BoxRec

According to the boxrec schedule, Akinwande and Platov will be going for a rematch at the end of this month.

I'm not against rematches if the first fight was decidedly dodgy, but I'm not sure what the need for this is. The fact 6 months have passed since their first fight seems to make it all the more bizarre. A waste of a year for everyone concerned as far as I'm concerned.

If The ole Octopus is serious about boxing then he has wasted his last useful years fighting on undercards in Germany.

Would it of been so hard to come to the states, boxed the obligatory points nod over a Dominic Guinn or Monte Barrett and got himself into the title frame?

What an idiot.

with Henry's reputation he probably would have find those fights very hard to come by, he probably earnt quite good money over in Germany.
His last chance with America was probably the McCall fight which he would have won if he could have survived that last round.

Would he have won? Dont know what the scorecards were but Henry boxed beautifully for 3 rds til McCall slammed a right hand into his jaw in the 4th. From that point on McCall was grinding him up and Akinwande spent the last 6 rds looking exhausted, smothering and throwing very few punches.

Haven't seen it since it happened, always thought Henry was a couple of points up going into the 10th although i'm prepared to be proved wrong.

I've watched it several times. For some some sick, worrying reason i'm a big fan of both and have been since the mid-90s.

Bye Bye Henry.....

His record looks impressive, but we know better.....

How do you mean? His list of victims is very respectable and he obviously was (is?) a talented boxer.

What if he hadn't vacated his WBO title? What if he had gone back to Nigeria and held it for 10 years, defending it twice a year against more of the Zolkins, Welchs, Norris's etc? Woudln't well all be calling him "a great" (or being told by the media he's great?)

overhand_right wrote:How do you mean? His list of victims is very respectable and he obviously was (is?) a talented boxer.

What if he hadn't vacated his WBO title? What if he had gone back to Nigeria and held it for 10 years, defending it twice a year against more of the Zolkins, Welchs, Norris's etc? Woudln't well all be calling him "a great" (or being told by the media he's great?)

er no.

Why do we do it for ole JC then?

Henry vacated his WBO belt and went for LL.

Would he of ever lost had he hid out in Nigeria with a WBO belt and beat 20 fringe contenders over a decade?

Err no.

you havent heard me championing Calzaghe and if you read the majority of the comments on this board apart from Max, they mostly pertain to the lack of quality opposition of JC.

I may even be shouting for kessler come fight time if it ever comes off.

just cos you have a soft spot for Henry mate there s no need to cherry pick comments off here .

so again would I be championing Henry if he had taken his WBO and defended as you suggest.

NO. a big fat f*cking NO I wouldnt. Nor would most on here I'd suggest.

You don't seriously think Akinwande's record is respectable?

Fair enough the Williams win, but so what? Whenever he stepped up he froze......

His record looks pretty good but 85% of them are total stiffs.....

Shame the Akinwande vs Holyfield fight never happened.

They should have rescheduled it and called it 'BAD BLOOD'

And it is a shame he's lacking heart.......he could have probably done very well if he had it....

J wrote:

overhand_right wrote:How do you mean? His list of victims is very respectable and he obviously was (is?) a talented boxer.

What if he hadn't vacated his WBO title? What if he had gone back to Nigeria and held it for 10 years, defending it twice a year against more of the Zolkins, Welchs, Norris's etc? Woudln't well all be calling him "a great" (or being told by the media he's great?)

er no.

And double no.

J wrote:you havent heard me championing Calzaghe and if you read the majority of the comments on this board apart from Max, they mostly pertain to the lack of quality opposition of JC.

I may even be shouting for kessler come fight time if it ever comes off.

just cos you have a soft spot for Henry mate there s no need to cherry pick comments off here .

so again would I be championing Henry if he had taken his WBO and defended as you suggest.

NO. a big fat f*cking NO I wouldnt. Nor would most on here I'd suggest.

Its nothing to do with a soft spot or you personally.

