BoxRec

ok here is the hardest bit, where we talk about whom we think Joe could, should, would fight, etc. After cementing super middleweight I suppose he can pick & choose.

Would be interesting for an all domestic bout between Setanta boys Joe and Clinton Woods, which would match 2 British world champs & very easy to make. Doubt Warren would ask for options and I doubt Hobson would say "we want to do it on Sky Sports PPV" (!) like last time.

I was wondering about WBO light heavy champ Zsolt Erdei. Erdei isn't as good as Kessler or as ambitious. But - something I have got at before, ages ago - he has a way looser style, a snappy enough jab & may have a chance of doing better. His career has really lapsed, like Joe's did in 2004-5, and may be desperate to do something big. Now get this. Calzaghe is obviously a LONG TIME WBO champ (though he'd held IBF, Ring Mag, and just grabbed WBC and WBA versions last night). Joe was named some kind of WBO super champ recently, and is obviously in very well with the WBO. I'll bet this would really make a fight with Erdei easy to make.

Also, Universum boss Klaus Peter Kohl was in the audience. Erdei is actually the lineal champion as well, which would give Calzaghe an interesting claim to the championship. The Hungarian has been champ a long time with no "defining fight" (sound familiar) and would maybe be open for a European superfight. Joe's bargaining power has increased enormously with his 2 unification wins...

What does anyone think?


oh btw, I vehemently picked against Joe last night but this was great for British boxing and I think we can safely say he's better than Benn, Eubank, Collins now. Please keep it to the main topic, if you can.

I think you are on your own here. Why make a fight with Erdei when it's your last couple of fights? Erdei isn't a big name, he isn't an outstanding fighter, and he does nothing for Joe's legacy.

There is nothing in this fight for Joe and it's exactly the type of fight he doesn't need. There is only one thing left for Joe to do other than retire and that's make a big fight in the States against a big name American. If he's not going to do that he might as well retire now. Hopkins or the winner of the Pavlik/Taylor rematch are the two opponents to look for. Maybe he could fight Chad Dawson, but that's a hard fight for Joe without the same kind of payoff he will get against Hopkins or Pavlik/Taylor.

1) Joe wants a light heavy title, & his body is crying out for the move up
2) US names Hopkins, Taylor, Pavlik are either busy or won't want the fight. Wright's not really credible now
3) In negotiations, the Erdei camp would surely have to give way, with Joe able to draw 50,000 spectators & Erdei suffering increasingly low profile
4) Erdei holds the lineal crown, the 1 stretching back to Michalzewski, Hill, Michael Spinks, Bob Foster for history buffs; and a WBO title, which allows him to fight just about anyone
5) It'd be another champ v champ bout, which has gone down well enough vs Lacy & Kessler. Kessler fight proved the "Euro superifght" is alive & well
6) Erdei's promoter was in the crowd


sur,e he should fight an old American (there's credibility) who won't want to fight him, LOL...retire now, when he can make more big money vs a beatable foe??

verballistic wrote:

Autobarn wrote:ok here is the hardest bit, where we talk about whom we think Joe could, should, would fight, etc. After cementing super middleweight I suppose he can pick & choose.

Would be interesting for an all domestic bout between Setanta boys Joe and Clinton Woods, which would match 2 British world champs & very easy to make. Doubt Warren would ask for options and I doubt Hobson would say "we want to do it on Sky Sports PPV" (!) like last time.

I was wondering about WBO light heavy champ Zsolt Erdei. Erdei isn't as good as Kessler or as ambitious. But - something I have got at before, ages ago - he has a way looser style, a snappy enough jab & may have a chance of doing better. His career has really lapsed, like Joe's did in 2004-5, and may be desperate to do something big. Now get this. Calzaghe is obviously a LONG TIME WBO champ (though he'd held IBF, Ring Mag, and just grabbed WBC and WBA versions last night). Joe was named some kind of WBO super champ recently, and is obviously in very well with the WBO. I'll bet this would really make a fight with Erdei easy to make.

Also, Universum boss Klaus Peter Kohl was in the audience. Erdei is actually the lineal champion as well, which would give Calzaghe an interesting claim to the championship. The Hungarian has been champ a long time with no "defining fight" (sound familiar) and would maybe be open for a European superfight. Joe's bargaining power has increased enormously with his 2 unification wins...

