BoxRec

Is it only ducking when a non-US fighter does it?

example: Hopkins did not want to fight Calzaghe, saying there is not enough money on the table. But if Hopkins is so bent on building his legacy, surely he would have wanted to defeat Joe before Joe beats his title defence record (i could be wrong but right now he is equal isnt he?)

Now Joe fights Manfredo and will (hopefully) rack up another win. But every American out there will conveniently disregard his achievement because Joe did not fight the right people (i.e Hopkins). but when does pricing yourself out of a fight become ducking the fight? apparently its not, if you are American.

I'd be interested to get other views on this. who else has maneuvered themselves out of fighting calzaghe or hatton (or witter and woods if anyone comes up)

m1kee50 wrote:Is it only ducking when a non-US fighter does it?

example: Hopkins did not want to fight Calzaghe, saying there is not enough money on the table. But if Hopkins is so bent on building his legacy, surely he would have wanted to defeat Joe before Joe beats his title defence record (i could be wrong but right now he is equal isnt he?)

Now Joe fights Manfredo and will (hopefully) rack up another win. But every American out there will conveniently disregard his achievement because Joe did not fight the right people (i.e Hopkins). but when does pricing yourself out of a fight become ducking the fight? apparently its not, if you are American.

I'd be interested to get other views on this. who else has maneuvered themselves out of fighting calzaghe or hatton (or witter and woods if anyone comes up)

First of all, let's not forget that Calzaghe holds the WBO belt, which means he practically never had to fight a mandatory. His manager chose against who he would "defend" his "title". This is, of course, a travesty.

Moreover, as soon as Calzaghe got his hands on a half-decent belt (IBF) he dropped it. It's easy to figure out why: the IBF may have required Calzaghe one day to defend against a decent opponent of THEIR chosing -- say, a slick counterpuncher. They may even have held purse bids that Warren could have lost. Shock horror. Far too hot to handle.

Hence: Calzaghe's "defenses" simply don't count for very much. Apart from that, Hopkins is the greater man not becauseof the number of defenses, but because he unified his division. Calzaghe has a great chance to try the same by fighting Kessler.

Does he? No.

Jesus christ Pundit get over it, you are sounding more and more pathetic every day. Did Calzaghe run away with the wife or run over your dog?

The IBF meant nothing to Calzaghe as they enforced Steiglitz, who is garbage and brings nothing to the table. With Calzaghe being the universally recognised top fighter at 168, (like it or loathe it) he actually no longer needs a belt. Unlike Kessler, whom really was forced to unify with Beyer as Calzaghe took all the play away with his win over Lacy. But you should know, the fighters define the belt, just like Kessler defines one of three WBA belts.

You say a slick counterpuncher, if you have seen Manfredo's last 2 fights, you would know he showed some great counter punching.

lvlarc_uk wrote:Jesus christ Pundit get over it, you are sounding more and more pathetic every day. Did Calzaghe run away with the wife or run over your dog?

Maybe with my dog, need to chec after this post.

The IBF meant nothing to Calzaghe as they enforced Steiglitz, who is garbage and brings nothing to the table.

Hahaha. Stieglitz is also the WBO #1. So why didn't he drop the WBO belt then?

Calzahge did dump the IBF belt of course because one of the subsequent mandatories -- not Stieglitz -- might have been too tricky. No way you can insure against this with the IBF, while with the WBO it's easy. Plus, they may have staged a fight under conditions beyond FWarrens control.

Calzaghe held never anything but the FWarren-belt, and so he does today. That may be enlough for you, for most boxing fans it's not.

With Calzaghe being the universally recognised best fighter at 168, he no longer needs a belt.

RMFFFFFFLLLLLLLLAOOOOOOOO!!! Calzaghe has never beaten at top 3 super-middleweight, so if he's "universally recognized" as anything it's as the #1 chicken in modern boxing.

He could get recognition there by beating Kessler, but he's obviously ducking Kess.

Unlike Kessler, whom really was forced to unify with Beyer as Calzaghe took all the play away with his win over Lacy.

Lacy was nothing special and hand-selected for Calzaghe's style, and you know it. He was not even one of Joe's 3 best opponents, and this says a lot.