We all deride Calzaghes reign and Amir Khans opponents.

But according to television and print media, we are all wrong. We are repeatedly told of said fighters greatness.

Its an fair question for me. If Henry had kept that WBO belt, and defended it twice a year from Nigeria against more of the type he always easily beat- Axel Schulz, Jimmy Thunder, Johnny Nelson, Tony Tucker, Jeremy Williams, Alexandr Zolkin, Scott Welch, Orlin Norris, Peter McNeeley, Maurice Harris, thus accumalating a long reign, would he, or would he not, have done the exact same thing Joe Calzaghe did? And if not, please clarify why.

I think Akinwande ditching WBO belt and challenging Lewis and Holyfield is better than Calzaghes stay at home routine.

harrygreb wrote:i would explain the joke livingstone but i'm laughing my socks off at the post above re akinwande and audley.

ok. long, long ago there was a tv soap opera called "crossroads" - by popular opinion the worst soap ever (even worse than eastenders, so thatll show you how bad it was). the whole thing was set in a motel in the midlands and the action took place among the staff of this motel. the owner was one MEG RICHARDSON played by .....oh man what was her name..NOEL GORDON thats it, she wasnt to be messed about hence the jape and the play on words "crossroads" i hope this enlightens you, you young whippersnapper.
i wont bother explaining about miss diane

I got the joke, how about Audley v the lad in the wheelchair, sorry thats sick, shame on me.

Retirement looks the sensible route - Please, please no FW superbout LOL on ITV with Henry v Audley or Audley v anyone!!!

overhand_right wrote:

J wrote:you havent heard me championing Calzaghe and if you read the majority of the comments on this board apart from Max, they mostly pertain to the lack of quality opposition of JC.

I may even be shouting for kessler come fight time if it ever comes off.

just cos you have a soft spot for Henry mate there s no need to cherry pick comments off here .

so again would I be championing Henry if he had taken his WBO and defended as you suggest.

NO. a big fat f*cking NO I wouldnt. Nor would most on here I'd suggest.

Its nothing to do with a soft spot or you personally.

We all deride Calzaghes reign and Amir Khans opponents.

But according to television and print media, we are all wrong. We are repeatedly told of said fighters greatness.

Its an fair question for me. If Henry had kept that WBO belt, and defended it twice a year from Nigeria against more of the type he always easily beat- Axel Schulz, Jimmy Thunder, Johnny Nelson, Tony Tucker, Jeremy Williams, Alexandr Zolkin, Scott Welch, Orlin Norris, Peter McNeeley, Maurice Harris, thus accumalating a long reign, would he, or would he not, have done the exact same thing Joe Calzaghe did? And if not, please clarify why.

I think Akinwande ditching WBO belt and challenging Lewis and Holyfield is better than Calzaghes stay at home routine.

I'm sorry but you are mental.

Calzaghe has beaten enough decent fighters to shoot your argument to shite.

Mitchell, Brewer, Eubank, Lacy, are all good fighters, and piss all over the people on that list. Tucker is the best one on that list, and he was a hopeless crack-raddled shell by the time Akinwande would have beend defending said WBO belt.

Akinwande turned in a horrifically negative performance against Lewis, hugging him like an amorous octopus throughout the 'fight' and rightly being DQ'd for refusing to compete.

Calzaghe is a genuine talent, who perhaps hasn't fought the best opposition, but to suggest that Akinwande is on his level, is just plain ridiculous.

Akinwande was a very good boxer, but the makings of true champion, not in a million years. He got his big shot at Lewis and fought like he was absolutely terrified!

overhand_right wrote:

J wrote:you havent heard me championing Calzaghe and if you read the majority of the comments on this board apart from Max, they mostly pertain to the lack of quality opposition of JC.

I may even be shouting for kessler come fight time if it ever comes off.

just cos you have a soft spot for Henry mate there s no need to cherry pick comments off here .

so again would I be championing Henry if he had taken his WBO and defended as you suggest.

