mccallum knew what he had in front of him 2nd time around though. 
not much out there for joe after kessler is there.ArtOfWar wrote:No he isn't.Autobarn wrote:well, Calzaghe is in a strong era right now...
After Calzaghe and Kessler there is a significant drop off. Lacy hasn't done shit since taking a beating from Calzaghe and it remains to be seen whether he can really bounce back. Bute is a young guy with bags of talent, but is still proving himself. Mundine is a inconsistent and after that you are clutching at straws. Pavlik and Taylor aren't super middles yet and who says Pavlik won't go back? It's not him that wants to fight at a catch weight it's Taylor.Autobarn wrote:Not strong? Calzaghe, Lacy, Kessler, Bute, Mundine (if he regains enough sight) Inkin, Froch, Braehmer, Pavlik (yes, next fight at 166 lbs and he'll never get back down to 160), Taylor, Miranda (more middles moving up), Allan Green (rebounding), Andrade, Beyer, Zuniga (coming off 2 career-best wins), not forgetting Pascal (making major strides, rated top 10 by Ring already) and Darren Barker & Karo Murat (on the way up)...need I say more?
Fvcking bollocks it's not strong.
yeah what proven greats are around calzaghe???ArtOfWar wrote:After Calzaghe and Kessler there is a significant drop off. Lacy hasn't done shit since taking a beating from Calzaghe and it remains to be seen whether he can really bounce back. Bute is a young guy with bags of talent, but is still proving himself. Mundine is a inconsistent and after that you are clutching at straws. Pavlik and Taylor aren't super middles yet and who says Pavlik won't go back? It's not him that wants to fight at a catch weight it's Taylor.Autobarn wrote:Not strong? Calzaghe, Lacy, Kessler, Bute, Mundine (if he regains enough sight) Inkin, Froch, Braehmer, Pavlik (yes, next fight at 166 lbs and he'll never get back down to 160), Taylor, Miranda (more middles moving up), Allan Green (rebounding), Andrade, Beyer, Zuniga (coming off 2 career-best wins), not forgetting Pascal (making major strides, rated top 10 by Ring already) and Darren Barker & Karo Murat (on the way up)...need I say more?
Fvcking bollocks it's not strong.
The division is not weak, but it's not strong either.
Exactly. Everybody talks about the heavyweight division being weak, but the truth is every division from middleweight on up is weak. You've got one or two stand out guy's in each division and then it falls off. No real depth at all.hitman_hatton1 wrote:yeah what proven greats are around calzaghe???ArtOfWar wrote:After Calzaghe and Kessler there is a significant drop off. Lacy hasn't done shit since taking a beating from Calzaghe and it remains to be seen whether he can really bounce back. Bute is a young guy with bags of talent, but is still proving himself. Mundine is a inconsistent and after that you are clutching at straws. Pavlik and Taylor aren't super middles yet and who says Pavlik won't go back? It's not him that wants to fight at a catch weight it's Taylor.Autobarn wrote:Not strong? Calzaghe, Lacy, Kessler, Bute, Mundine (if he regains enough sight) Inkin, Froch, Braehmer, Pavlik (yes, next fight at 166 lbs and he'll never get back down to 160), Taylor, Miranda (more middles moving up), Allan Green (rebounding), Andrade, Beyer, Zuniga (coming off 2 career-best wins), not forgetting Pascal (making major strides, rated top 10 by Ring already) and Darren Barker & Karo Murat (on the way up)...need I say more?
Fvcking bollocks it's not strong.
The division is not weak, but it's not strong either.
some of those names are decent contenders.
but nothing that does anything for the legacy really.
where's the meat and 2 veg.
fortunately hops is still out there.
but he'll be 43 soon.
The first fight ;)Twinkle Toes wrote:Schooled Graham?STP wrote:Kalambay was a MASTER. He schooled (yes, schooled) Herol Graham and Mike McCallum in their primes!!
Are you actually attempting to be serious? - Graham was very unlucky not to take that fight, he was a good winner on my card.
It was a typical Italian decision.
Benn and also Eubank were in their pomps in the late 80s and early 90s, both of the guys only boxed for money at super-middleweight - hence defending a world title against nobodies and openly waiting as long as possible before even considering a Nunn or a Toney or a Jones.Deram wrote:Eubanks, Collins and Benn was an uncredibly strong era for British 168. Internationally, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
The current era is at least as strong and probably stronger.
But it is rare for any country to have such a hold on a division, so from a British point of view it was a great time - and notably it did not come because the standard was poor. It was a good standard those three had, so all credit were credit is due.
Rubbish. Prime Benn would have beaten Collins.STP wrote:Benn and also Eubank were in their pomps in the late 80s and early 90s, both of the guys only boxed for money at super-middleweight - hence defending a world title against nobodies and openly waiting as long as possible before even considering a Nunn or a Toney or a Jones.Deram wrote:Eubanks, Collins and Benn was an uncredibly strong era for British 168. Internationally, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
The current era is at least as strong and probably stronger.
But it is rare for any country to have such a hold on a division, so from a British point of view it was a great time - and notably it did not come because the standard was poor. It was a good standard those three had, so all credit were credit is due.
But the difference is Calzaghe hasn't had a bum of the month club, he's had a bum of the year club! That's 12 times worse!
As for Collins, the guy couldn't tie Eubank's laces if Chris was near his best. Though he'd always make Benn quit because he could take the blows.
Apologies - When I think of Kalambay and Graham, I auto think of that disgrace of a second fight :)STP wrote: The first fight ;)
Kalambay was never the same after the Nunn KO (Nunn closed his eyes and threw a window maker).
Are you kidding me? Jones, Toney, Barkley, Kalamby, McCallum, Nunn etc, nothing out of the ordinary? That era was as strong as the super middleweight division has ever been. Today's super middleweight division is not even close to what it was back then.Deram wrote:Eubanks, Collins and Benn was an uncredibly strong era for British 168. Internationally, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
The current era is at least as strong and probably stronger.
But it is rare for any country to have such a hold on a division, so from a British point of view it was a great time - and notably it did not come because the standard was poor. It was a good standard those three had, so all credit were credit is due.