BoxRec

Calzaghe has to be very high p4p. Beating Lacy he had a Holmes-Cooney type win: beat a puncher of high repute, so badly that no one regards the guy ever again. I had Kessler a top 10 p4p, so Joe winning that means a lot.

I only wish he'd fought better fighters earlier in his career but when he bosses Lacy AND Kessler what is there to say? That WBO reign threatened to make him complacent (get your videos of Joe-Salem out) in 2004 but he seems to rise to any challenge.

Joe proved beyond doubt tonight, that he is a superlative fighter, totally negating the challenge of a strong, technically correct, and hungry champion. Kessler's face said it all in the post fight interview, he looked bamboozled, but proud at the same time, he knew he gave his best, but it simply wasn't good enough, he was in with a man who had too much for him.

Absolutely grade-A, fantastic performance, superlatives are not enough. Calzaghe was like mayweather at time tonight, dipping and slipping shots, making his opponent pay and taking the piss at times. Only a couple of times he got cocky and was made to pay, but generally in control the whole time.

Well done, Joe Calzaghe. He overcame a few dodgy moments to win a clear UD. Kessler was gracious in defeat in the post-fight interview. He's a very good fighter and will be a champ again. JC should win a title at 175 next year and then retire. They keep talking about JC-BHOP, but that would be one ugly fight. BHOP doesn't have the workrate to live with JC. Joe is definitely an ATG.

Don't be silly.

Kessler was average - we all said this before the fight and didn't even acknowledge him before he knocked out a shopworn Beyer (who was never very good anyway)

Siace and Beyer were the two worst titlists in boxing

STP wrote:Don't be silly.

Kessler was average - we all said this before the fight and didn't even acknowledge him before he knocked out a shopworn Beyer (who was never very good anyway)

Siace and Beyer were the two worst titlists in boxing

Nonsense!

Average is not applicapble to Kessler, a very good fighter, who may go on to be a great one, but he just wasn't ready for Calzaghe. Kessler barely lost a round in his previous fights, and was totally commanded by Joe, who is a truly great fighter.

I've always had a lot of belief in Calzaghe, and the money this guy could have made if he had stepped up to the plate before now would have been phenominal.

I think people forget that he is a master boxer, because he has gotten into scraps when he didn't need to.

Calzaghe beat a guy with 2 world titles who'd feasted on world class comp for 3 years. A guy that Lacy's camp admitted they wouldn't have been read for until 2008. Calzaghe clearly had the wrong style for Kessler, yet Kessler still startled the Welshman in rds 4, 8 and especially 12. I think Kessler showed a championship quality doing this while badly out of sorts from Joe's style, and IMO the Dane will dominate most fighters out there that don't box like Joe. Also, Kessler won't be destroyed by this; rather, he'll be an improved fighter. It was magnificent from Joe, who looked so sloppy v Manfredo and Bika. There was something freakish about Joe, like with the Lacy fight. He looked like a light heavy in there yet his speed & tactics were brilliant.

anybody know who the girl was who was trying to get on the photos with Joe, at the end? She was dressed as some sort of beauty queen! Couldn't understand why she was there!

Difficult to argue with that result gentlemen, dont think it justifies all the years of bums, but a great win for a 35 yr old man.

All thats left for Joe is a trip to vegas and get paid nicely for whupping on a 40 yr old BIg Name ie Hopkins, RJJ, Tito whoever.

JCs gonna make 45-0 and retire, i cant believe it.

STP wrote:Don't be silly.

Kessler was average - we all said this before the fight and didn't even acknowledge him before he knocked out a shopworn Beyer (who was never very good anyway)

Siace and Beyer were the two worst titlists in boxing

You obviously never watched BEyer box - he was very good, but a bit fragile.

Did you see the beating he gave Woodhall?

ATG/ best ever all time British boxer Joe Calzaghe - I wish I had been there, what a night for British boxing - A Knighthood is now guaranteed for when hes about 45/50 - I wish he would retire right now with his O intact rather than go after Hopkins which wouldnt be a pretty fight to watch - I would rather see him take on Clinton Woods but then there would be the arguement about not fighting the Americans yet again - Anyway its all about making big money now and a Woods fight would be nothing compared to Hopkins in Vegas.