What does anyone think?


oh btw, I vehemently picked against Joe last night but this was great for British boxing and I think we can safely say he's better than Benn, Eubank, Collins now. Please keep it to the main topic, if you can.

joe would easily beat the overrated, bottom-feeding erdei, whose once-formidable boxing skills have atrophied from facing inferior competition for so many years!! :( worst part about that is that both zsolt AND his promoter know it...so it will NEVER happen!! zsolt would be much better matched against kessler!!

zsolt will either retire without a defining win, and perhaps may even be upset by a sleeper like his patron saint michalczewski was at the relatively young age of 35!! but at least michalczewski had a career-defining win over virgil hill...zsolt will never follow the DM playbook that far out on a limb!!

we could go on & on about zsolt being a slave to his overly-cautious promoters...but wlad sidorenko has shown that an ambitious WARRIOR can talk coronary kids sauerland and kohl into making an OCCASIONAL big fight for him!! erdei and universum APPRECIATE the WBO for its continual parade of undeserving title challengers, but will never appreciate them enough to fight one of the WBO's actual CHAMPIONS!!

for joe at this point, woods may be the most realistic fight at 175...even if joe secured a date with b-hop and beats him, hopkins would make it such an ugly fight that it would hurt joe's legacy even if he won!!

chad dawson would be competitive at 175, but doesnt yet have the name-recognition to make it a financial goldmine...which, if joe does fight again, would surely be one of joe's prime goals in a farewell fight!!

another of your anti-German tirades? I never expected that. Calzaghe was a bottom feeder then wasn't he, for some his title defenses...Perhaps Erdei can do as well as Calzaghe when givena big one?

agreed on Hopkins, who would be way too negative. It would be like Ken Buchanan vs an old Carlos Ortiz - survival and spoiling. Pavlik is the ideal, the volcanic American puncher (this sells tickets over here). But Pav hasn't grown into his title yet & is nowhere near ready.

What does Joe do if he can't get a big American name, when European super fights and champ v champ fights sell big over here?

verballistic wrote:

ArtOfWar wrote:I think you are on your own here. Why make a fight with Erdei when it's your last couple of fights? Erdei isn't a big name, he isn't an outstanding fighter, and he does nothing for Joe's legacy.

There is nothing in this fight for Joe and it's exactly the type of fight he doesn't need. There is only one thing left for Joe to do other than retire and that's make a big fight in the States against a big name American. If he's not going to do that he might as well retire now. Hopkins or the winner of the Pavlik/Taylor rematch are the two opponents to look for. Maybe he could fight Chad Dawson, but that's a hard fight for Joe without the same kind of payoff he will get against Hopkins or Pavlik/Taylor.

altho my take diverges from yours...i think you are onto something re: a trip across the pond!! i was just reading the new RING mag tonight and the article on the american-british rivalry...so looking at things in THAT light, joe owes it to his legacy to have at least ONE big fight in america like almost ALL THE BRITISH RING GREATS have done!!

Dawson fight is a non starter. Why go to America if there's nothing there for him? I'm not convinced Hopkins, Taylor etc can be delivered. Winky Wright has already been mentioned but why go over to face a guy with no personality, no legs, no punch, & fading reflexes?

Would be sad if he neded up going to the US & fighting Anthony Hanshaw, Glen Johnson, Felix Trinidad or Edison Miranda, no?


I would think Woods would be a bit more realistic than Erdei. Woods and Joe are with the same UK TV & Woods' last title defense went down well over here as it was exciting. Just trying to be realistic if a big name Yank or aged great don't fancy it...

Calzaghe did say he wanted to be a 2 weight world champion but if he only has 2 fights left does he go for one of the titleholders, who arent any more than average and will be remembered as such, or does he try and get the big names to show he really is the best of his era?

I personally would prefer to see him face Roy Jones or Bernard Hopkins than Erdai or Woods even if it is 5 yrs too late.

Beating someone like Erdai wouldnt enhance his legacy is an ATG and isnt the kind of fight he should be looking for IMO.

ummmmm, no

I have a nasty feeling Joe's next fight will be against some bog standard SM top 10'er billed as "Joe's homecoming" or something

Personally I think Erdei is a sublime boxer when he's tested. He has those loose punches that coil out. Deceptive reach, superbly schooled, needs a big fight & if his promoters agree I hope they get their heads together. I think Erdei's situation and the WBO connection would make it a natural if Universum see how things are & not get too greedy. Kohl might be serious if he travelled all the way over here (unless he was there to court Kessler...)

I'd hate to see Joe v Jones - means nothing to me. Doubt Hopkins goes for the bait & it does notjhing for Joe's legacy - lose and you're in the shithouse, win & you beat an old codger. Nothing positive about these fights.

I think if we got Erdei, we'd see a similar calibre fight to the one we had last night. Erdei not as good as Kessler but maybe more suited style-wise.

Would love to see Woods get a big fight v Joe. It'd be a good one fort he Brits. Winning a light heavy belt is meant to be on Joe's radar, so I can't see why so many ppl are against Erdei. I'd object to Calzaghe-Drews, but I wouldn't say no to Erdei.

