BoxRec

stopped too soon. only way for manfredo to win was to take it into the late stages. you gotta give a guy a chance. all these educated looks into the next ten minutes of a fight wont wash with me, sorry. just coz joe says he would have toppled manfredo next round does that make me feel any better about this silly stoppage? no.
this fight was more interesting for joes new approach to winning a fight. he has stopped the heavy shots idea (it was never a convincing one anyway) and has decided to go the sheer volume of punches route. obviously the hands are too fragile for any kind of power shot these days so lets just throw a million slaps and win that way. you know it makes sense. beats taylor but doesnt beat kessler in a month of sundays.

Syntax Error wrote:It was a great stoppage.

The referee recognised what a farce the fight was; he recognised that Manfredo should NOT have been in the ring with a fighter of Calzaghe's calibre & took the 1st opportunity to pull him out.

The ref saved Manfredo from an almighty one sided beating.

I wouldnt use the words great stoppage but the ref did see enough to know it was a one sided bout and realised Manfredo was out of his depth - Thing is before the fight even started most of us knew Manfredo would lose so why the hell did it take place - If the other fighter stood a chance of turning the fight round then I would think Oconner would have let it go on - Ok Joe was slapping a bit but why risk injury when there is another way - Save the hands for Kessler, Hopkins or whoever - Funny how Joe doesnt mention Froch - He just doesnt acknowledge Froch as one of the top men and the likelyhood of us seeing the two in the same ring seems even more unlikely now - Big money fights against Hopkins, Wright or Kessler are far more appealing to Joe than a domestic brawl to prove he can outbox Froch for a much smaller purse - I would love to see Calzage v Froch and see Joe overwhelm the arrogant bugger but that isnt in Joes gameplan - Lets just hope in July we dont get another bullshit fight

harrygreb wrote:stopped too soon. only way for manfredo to win was to take it into the late stages. you gotta give a guy a chance. all these educated looks into the next ten minutes of a fight wont wash with me, sorry. just coz joe says he would have toppled manfredo next round does that make me feel any better about this silly stoppage? no.
this fight was more interesting for joes new approach to winning a fight. he has stopped the heavy shots idea (it was never a convincing one anyway) and has decided to go the sheer volume of punches route. obviously the hands are too fragile for any kind of power shot these days so lets just throw a million slaps and win that way. you know it makes sense. beats taylor but doesnt beat kessler in a month of sundays.

But it's not power that will trouble Kessler. It's speed and volume. Kessler obviously sees it as a serious test, because he would've accepted the Warren offer if he thought he'd win easy.

i dont think joes new gameplan is dependant on who he might fight. its just what he has to do from now on.

Disgraceful stoppage.

To those whose slagged off mine and some others ranking of Manfredo as a top 15 Super Middle. Sorry, but while Manfredo wasn't fighting a particularly good fight (like was he fighting at all)... but still hard to judge whether we were way out with that cause Manfredo wasn't given a chance to show what he could do.

He wasn't even hurt, just covering up and moving.

If that was Kessler, Taylor or even the likes of Froch/Berrio and (pre Calzaghe) Lacy we would be calling for a rematch.

That's two premature stoppages in three weeks for Terry O'Connor. I thought that Tatevosyan was stopped too early against Froch. However, even that was a better intervention than the Calzaghe one.

At least Tatevosyan was down.

Manfredo was out of his depth, sure, but should have been given at least another 20 or so seconds to get his head together - that’s if it was even scrambled.

Tom Podmore.

He wasn't even hurt Tom, just more stuck there than anything else.

Peter did show a lack of experience to get off the ropes (hold, even take a knee) - but I didn't even that had Joe had another 20 seconds it wouldn't made a difference cause Manfredo wasn't hurt.

stujones wrote:He wasn't even hurt Tom, just more stuck there than anything else.

Peter did show a lack of experience to get off the ropes (hold, even take a knee) - but I didn't even that had Joe had another 20 seconds it wouldn't made a difference cause Manfredo wasn't hurt.

he was useless, couldn't do anything and shouldn't even be in the same continent as Calzaghe. Manfredo offered nothing whatoever. The stoppage was problematic, the fight 100 times more so.

I do not want to see a rematch should never have happened in the first place. Calzaghe surely will fight in July against who?

anyone see the hbo broadcast? in the post fight interview with JC Merchant wouldn't let allegedly speak into the mic, he just turned his back on him

First Tatevosyan and now Mandfedo Jnr. There is a worrying trend developing that fighters cannot block, parry, bob and weave anymore without being stopped. Let's be fair the Tatevosyan stoppage was a bit premature as he was slipping and dipping punches. Fair enough this old chestnut crops up that fighters should be firing back but when he isn't getting smacked flush and having his head snapped back left, right and centre (see Santos Pakau versus Paul Williams) then give him half a chance.

Final Fight wrote:Let's face it. The problem was the fight itself and the fantasy peddled by The Contender show. It was clear that Manfredo was a) completely outclassed and b) totally unable to defend himself.

That much we agree with. As for the rest, I fear we part ways:

Look, let's be mature about it. Same thing happened with RJJ vs Tony Thornton and to an extent RJJ vs Merqui Sosa (though Sosa was dropped & then shoeshined...). Calzaghe like Jones has perfected the 100 fist slap owned by STREET FIGHTER 2 sumo wrestler E. Honda!

Not even close. Thornton was not only getting hammered, but had dislocated his shoulder (an old injury) at the time of the stoppage. Did that somehow escape your attention? As for Sosa, he'd actually gotten hit with some *hard* shots prior to getting trapped helplessly on the ropes with no clue. And Jones at that point in his career wasn't generally considered a "slapper." Appallingly bad "analogy" there.

Joe looked good.

As do most beneficiaries of utter size and skill mismatches...

Seems his hands were fine and he fought sensibly, short punches, stay composed, be fast...Just what he needs for Kessler.

No, what he needs for Kessler, is to fight someone like Kessler.

The Thorton stoppage was totally different to the Manfredo stoppage IMO.

Jones WAS outclassing Thornton from the opening bell.... Calzaghe COULD HAVE been outclassing Manfredo from the opening bell, but was a bit more cagey than what Jones was. Yes, the opening two rounds were Joe's but they were dull ones and fairly close (Manfredo doing nothing and Calzaghe not doing much more).

Jones HURT Thorton before putting on a barrage which mainly landed flush. Manfredo CHOSE to go to the ropes and Calzaghe put on a barrage that mainly missed.

Without looking into the records of the two fighters... Thornton was proven in world class (as in proven that he couldn't handle it) and was 37... Manfredo wasn't proven... there was major valid concerns that he wasn't world class and wouldn't cope, but this wasn't proven.