Oh we are all getting giddy here..longevity put him up in the top ten but his record is in no way good enough to put him as the best ever..thats crazy talk!!!

A shorter reign with bigger names beats his legacy for me

STP wrote:Kessler was average - we all said this before the fight

Speak for yourself, I don't remember many people saying he was average, because he isn't average. He's fornicating quality.

The true test will be how he bounces back from this, but I think he will.

thepocketrocket wrote:Oh we are all getting giddy here..longevity put him up in the top ten but his record is in no way good enough to put him as the best ever..thats crazy talk!!!

A shorter reign with bigger names beats his legacy for me

definitely a future hall of famer & modern great though

ArtOfWar wrote:

STP wrote:Kessler was average - we all said this before the fight

Speak for yourself, I don't remember many people saying he was average, because he isn't average. He's effing quality.

The true test will be how he bounces back from this, but I think he will.

well said

Autobarn wrote:

thepocketrocket wrote:Oh we are all getting giddy here..longevity put him up in the top ten but his record is in no way good enough to put him as the best ever..thats crazy talk!!!

A shorter reign with bigger names beats his legacy for me

definitely a future hall of famer & modern great though

Yeah, hes a modern British great and a lock for the HOF....but im not buying hes the Best British fighter ever, thats drivel, Hattons resume still beats him...but Hattons on his way to the HOF also!!!

Calazage is a great fighter but in honesty bot hlooked clumsy and both men showed their weaknesses last night. Calazages defense looked awful at times and he looked like getting ko'd a few times. If Kessler went all out in 4/8/12 we may have had a different winner. After the 4th i thought Kessler would win by KO. KEssler himself looked trigger shy, I thought this in the first round and at the end of the 10th he looked completely dejected.

I was shouting at Calazage to throw right hooks early because you could see Kessler was open to that shot. When he started throwing that shot later on it landed easily.

In my opinion Calzaghe is the best ever British boxer, someone mentioned hatton - he's an excellent fighter, but in terms of skill, fluidity, excitement, character, ferocity, speed and most importantly ability to adapt his fighting style, Joe is head and shoulders above him.

Anyway, don't care too much about comparing him to other greats, cos the point is he is undisputed champion.

That is one of the most exciting fights Ive ever witnessed.

RESPECT to pundit and those alike who have acknwoeldged the performance last night. And of course, respect to Kessler, people were right about just how good he was. He did himself proud and no doubt won many fans.

Well done Joe, a very good performance from a great fighter.

One of Britains finest ever and only the 'Ghost with the Hammer' can rate above him as Wales' greatest ever fighter.

Kessler is a very good fighter, and I believe this will make him even better.

Great humility shown by Kessler and his camp.They acknowledged that they lost to the better man on the night.

A great night for the sport.

Well done Joe

I have always considered Buchanan as the best ever but now its Joe.

thepocketrocket wrote:

Autobarn wrote:

thepocketrocket wrote:Oh we are all getting giddy here..longevity put him up in the top ten but his record is in no way good enough to put him as the best ever..thats crazy talk!!!

A shorter reign with bigger names beats his legacy for me

definitely a future hall of famer & modern great though

Yeah, hes a modern British great and a lock for the HOF....but im not buying hes the Best British fighter ever, thats drivel, Hattons resume still beats him...but Hattons on his way to the HOF also!!!

different eras and all, so it's always hard to compare.

rooney wrote:anybody know who the girl was who was trying to get on the photos with Joe, at the end? She was dressed as some sort of beauty queen! Couldn't understand why she was there!

I thought she had 'Miss WBC' written on her. WTF is Miss WBC and when is her mandatory?

chinny wrote:

rooney wrote:anybody know who the girl was who was trying to get on the photos with Joe, at the end? She was dressed as some sort of beauty queen! Couldn't understand why she was there!

I thought she had 'Miss WBC' written on her. WTF is Miss WBC and when is her mandatory?

I dunno but I'd love to tear her belt off her.

Joe did much last night to cement a legacy that will know doubt rise further once he retires.

A Modern Great he is.

mirror james's comments all the way