BoxRec

calzaghe was brilliant.

the eye injury spoiled it as a remotely competitive fight.

a bit too much showboating for the purists perhaps.

i thought it should have been stopped at the end of rd 10.

but the referee and the corner did diddly squat.

Autobarn wrote:Calzaghe looked good physically this time.

But what is wrong with this man?

Giving away free shots, walking around like a monkey, showing off when his opponent has one eye. I don't think he's making people like him.

If he's going to show off, do it against someone better. I hope he fights again, in a dangerous title defence.

The showboating wound me up as well. If he's just got behind the jab and kept his workrate up he'd have stopped Jones, who was clearly a shadow of the fighter he once was. I think Calzaghe's fragile hands mean he can't sit down on his shots properly any more so he just mugs his way through by virtue of still having great fitness and reflexes.
Hitman, nobody can describe Calzaghe as 'brilliant' as unlike the Kessler fight he was up against a shell of a fighter. Jones didn't even appear interested in trying to win from about the fourth onwards.

But if he has time to show off, doesn't that prove he has an opponent that isn't worthwhile?

Have to LOL at Buncey and Woodhall. If the judges had been generous and given RJJ a couple more rounds, you know they'd be trying to hype up a rematch.

I've tolerated the fight, I can see that Joe still has something to offer, so let's see a real challenge. All HBO have to do is insist on a tough opponent. Hopefully this fight did shit numbers and Joe has to fight someone like Dawson just to get bakc on US TV (big Showtime offer to come?).

Just thought Joe came across as a dick tonight. Dominated yes, but couldn't stop a man who was pouring blood and fighting with one eye.

Joe has to fight the Erdei-Francis winner!

Deserter wrote:

Autobarn wrote:Calzaghe looked good physically this time.

But what is wrong with this man?

Giving away free shots, walking around like a monkey, showing off when his opponent has one eye. I don't think he's making people like him.

If he's going to show off, do it against someone better. I hope he fights again, in a dangerous title defence.

The showboating wound me up as well. If he's just got behind the jab and kept his workrate up he'd have stopped Jones, who was clearly a shadow of the fighter he once was. I think Calzaghe's fragile hands mean he can't sit down on his shots properly any more so he just mugs his way through by virtue of still having great fitness and reflexes.
Hitman, nobody can describe Calzaghe as 'brilliant' as unlike the Kessler fight he was up against a shell of a fighter. Jones didn't even appear interested in trying to win from about the fourth onwards.

it was a brilliant performance.

jones has obviously seen better days.

still doesn't change the fact calzaghe was brilliant.

Autobarn wrote:Joe has to fight the Erdei-Francis winner!

Let it go fella! Joe should retire - he's not the fighter he was. Wouldn't want to see him do exactly what Jones has done and lose to someone who couldn't have bested him in his prime.

Calzaghe was brilliant, again. 46-0, plenty of good fighters in that list, some great fighters in that list, same as every other all time greats' opponents. Bitter Yanks and self hating brits aside, time will show him to be right up there regardless.

Deserter wrote:

Autobarn wrote:Joe has to fight the Erdei-Francis winner!

Let it go fella! Joe should retire - he's not the fighter he was. Wouldn't want to see him do exactly what Jones has done and lose to someone who couldn't have bested him in his prime.

Joe is far from his prime, and he would have given Jones nightmares at both of their primes, fast hands, flurries, KO power and amazing lateral movement . . .

I echo Auto's and Deserter's sentiments. I found the showboating in rather poor taste. It was probably an attempt to disguise the fact he was unable to put him away, even though Roy was there for the taking.

Yeah a great performance from Calzaghe.

I agree about the showboating (I've never particularly liked it). Why take those risks on the one hand and take the piss on the other.

The corner work on Jones' cut was ridiculous - they him sent out without any coagulents or grease whilst the blood was pumping.

I hate to detract but Jones was an absolute shadow of his prime - he looked like a former exceptional fighter that ruled supreme but willing to take some sort of carthartic antidote to how brilliant he once was whilst going the distance.

Twinkle Toes wrote:lol Auto, you wont be happy until he's beaten.

Yeah. :(

I'm grateful to have witnessed these last few years worth of fights involving Calzaghe. I have no doubt he'll be appreciated more in the coming years.

Also, I hope that's him done for good now. Excellent ending to his career.

What a fight , great value , both giving it feints and hooks
~Calzaghe was superb taking it to jones making him look like the pauper

Yeah but Johnson did similar in 2004 and had RJJ demolished on the floor.

Autobarn wrote:Yeah but Johnson did similar in 2004 and had RJJ demolished on the floor.