Khaosai-Galaxy wrote:ummmmm, no

I have a nasty feeling Joe's next fight will be against some bog standard SM top 10'er billed as "Joe's homecoming" or something

we've certainly suffered that before so I won't write it off.

But why kill himself to make weight again for a Salem or Bika level fight when he'll have 3 hard mandatories & has the clout to bag alight heavy title shot. heck, Clinton offered him one right there and then!


hmm, just realised. was Kohl over here for Brahmer, who seems to be #1 with most of the 168 lb titles?

I would like to see this fight, Erdei is the lineal champion and he has the WBO belt that Joe likes so much. This fight would definitely enhance Calzaghe's legacy, becoming a two weight lineal champion is a big deal.

Horse wrote:I would like to see this fight, Erdei is the lineal champion and he has the WBO belt that Joe likes so much. This fight would definitely enhance Calzaghe's legacy, becoming a two weight lineal champion is a big deal.

good point

also, Universum want to push Brahmer for a world title shot - big time.

But it's clear he'd have no chance vs Joe. Now here's what I'm thinking. Joe strikes a deal: moves up for a home fight with Erdei, who'shardly U's priority fighter, leaving Universum stars Brahmer AND Inkin to gun for vacant belts...

Erdei is a lot better than given credit for, he has a world class jab, a good defence and moves in and out of range very well. He has been very badly matched by Universum, carrying fighters like George Blades and Danny Santiago just for rounds. I cannot see his fight pattern changing and he will just make a string of further dodgy defences before retiring or being bumped off by the next in line.

The only reason i could see it happening would be through the WBO route. I am sure if Calzaghe wanted the fight, Warren would only have to literally click his fingers and the WBO would make it given the relationship between the two.

Erdei will never fight Calzaghe, and I doubt that Calzaghe would want to fight him anyway. He's like a poor man's version of Kessler, and the fight would go like last night's, only more one-sided.

It may be more interesting just from the political standpoint. But this actually may make it realistic.

Universum have a world champ that they don't do much with. They could "sacrifice" one, send him abroad, for good money, to get two other crowns. Heck, he might even win - anything can happen.

If Joe vacated his super midldeweight crowns, Inkin and Brahmer both will probably end up gunning for vacant titles. Brahmer, n top of all that, is natural German and hence worth more. This is a major point.

I mean, the only reason Erdei-Ulrich happened was so Ulrich - the real German - could try and win a belt.

I hardly think Erdei would say no. Money, and some glory at last too. Surely Kohl was in Wales for some big reason. How else do you tempt Calzaghe from vacating than by offering him that which his body is crying out for, which he's talked of since at least 2004: winning a light heavy belt.

Autobarn wrote:1) Joe wants a light heavy title, & his body is crying out for the move up
2) US names Hopkins, Taylor, Pavlik are either busy or won't want the fight. Wright's not really credible now
3) In negotiations, the Erdei camp would surely have to give way, with Joe able to draw 50,000 spectators & Erdei suffering increasingly low profile
4) Erdei holds the lineal crown, the 1 stretching back to Michalzewski, Hill, Michael Spinks, Bob Foster for history buffs; and a WBO title, which allows him to fight just about anyone
5) It'd be another champ v champ bout, which has gone down well enough vs Lacy & Kessler. Kessler fight proved the "Euro superifght" is alive & well
6) Erdei's promoter was in the crowd

sur,e he should fight an old American (there's credibility) who won't want to fight him, LOL...retire now, when he can make more big money vs a beatable foe??

1. Yes but he can make 168 - Hopkins is a better bigger fight at 175
2. Whos Hopkins busy with? I dont think Hopkins has a fight coming up
3. Depends if they want to risk the gravy boat
4. Debateable, when are we claiming Darius established the linear title and from waht basis? You could claim RJJ was lineal champ too. Erdei really lost twice to Garray anyway.
5. But Erdei isn't a big proven champ, whats his biggest win - the 2 gifts against Garray or the win over Gonzalez who everyone beats?
6. I'd prefer BHOPs, Taylor-Pavlik winner, RJJ-Trinidad winner, Wright, Dawson all ahead of Erdei.

Legacy is BHOP - Toughest fight its Froch or Bute at Super Middle or Kessler at Light Heavy.

none of those old men are worthy fights. the 1 that might be - hopkins - is unlikely to fight a stil fast Calzaghe. Jones, Trinidad, who else will some of you accept - Mayorga-Vargas winner as well??

Many posts on this thread have ignored the boxing politics side, by talking about "big fights" and "worthy opponents" which suggests some aren't really engaging with the thread.

