BoxRec

How good is Joe Calzaghe?

Is he a legend or some very carefully matched fighter?

How good was the Jeff Lacy win, was that win over inflated?

Boring, reckon this might have been discussed enough now don't you?

Joe Calzaghe is very, very good. These days he has great quality in his fundamentals and ring control, not just fists of fury.

The Lacy and Manfredo performances were probably better boxing-wise than anything he's ever produced in the past, the Mkrtchian fight was an improved performance on the Eubank, Reid, Sheika, Woodhall, Brewer, Mitchell wars too.

I honestly think he's better than ever, boxing-wise. He doesn't hit near as hard as he used to with the left hand, due to not being able to hit the bag hard in the gym and also dieting like an ethiopian weakening him. But everything comes naturally to him and he's a calmer, more calculated guy in the ring (since leaving Mandy?) than the lad who used to see red all the time.

I think he definitely has a shot at out-boxing Hopkins, Winky or Kessler. Whereas years ago the case would have been for Joe to get inside and unleash bodyshots and uppercuts and overwhelm them with his power and aggression and southpaw left hooks in the clinches etc.

His right hand work in the Ashira and Bika fights was pretty damn impressive

I think he's only watchable if he's taking on a guy he considers a threat. He has massively impressive speed and workrate for a super middleweight but keep him away from maulers because he'll get sucked right into a dirty wrestling match.

What more can we say? His hands are badly messed up, he still calls out fighters only for no big fight to materialise, he still doesn't have to fight a mandatory even though it's a good one with a powerhouse promoter this time.

I reckon Kessler gets him. Kessler's in his prime. He has some kind of back injuries so he avoids time waster fights and tries to take lucrative matches/fights that count. Joe hasn't faced many long range boxers. I think Joe finds himself out of range and, frustrated by the 4th round, he starts waving his right arm about as he does and throwing his left from out of range, falling from southpaw to orthodox. He does that and Kessler picks him to pieces.

He forces a white hot pace and drags Kessler into it, he can win.

He Is badly underrated because of opposition and when he fights good opposition he wins still.

Unreal how the bookies would make him an underdog for Kessler and Lacy.

Katon! wrote:He Is badly underrated because of opposition and when he fights good opposition he wins still.

Unreal how the bookies would make him an underdog for Kessler and Lacy.

What good opposition has Calzaghe fought that has not been past their sell by date?

What fighter has Calzaghe fought who is in his prime?

Because of FW's matchmaking we will never know how good he could be

Coco wrote:Because of FW's matchmaking we will never know how good he could be

Honestly now how good do you think Calzaghe is, its all very well saying because of Warren, how much is Calzaghe to blame.

Scooby Doo wrote:

Coco wrote:Because of FW's matchmaking we will never know how good he could be

Honestly now how good do you think Calzaghe is, its all very well saying because of Warren, how much is Calzaghe to blame.

Maybe JC is to blame, but if you have a look at FW's other fighters and the matches that are made for them, there is definately a common thread.

I firmly believe that JC is the best out there and could of been an all time great.

However that is just my opinion and he has not had the fights to back my beliefs up. Realistically he will not have those bouts. Even if he does have a convincing win v Kessler or Taylor it will not seal greatness.

Scooby Doo wrote:

Katon! wrote:He Is badly underrated because of opposition and when he fights good opposition he wins still.

Unreal how the bookies would make him an underdog for Kessler and Lacy.

What good opposition has Calzaghe fought that has not been past their sell by date?

What fighter has Calzaghe fought who is in his prime?

Reid was still In his prime, Lacy might of been close.

Boxrec judges too much on opposition though, he's fought world rated Super Middleweights.

Who has Hatton fought In their prime then since you and most posters have double standards?

So many blame Joe for what they think is a padded record - He has had some tough bouts and some easier ones also and that is the siuation with most boxers including Ricky Hatton - Joe turns up for a fight relaxed and full of confidence gets the job done and comes away with the win time after time - When he has faced stiff opposition he has raised his game accordingly - Its funny how people are now saying Jeff Lacy wasnt that good which is why Joe beat him so easily - Joe was the bookies underdog and even Calzaghe supporters thought he would lose - Eubank says he is one of the best SMs ever and Benn agrees - Robin Reid was in his prime when they met and it was a risky fight to take - Joe has had some tough fights and still remains unbeaten and top of his division - As I was reading through the posts I noticed somebody didnt think Joe beating Kessler would gain him a great deal in terms of his status in the SM division - Just forget how it was put, but I have to strongly disagree - My view is Kessler is considered better than Inkin, Mundine and Bute so Kessler is the man to beat - Do this and Joe has to be considered the best SM in the world, however some of us think he already is - Somebody seemed to think Kessler is overrated so Joe would beat him easily, which is daft - The Anti/Calzaghe camp will always find ways to trash his achievments no matter what he does - If all goes well Joe will retire on a high 2/3 fights from now and silence most of his critics - Joe may still have his fitness and sharp reflexes and be as good as he has ever has been, but his hands cannot take much more punishment - I dont expect to see any more KOs from him unless he perhaps goes for it in the final round, especially if a fight is close as could be, IF he fights Kessler.

wildwaylon wrote:So many blame Joe for what they think is a padded record - He has had some tough bouts and some easier ones also and that is the siuation with most boxers including Ricky Hatton - Joe turns up for a fight relaxed and full of confidence gets the job done and comes away with the win time after time - When he has faced stiff opposition he has raised his game accordingly - Its funny how people are now saying Jeff Lacy wasnt that good which is why Joe beat him so easily - Joe was the bookies underdog and even Calzaghe supporters thought he would lose - Eubank says he is one of the best SMs ever and Benn agrees - Robin Reid was in his prime when they met and it was a risky fight to take - Joe has had some tough fights and still remains unbeaten and top of his division - As I was reading through the posts I noticed somebody didnt think Joe beating Kessler would gain him a great deal in terms of his status in the SM division - Just forget how it was put, but I have to strongly disagree - My view is Kessler is considered better than Inkin, Mundine and Bute so Kessler is the man to beat - Do this and Joe has to be considered the best SM in the world, however some of us think he already is - Somebody seemed to think Kessler is overrated so Joe would beat him easily, which is daft - The Anti/Calzaghe camp will always find ways to trash his achievments no matter what he does - If all goes well Joe will retire on a high 2/3 fights from now and silence most of his critics - Joe may still have his fitness and sharp reflexes and be as good as he has ever has been, but his hands cannot take much more punishment - I dont expect to see any more KOs from him unless he perhaps goes for it in the final round, especially if a fight is close as could be, IF he fights Kessler.

Calzaghe should be demanding the very top fights, because he hasn't it has meant he has been allowed to get away with a grossly over inflated padded record.

The very last few words of your posts say everything about him,

"If he fights Kessler"

IF You work for FW, you are controlled by FW - Even if you dont he still finds a way to gain control - Calzaghe wants Hopkins, he has done for years now - His target at the moment is Kessler and if he gets the fight and gets the win he will be looking at Hopkins and Taylor next year - Then I think he will retire, hopefully still unbeaten and wait until he is 50 something to be made a knight of the garter - Probably be a double bill with Ricky Hatton!!![/b]