landed a clean shot, but Hopkins did eff all too, it was a terrible fight. Calzaghe won on workrate, and because the judges detested the negative work from Hopkins.

[Lenny]

Quite possibly not - he didn't even want to face Lacy, and had to be talked into it, and never wanted to give Reid a rematch. Calzaghe didn't like counterpunchers, and Ward is one of the best.

I don't think we've even seen the best of Ward yet, he's barely been tested - and he's still improving.

Which is why I can't believe some people still think he'll make a comeback? Great fighter and very brave once in the ring - getting him there was a problem though

[warriorbox]

Quite possibly not - he didn't even want to face Lacy, and had to be talked into it, and never wanted to give Reid a rematch. Calzaghe didn't like counterpunchers, and Ward is one of the best.

I don't think we've even seen the best of Ward yet, he's barely been tested - and he's still improving.

Which is why I can't believe some people still think he'll make a comeback? Great fighter and very brave once in the ring - getting him there was a problem though

I don't think he'll make a comeback, I just wouldn't be surprised. Multi-million pound payday, and I think he is very dismissive of what Froch has done and his in-ring ability, so I think Calzaghe might arrogantly think it will be an easy nights work. I don't think he'll come back because he wants a challenge, that was never really his style.

[stujones]

I don't think Hopkins vs Calzaghe could ever be described as a Schooling.... the sheer panic on Enzo Calzaghe said it all.

Hell, even Joe said it could have gone either way (something he has never said pubically about the Rob Reid fight).

Out of the two if anyone was at the end of the schooling it was Joe, yes Joe might have outworked Hopkins, but Hopkins single shots were having more of an effect then Joe's mutliple cuffs and Hopkins finished most of the flurries when they did decide to make a fight of it with the final telling blow.

I aint saying Joe was schooled, but to say Hopkins was schooled is plain rediculous. As I said even Joe admitted to low blows and said it was razor tight.

[Trojans44]

My memory of the fight, even if Calzaghe actually did win it, was that the fight was dictated by Hopkins. It was fought at his pace and in his style. Calzaghe struggled big time and its obvious to me that a younger Hopkins would've outclassed him.

Translate that over to Ward and you have a guy arguably even more awkward and difficult to hit, a terrific counter puncher and excellent ring general. Absolutely no chance Calzaghe would beat him. He'd be completely dominated simailar to how Froch was.

For the same token Calzaghe would've drubbed Froch and again I think that is so blindingly obvious that it amazes me people think otherwise.

[Finn]

My memory of the fight, even if Calzaghe actually did win it, was that the fight was dictated by Hopkins. It was fought at his pace and in his style. Calzaghe struggled big time and its obvious to me that a younger Hopkins would've outclassed him.

Translate that over to Ward and you have a guy arguably even more awkward and difficult to hit, a terrific counter puncher and excellent ring general. Absolutely no chance Calzaghe would beat him. He'd be completely dominated simailar to how Froch was.

For the same token Calzaghe would've drubbed Froch and again I think that is so blindingly obvious that it amazes me people think otherwise.

I think if hopkins had been younger he would have tried to box calzaghe and lost, it was the spoiling tactics that made it a close fight. If hopkins had boxed openly he would have had his ears boxed off and he knew it.

[Trojans44]

Can you direct me to any fight in Bernard Hopkins's entire career where he's had his 'ears boxed off'?

[n1ebf]

Would anyone want to return at 42, having been retired for 5 years and fight a physical beast like Froch?

Agree Joe would have boxed his ears off before he called it a day but that is one tough assignment for anybody with all that stacked against you.

I don't understand the thread title? Does he mean now cos if so that's a bit silly. The lb for lb first/ second best vs. a man 5 years into retirement.
I'd suggest Joe could do it. His talents wouldn't be eroded enough yet for him not to be able to hit Carl Froch and not get hit too much back.
But I don't think he'd risk the "0" because he'd be sick as a parrot after all this time undefeated. It wouldn't be a particularly envious task either.
I don't like this fight next weekend at all, neither man can outclass the other I don't think and they're basically both going to batter each other til somebody's body or will has had enough.