You say a slick counterpuncher, if you have seen Manfredo's last 2 fights, this is exactly what Manfredo is.

Boy, I wonder how much lower you can sink.

Ring Magazine: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #3
ESPN: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2
Boxingtalk.net: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2
Fightnews: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2
IBO Computerized rankings: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #3
Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2

Lacy not top 3? You never suprise me

Show me one solid ranking that does not have Calzaghe up top.

Until then, he is universally recognised.

Although Calzaghe and Lacy were only two of seven contenders at 168, correct?

Calzaghe would never drop the WBO belt now that he's about to make the 20th defence.
Have you even checked IBF's rankings?

1 Robert Stieglitz
2 Alejandro Berrio
3 Danillo Haussler
4 Jeff Lacy
5 Luciene Bute
6 Carl Froch
7 Dennis Inkin
8 Sergey Tatevosyan
9 Jackson Chanet
10 Rudy Markussen
11 Jurgen Brahmer
12 Mario Veit
13 Peter Manfredo, Jr.
14 Yusuf Mack USBA CHAMPION
15 David Gogiya


If Kessler wanted the fight so badly he would come to UK, but he won't. I guess this means Kessler is ducking Calzaghe.

Manfredo IS a good counter puncher, sort of old school, he has a strong right hand counter that is sharp, and under new trainer Roach he has improved. You ofcourse make comments without actually watching the fights, as you are clueless and one dimensional.

lvlarc_uk wrote:Ring Magazine: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #3
ESPN: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2
Boxingtalk.net: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2
Fightnews: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2
IBO Computerized rankings: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #3
Boxing Writers' Rankings Poll: Calzaghe #1 Lacy #2

Lacy not top 3? You never suprise me

Show me one solid ranking that does not have Calzaghe up top.

Until then, he is universally recognised.

Although Calzaghe and Lacy were only two of seven contenders at 168, correct?

Calzaghe would never drop the WBO belt now that he's about to make the 20th defence.
Have you even checked IBF's rankings?

1 Robert Stieglitz
2 Alejandro Berrio
3 Danillo Haussler
4 Jeff Lacy
5 Luciene Bute
6 Carl Froch
7 Dennis Inkin
8 Sergey Tatevosyan
9 Jackson Chanet
10 Rudy Markussen
11 Jurgen Brahmer
12 Mario Veit
13 Peter Manfredo, Jr.
14 Yusuf Mack USBA CHAMPION
15 David Gogiya


If Kessler wanted the fight so badly he would come to UK, but he won't. I guess this means Kessler is ducking Calzaghe.

Manfredo IS a good counter puncher, sort of old school, he has a strong right hand counter that is sharp, and under new trainer Roach he has improved. You ofcourse make comments without actually watching the fights, as you are clueless and one dimensional.

Poor lvlarc.

is there no way we can have a discussion without some biased septic getting in the way.

hey look, over there, OIL!..... did they go?

Manfredo was THEE 1st fighter "beaten" off the Contender, 'voted' back on... he's nothing,

and yes I realise Joe & 'alledgedly' allegedly are using Manfredo to bring Joe more American exposure, and maybe just maybe Calzaghe & Hopkins may meet after all.

Sadly it won't 'prove' much now, "should have happened years ago..." BOTH very poor champions in my opinion and I like Calzaghe!

well said, hopkins is more an invention of the media than a true great. hopkins better than hagler or Monzon? or SRR? in their eras he would have been a methodical, mechanical, sparring partner.

As for Calzaghe, I agree he has not made the best defences ever, but the US media is willing to cut Hopkins all sorts of slack (B-HOP turning down 3mill for calzaghe then fighting carl daniels? whatever...), so why should we not laud calzaghe for his achievements. The problem with the fight business is that fights that should happen dont.

[b]if there was one belt, and two mandatories plus one voluntary a year or get stripped, is how i would do it. nowadays you could decide one of the mandatories on internet polling, then it would be the fight the fans want to see. [/b]

but so many fighters want to pick up as much m,oney as they can, and if that means picking and choosing thats what they will do. boxing is a sport that kills, causes bad injuries, and many many fighters have to do it as a 'hobby', they never get big enough to quit the day job too. So if one does, he must think 'right, ill set myself and my family up for life'.