BoxRec

Was thinking about how - despite being frowned on from a purist viewpoint - Calzaghe-Manfredo is still a huge event and thus relevant despite being a mismatch on paper.

...Obviously, a highly lucrative fight and also a big platform to something more meaningful. We mainly don't like this match, but it's still significant, an economic reality. Who knows, all this power of TV stuff may actually be used more productively between world class fighters, and stop boxing from becoming a mere internet culty thing...

Anyway, does anyone see similarities between Calzaghe-Manfredo and Eubank v Gary Stretch - the model, glamour boy and British (I think) light middleweight champion? That was a pretty big fight and didn't Stretch fight above himself that night?

Well Manfredo isn't as pretty as Stretch, but I can see the similarities. Stretch was more hype than substance, but hadn't done much wrong in his own level (a bit like Manfredo)... most boxing pundits thought he'd found his level (a bit like Manfredo) but there is still the "you never know" factor, in that he could thrive at the higher level, a bit like Tonights fights.

Eubank vs. Stretch, Benn vs. Piper. Another case of a perfectly decent challenger in the wrong weight class.