German promoters can be pretty turgid. Seeing Calzaghe beat Kessler really hammered home the point that Erdei, Abraham etc aren't real champs (despite talent). BUT, why would Kohl put Inkin vs Braehmer in for a vacant crown, when he can put them in for two separate ones when Joe leaves them behind? I'm sure you'll agree with this -Universum are desperate for Calzaghe to vacate. Why not throw Joe a bone, send Erdei over to Wales?

Inkin would beat the shit out of Brahmer, I agree. He is superior in every way. They're both close to 30 years old and Kohl needs Joe to vacate those belts.


I'd rather have Erdei than Hopkins, and I'd rather see Woods or even Glen Johnson than Erdei because we'd at least see some leather traded...I guess when you move up from super middle to light heavy, things get a whole lot less "sexy".

Kessler was more proven than Erdei, but come on, no one promoted him for shit over here! Even Kessler, who I admire for coming over and risking his belts, didn't bother with much publicity work. Setanta Sports treated it like the Calzaghe Show all the way...The reason it was big is because Joe's wins over Lacy and Manfredo raised his profile and that Kessler brought title belts over and an unbeaten record.

Maybe I'm being cynical but Erdei has a title belt (and an imaginary one) and an unbeaten record.

Autobarn wrote:none of those old men are worthy fights. the 1 that might be - hopkins - is unlikely to fight a stil fast Calzaghe. Jones, Trinidad, who else will some of you accept - Mayorga-Vargas winner as well??

Many posts on this thread have ignored the boxing politics side, by talking about "big fights" and "worthy opponents" which suggests some aren't really engaging with the thread.

German promoters can be pretty turgid. Seeing Calzaghe beat Kessler really hammered home the point that Erdei, Abraham etc aren't real champs (despite talent). BUT, why would Kohl put Inkin vs Braehmer in for a vacant crown, when he can put them in for two separate ones when Joe leaves them behind? I'm sure you'll agree with this -Universum are desperate for Calzaghe to vacate. Why not throw Joe a bone, send Erdei over to Wales?

Inkin would beat the shit out of Brahmer, I agree. He is superior in every way. They're both close to 30 years old and Kohl needs Joe to vacate those belts.


I'd rather have Erdei than Hopkins, and I'd rather see Woods or even Glen Johnson than Erdei because we'd at least see some leather traded...I guess when you move up from super middle to light heavy, things get a whole lot less "sexy".

Kessler was more proven than Erdei, but come on, no one promoted him for shit over here! Even Kessler, who I admire for coming over and risking his belts, didn't bother with much publicity work. Setanta Sports treated it like the Calzaghe Show all the way...The reason it was big is because Joe's wins over Lacy and Manfredo raised his profile and that Kessler brought title belts over and an unbeaten record.

Maybe I'm being cynical but Erdei has a title belt (and an imaginary one) and an unbeaten record.

BHOPs actually called Calazage before the fight though mate so if that fight can be made no other fight matters. Its been on the horizon for so many years and seemed to pass us by. In reality ots a super fight even though they are both past prime. Yes BHOPS is old but so is Joe now. Sometimes a big name is more important when you haven't got too many big names on yoru record.

RJJs may well be past prime but still better than a never was in Erdei. Seriously Erdei hasn't done anything with his career. About 5 guys at LHW rate above him. TEchnically Erdei may be unbeaten but anyone who saw the Garray fights will tell you thats not the case, Erdeis own fans booed the decisions in those bouts

I saw the Garay fights & had Erdei winning both on clean punching and defense, in close fights.

Hopkins does bring the name value. I didn't know Hopkins called out Joe before the fight. Let's see if he still fancies it AFTER.

I think Calzaghe-Pavlik would be massive, but Joe would have to wait for him to see if he beats Taylor again.

Anyway, we'll see if Kohl makes any moves (and in that event if anyone decides to go with it).

Hopkins brings a name and money, but Calzaghe most dangerous opponent out there(still)is Mikkel Kessler

I know he wants to make as much moolah as he can and maybe bag another title at a higher weight, but I don't think Calzaghe can greatly improve on his legacy to be honest.
B-Hop is too old, and the rest(bar Kessler)would get beat by Joe no problem.

yiddo14 wrote:Hopkins brings a name and money, but Calzaghe most dangerous opponent out there(still)is Mikkel Kessler

I know he wants to make as much moolah as he can and maybe bag another title at a higher weight, but I don't think Calzaghe can greatly improve on his legacy to be honest.
B-Hop is too old, and the rest(bar Kessler)would get beat by Joe no problem.

Inkin is an evil body puncher though. If Joe loses a lot of weight, body punching is the key. Joe is too fast for Inkin, but what if Inkin manages to slow him down with some choice left hooks...Could get interesting, and I'll take interesting fights anyday.