So? Johnson is a bigger puncher than Calzaghe - big deal. He certainly isn't a better fighter. Also, he showboated to try and draw Jones forward. He always does it. Joe's style puts people in their shell and he tries to draw them in.

I thought he was fantastic

Calzaghe just won't be beaten, will he? I thought there was method in the arms down madness as it did entice Jones out a little. Calzaghe made adjustments again and won again. The guy is simply a winner through and through.

I had covered rounds 7 through 9 for a Calzaghe KO, and I thought I had a good chance when that cut came: the fight should have been stopped, really, because Jones could have given birth to wins out of it, but it also coincided with spell of dominance for Calzaghe, who genuinely looked as if he was going to get him out of there, as Jones looked utterly folorn.

Anyway, I scored the first, second and sixth to Jones, and the rest to Calzaghe, which gave me a 111-116 win for the Welshman.

Super fight.

I hate it when the good guy loses

There are some people who will spend their life coming up with fighters Calzaghe "should face", not matter who he beats. If Pavlik hadn't been exposed you just know the same people would be on here talking about how Joe was ducking him and would lose if they met. The haters just need to face the fact thath he will beat anyone right now from middleweight up to light heavy, because he ALWAYS finds a way to win.

Autobarn wrote:Have to LOL at Buncey and Woodhall. If the judges had been generous and given RJJ a couple more rounds, you know they'd be trying to hype up a rematch.

You think they scored the fight that way because they wanted to hype a rematch up? Surely thats just how they saw the fight - I didn't score it as closely as Woodhall but I didn't give every round to Joe after the 1st like the judges.

Unless RJJ was putting on an extremely brave face, it really didn't look like Joe was hitting hard AT ALL. Yeah he opened up a nasty cut, but seriously makes me wonder just how weak Joe is with his punches. Any thoughts?

I'm just imagining how brilliant a Joe Calzaghe with a less slappy style and harder hitting shots could be.

I'm sure there could be a few factors involved; RJJ was just taking the shots well, Joe is weak, Joe was protecting his hands etc... I really don't know the answer, but would be interested in hearing the thoughts of others.

Joe was very good, i think he should fight Michael Spinks and tell Evander Holyfield to come to Light Heavy. Once he beats them, he will be a legend, and a legend killer. Because he is undefeated and he has beaten all those guys with his brittle hands, which means he is an under-dog.

jeej wrote:Unless RJJ was putting on an extremely brave face, it really didn't look like Joe was hitting hard AT ALL. Yeah he opened up a nasty cut, but seriously makes me wonder just how weak Joe is with his punches. Any thoughts?

I'm just imagining how brilliant a Joe Calzaghe with a less slappy style and harder hitting shots could be.

I'm sure there could be a few factors involved; RJJ was just taking the shots well, Joe is weak, Joe was protecting his hands etc... I really don't know the answer, but would be interested in hearing the thoughts of others.

Joe's hands are f**ked. I really think it's that simple. Joe punched with far more authority earlier in his career.

An excellent fight - and yet again Calzaghe has proved me wrong - I thought RJJ had one last BIG fight in him - and when that knockdown happened I thought sh*t!!!!!! - I thought Calzaghe came back magnificently.

I hope Calzaghe boxes on for another couple of fights - I note HBO want Chad Dawson - if Calzaghe was willing that is the opponent I think HBO would chuck millions and millions towards - its the fight they want and they normally get their way.

has anyone got a video link to the calzaghe knockdown?

Excellent fight for the most part. Joe looked great again - seems to have grown into the weight and was in good condition. Some on here don't like the show boating - I do :-)

I did feel that Calzaghe carried Jones towards the end, opting not to finish it.

What stands out for me is Calzaghe desire and adaptability, to get up off the canvass in round one in the US and go on with such fury, whilst amending his tactics, was brilliant. And his stamina and speed is still there, at 36.

Jones is finished of course, and is a shadow of his former prime. Nonetheless, there is no one out there that could beat Calzaghe even now he is at the end of his career.

There are fighters who can give him an argument at light heavy.

Joe just proved himself to be a true great fighter, again. He can win even at half speed, even when his hands are shot to pieces, and his punches are 95% taps these days.

Roy put up a good effort, considering his prime is a long time gone. That uppercut might have won him a lot of other fights. And that cut was enough to retire early if he'd wanted to.

Agree with everyone else, Calzaghe's taunting of a beaten fighter looked really bad, but that's how a lot of great fighters are. Joe wouldn't see a problem with it at all, his desire to win borders on psychopathic, and he feels nothing for his opponent in there. Winning is everything.
That's why he always comes first and the other guy always comes 2nd.