NO. a big fat f*cking NO I wouldnt. Nor would most on here I'd suggest.

Its nothing to do with a soft spot or you personally.

We all deride Calzaghes reign and Amir Khans opponents.

But according to television and print media, we are all wrong. We are repeatedly told of said fighters greatness.

Its an fair question for me. If Henry had kept that WBO belt, and defended it twice a year from Nigeria against more of the type he always easily beat- Axel Schulz, Jimmy Thunder, Johnny Nelson, Tony Tucker, Jeremy Williams, Alexandr Zolkin, Scott Welch, Orlin Norris, Peter McNeeley, Maurice Harris, thus accumalating a long reign, would he, or would he not, have done the exact same thing Joe Calzaghe did? And if not, please clarify why.

I think Akinwande ditching WBO belt and challenging Lewis and Holyfield is better than Calzaghes stay at home routine.

no indeed but i can only answer for myself fella. And in reposnse to the question its still a big fat no, in the same way I deride JC for nto fighting the best of his era or PBF for shooting up the weights and not fighting the best at 140/147.

its a cancer on the game and one that is ruining the sport, so I will never champion guys who defned in their own backyard and duck the toughest challenges.

jamesmcdonnell wrote: I'm sorry but you are mental.

Calzaghe has beaten enough decent fighters to shoot your argument to shite.

Mitchell, Brewer, Eubank, Lacy, are all good fighters, and piss all over the people on that list. Tucker is the best one on that list, and he was a hopeless crack-raddled shell by the time Akinwande would have beend defending said WBO belt.

Akinwande turned in a horrifically negative performance against Lewis, hugging him like an amorous octopus throughout the 'fight' and rightly being DQ'd for refusing to compete.

Calzaghe is a genuine talent, who perhaps hasn't fought the best opposition, but to suggest that Akinwande is on his level, is just plain ridiculous.

Akinwande was a very good boxer, but the makings of true champion, not in a million years. He got his big shot at Lewis and fought like he was absolutely terrified!

Mental?

Your listing Eubank, 2 years rust short notice and back to back losses to Steve Collins ages ago as one of Calzaghe quality wins?

Charles Brewer, stopped how many times and coming off how many losses before JC??

Byron Mitchell, coming off a loss and enjoying a nice safe British ref stoppage loss to JC??

Jeff frickin Lacy?? Well most of us bought into that hype i'll give you that.

Those 4 big Calzaghe names are equally shite.

I agree, and most of the possible opponents you mentioned were washed-up years ago or never any good in the first place.....

Henry is still fighting now so he'd have faced different fighters, not just German lederhosen-wearing bums.....

I can't even fathom how you're comparing the number one super middleweight in the world, and p4p top 10 ....with Akinwande,.....

I'm stumped

Captain Hook wrote:I can't even fathom how you're comparing the number one super middleweight in the world, and p4p top 10 ....with Akinwande,.....

I'm stumped

I'm stumped as to how you can get the wrong end of the stick so easily.

I'm SAYING Joe Calzaghe is supposedly this "p4p top 10 " because of hiding out in Wales 10 years and accumulating 20 WBO title defenses over bums.

So im POSING THE QUESTIONS, 'What If' Akinwande had kept his WBO title, hid out in Nigeria 10 years and accumalted 20 WBO title defenses over bum?

Would he be "great" or "p4p"?

NO.

So why is JC?

It was kind of an off-hand throwaway remark, that has been dragged into a lenghty epic.

Let's discuss it some more

I think the point others are making - myself included - is that the level Calzaghe's fighting at is a level above what you mentioned for Akinwande....

I mean - Lacy, Sheika, Mitchell, Reid, Woodhall, Eubank were all world class, though I guess Sheika could be disputed....

And people talk of Joe "ducking people" but who has he ducked really? Jones? Who else?

He's have battered Ottke, wish they'd fought...