Calzaghe vs. Hagler at 168...

[Goodnight, Irene]

You know what? Im going out on a limb with this, but Im gonna say Calzaghe decisions him on work-rate.

[bollox]

Nah, Hagler gets to him and especially in the later rounds. UD to the Marvelous one

[bollox]

Who knows? Maybe at 168 Hagler would lose some of what made Hagler, Hagler. It wouldn't surprise

Sometimes I look at the names in suggested matchups and make a decision there and then based on not much else other than that It's an easy trap to fall into :geek2:

[Goodnight, Irene]

I expect that Hagler wouldnt lose anything if he weighed, say, 165 --- I just got to thinking, as unpopular as it may be, I think I would favour Calzaghe.

Of course Hagler is way better historically.

[Diamond WEAPON]

Calzaghe is built a bit bigger than Hagler, which would undoubtedly help him take the harder shots without being thrown much off his gameplan. I think Calzaghe takes it on points. Hagler would have him working every round though to overcome the clean shots he'd be landing.

[Diamond WEAPON]

Calzaghe is built a bit bigger than Hagler, which would undoubtedly help him take the harder shots without being thrown much off his gameplan. I think Calzaghe takes it on points. Hagler would have him working every round though to overcome the clean shots he'd be landing.

which is why i can't see calzaghe winning. not defensively sharp enough and not powerful/accurate enough against someone like hagler to win. if they fight 15 i would bet on hagler TKO 11

His power is underrated IMO. He had a rep for slapping but when he wanted to he could crack, only problem was it often led to his hands cracking as well, and now that I mention it Hearns did bust his head on Hagler's bowling ball of a melon.

[orbtastic]

I guess the two questions I'm interested in are:

What stance does Hagler fight out of? I would guess against the spaw he's more effective as an orthadox.

Does Calzaghe manage to avoid being drawn into a brawl? He can't KO Hagler, that's not happening but I think his best chance of winning this is staying on the outside and pumping jab after jab into Hagler and not allowing him to get set to throw anything meaningful by using the jab, speed and lateral movement.

[tennessee]

1200 slaps to a smaller Hagler would take a toll. lets match him with some great welterweights so he would look like a beast. he gets slapped into a tko here.

[NazNaci1]

@ 168lbs - JC wins a close, tough decision. He has the edge in speed, though Hagler could match him for fitness not to mention his ability to fight southpaw and fight throwing combinations could be enough to nullify Calzaghe.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It's tough to call because marvin never faced the type of size disadvantage he would be up against here. Calzaghe would have 10-15 pounds on him and his speed would cause Marvin trouble. The difference for me would be Hagler's jab, it's still an underrated punch and I think that leads him to a tight decision win.

[dempseyfire]

I'm not sure Marvin has the size disadvantage people are stating. Although clearly the smaller man, and yes Marvin often weighed BELOW 160 for most of his fights, the guy also kept up a monk-like lifestyle and diet 365 a year his entire career. With a smart shift in diet and some adjustments in training, I don't see how he couldn't train up to a very solid and strong 165-170.

[crusader]

1200 slaps to a smaller Hagler would take a toll. lets match him with some great welterweights so he would look like a beast. he gets slapped into a tko here.

Hagler wouldn't be hit with 1200 slaps. He's not Jeff Lacy.

[orbtastic]

I'm not sure Marvin has the size disadvantage people are stating. Although clearly the smaller man, and yes Marvin often weighed BELOW 160 for most of his fights, the guy also kept up a monk-like lifestyle and diet 365 a year his entire career. With a smart shift in diet and some adjustments in training, I don't see how he couldn't train up to a very solid and strong 165-170.

In a SI article just after Hagler-Hearns, he was quoted as wanting absolutely no part in anything above 160, suggesting Hearns should go put some weight on if 175 was to his taste.

[jezzamundo]

I think Hagler could make a solid 168lb, but the size and speed advantages would both be wish Calzaghe. I think this is a very close fight, but I also make Calzaghe a narrow favourite. I think Joe goes down once on the way to winning 7 or 8 of the 12 rounds for a 114-113 or 115-112 scorecard.

[roccittymaj]

I would have it Hagler in a UD. Hagler comes from a different era when fighters actually took punishment. I respect Calzaghe's chin and his unorthodoz, jazzy style would definitely give hagler a problem but just for sheer toughness and the ability to take a punch and issue some damaging blows, I would have to give it to a prime Hagler over a prime Calzaghe in 12, if it were 15, I would say Hagler by KO.

[boxerbob]

i think hagler is in a completely different level to anything calzaghe ever fought , even at 168 hagler wins , i do think hagler would weigh 164-165 for the fight

slaps vs hard hard punches , im sorry but calzaghe take a beating and loses on points

lacy , kessler and hopkins who i thought beat calzaghe by 1 point is not hagler , hopkins is a great fighter but has a completley different style from hagler.

hagler doesnt take a step back all night , thats what wins him the fight as its usually calzaghe that pushed his opponents back

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I think Hagler could make a solid 168lb, but the size and speed advantages would both be wish Calzaghe. I think this is a very close fight, but I also make Calzaghe a narrow favourite. I think Joe goes down once on the way to winning 7 or 8 of the 12 rounds for a 114-113 or 115-112 scorecard.

I don't know that Calzaghe would have a speed advantage.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

1200 slaps to a smaller Hagler would take a toll. lets match him with some great welterweights so he would look like a beast. he gets slapped into a tko here.

Joe couldn't stop Hagler with 1200 gun shots.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Im REALLY shocked so many think Hagler would stop Calzaghe. That just isnt happening.

I say its a 55-45 type bout, favouring Calzaghe.

[dr_devious]

Calzaghe never faced a peak fighter anywhere near the level of Hagler, and nearly lost to an ancient Hopkins. Even with the size advantage Hagler is a big favourite to win on points or late stoppage

[crusader]

Im REALLY shocked so many think Hagler would stop Calzaghe. That just isnt happening.

I say its a 55-45 type bout, favouring Calzaghe.

How many people on this thread have picked Hagler by stoppage? I counted 1 (2 if you include the post before mine).

[Goodnight, Irene]

Im REALLY shocked so many think Hagler would stop Calzaghe. That just isnt happening.

I say its a 55-45 type bout, favouring Calzaghe.

How many people on this thread have picked Hagler by stoppage? I counted 1 (2 if you include the post before mine).

Was just a feeling. I think a few mustve said they see that as a real chance.

[elmersalsa]

Calzaghe cannot beat a complete fighter in his prime. Hagler wins even if Calzaghe weighs 168lbs and Hagler at 160lbs.

[Roco]

Hagler by TKO. Hagler was accurate with his punches while keeping his chin out of danger. I think he will rough Joe up and mark him up and would eventually get a stoppage late on.

[Jaywheel]

Arguably the #1 ever in one of the newest and weakest division historically speaking vs a generally accepted top5 alltime in one of the oldest and deepest divisions, I'll go with Hagler by decision.

I understand how some think Calzaghe could upset and frustrate Hagler. SRL did it. Especially at 168. I don't get where G.I. is coming from saying he's shocked at some predicting a Hagler KO. Old Hop and Jones both put him on his ass in the 1st round of their bout. He won the Hops fight by narrow decision against 175 lbs MW. You think Hagler would let Joe off the hook like Mitchell did?

Calzaghe best result remains his decision win over Kessler, which he beat convincingly but didn't steamroll. Hagler went through hell against Hearns in the 1st round only to KO him right after. I do think that a 165 lbs Hagler poses a much bigger threat to Calzaghe than 168 lbs Kessler or Mario Veit.