Calzaghe to go down as the best brit of the modern game?

[Preme]

Been thinking If this fight with kessler comes off, and in his back yard.. will Joe go down as the best brit from the modern game?

Joe fights and beats kessler then he would of beaten everyone of worth in his weight who was willing to stepup, the only name at SMw he didn't fight would of been ottke but lets face it otkke was never ever going to take that fight... he made that crystal clear...

Whislt people have said about joe not wanting to fight away from home, or being protected once kessler is done with i think alot of people will change their outlook... he would of beaten every one of worth at SMW, kessler, lacy, brewer veit eubank, reid. Sure we may say some of them were past thier best, overrated lucky win... but the fact is after kessler there is no one we could consider to have been a threat, no one even the biggest hater can say Joe ducked, he would of beaten every single one of them...

A very young joe who had to fight with one hand for 6 rounds agasint reid was the only shaky time in his career other than that the other 42 fights have been pretty much agasint the best available or whomever was willing to stepp up... and he has beaten them all without any real worry...

Every other british fighter form the modern game has had some shaky wins when they were in thier prime, pickedup losses, gots parked out more than once...

Lennox lewis: Sparked out twice but less than great fighters...

Hatton: was damn lucky to get through collazo and apart from a good win v Tszyu hs beaten nobody, and a win over an unimpressive castillo of late would do little to further his name IMO...

Eubank, Benn, Collions, and Watson: all cracking fighters but none were able to domanate - apart form benn none realy calle dout some of the greats from their devision either - you can say what you want about joe, but he did sign to fight hopkins in the us, he tried damn hard to get in the ring with RJJ and i think most neutrals would agree he beats the fab four of british boxing prime for prime as well.

Right now i consider lewis the best of the modern game with joe just coming in at second... but win losse or draw v kessler he goes top.... He will be close to 36 by the time of the fight, his hands are shot to hit, he power is signifigantly diminished,his reflexes, timeing and speed are not what they were either, thats why i don't consider this a win only to secure the spot type of fight...

For anyone who, is wondering why i speak of the modern game and not of all time its simply because i consider jmmy wilde and Jim dricoll to be two of the greatest brits ever.. but i have to hard a time seperating the modern fighters from the pasts, why i rather rank them from two generations...

Anther saturday night hitting the rum on saddos

[Taeth]

No its Lennox Lewis all the way. Best competition of any of them, the most talent, and the most success.

[Preme]

No its Lennox Lewis all the way. Best competition of any of them, the most talent, and the most success.

He did fight alot of big names that was true, how many of them were in thier primes though was another question, he did call them all out another truth...

Most success?

Lewis got sparked twice agasint guys no realy great should even losse to, let alone get kayd by... there were other fights where he looked bad in and his power got him through..

I think lewis is great, got alot of respect for his skills. Personally though, i fell calzaghe has a better all round game, his speed, power, accuracy, chin, footwork, stamina and varity of punches make him the superier boxer...

People forget, the calzaghe fo the last 7 or so years has barly even sparred, whislt most boxers sparr a hell of alot, due to hand problems joe hasn;t been able to do that yet he still fights at the highest of levels...

[Gandalf]

Nice posting, Preme

I think Calzaghe is a great fighter. His only problem is having other great fighters to feed off. Jones and Hopkins were never going to fight him. He beat Lacy who was hyped to the hills and is now discredited by many. My issue is if he makes Kessler look bad. Will people say Calzaghe is great or will they say Kessler is overrated? I think he will beat Kessler handily. And of course, I will think he is a great fighter. He would have beaten the man to beat once again.

[Tysonbruno]

He will be in best of British top 10 i don't think number 1 though that spot has to go Lennox Lewis probably not even number 2

[Preme]

Nice posting, Preme

I think Calzaghe is a great fighter. His only problem is having other great fighters to feed off. Jones and Hopkins were never going to fight him. He beat Lacy who was hyped to the hills and is now discredited by many. My issue is if he makes Kessler look bad. Will people say Calzaghe is great or will they say Kessler is overrated? I think he will beat Kessler handily. And of course, I will think he is a great fighter. He would have beaten the man to beat once again.

CC back mate

Whislt i have slated hopkins for not figting him, as of late i have realised why..

Lots talk about how hopkins or joned would beat him with ease lol.. but they both, i don't think ducked him, but seen him as an unnessesery risk.. why else why they not fight him? there was alot of money on offer, but if they win there would be little acknolage meant from thier fans, if they lost they would be in shit street... that says alot for joe as to why they didn't fight him.

[Dav]

I'm still not sure about Calzaghe... Lacy aside, he does not have that many good scalps on his record (not all his own fault I concede). Many of his defences have been against people I had to consult Boxrec on just to find out who they were. Its a pity some of the bigger fights never came off for him or we may well be singing his praises as the greatest Brit. Assuming we are talking post WWII I would look at somebody like Ken Buchanan as being the best British fighter. If we are looking at post WWI I would say Calzaghe just about gets into the top 5 Welsh boxers, behind Jimmy Wilde, Jim Driscoll, Fred Welsh and Howard Winstone.

[Preme]

I'm still not sure about Calzaghe... Lacy aside, he does not have that many good scalps on his record (not all his own fault I concede). Many of his defences have been against people I had to consult Boxrec on just to find out who they were. Its a pity some of the bigger fights never came off for him or we may well be singing his praises as the greatest Brit. Assuming we are talking post WWII I would look at somebody like Ken Buchanan as being the best British fighter. If we are looking at post WWI I would say Calzaghe just about gets into the top 5 Welsh boxers, behind Jimmy Wilde, Jim Driscoll, Fred Welsh and Howard Winstone.

as in said in ym first post i consider jimmy and jim two of the best of the birts, its just i can not compare fighter of such a large difference in time... why i posed the question of the modern game...

I know from your other posts you know alot more bout guys like wilde and driscoll... they done things in boxing that were amazing, but so long ago its ahrd to compare to the modern game..

[Dav]

I'm still not sure about Calzaghe... Lacy aside, he does not have that many good scalps on his record (not all his own fault I concede). Many of his defences have been against people I had to consult Boxrec on just to find out who they were. Its a pity some of the bigger fights never came off for him or we may well be singing his praises as the greatest Brit. Assuming we are talking post WWII I would look at somebody like Ken Buchanan as being the best British fighter. If we are looking at post WWI I would say Calzaghe just about gets into the top 5 Welsh boxers, behind Jimmy Wilde, Jim Driscoll, Fred Welsh and Howard Winstone.

as in said in ym first post i consider jimmy and jim two of the best of the birts, its just i can not compare fighter of such a large difference in time... why i posed the question of the modern game...

I know from your other posts you know alot more bout guys like wilde and driscoll... they done things in boxing that were amazing, but so long ago its ahrd to compare to the modern game..

I totally agree mate. But thats part of the fun of the sport (and certainly of forums like this one). Everyone has an opinion, and nobody has the right say another's opinion is right or wrong - just different. Good subject and great post. By the way... how do I award CC's to people? I'll award one to the first person to tell me!!! (Bribery!!)

[Preme]

I'm still not sure about Calzaghe... Lacy aside, he does not have that many good scalps on his record (not all his own fault I concede). Many of his defences have been against people I had to consult Boxrec on just to find out who they were. Its a pity some of the bigger fights never came off for him or we may well be singing his praises as the greatest Brit. Assuming we are talking post WWII I would look at somebody like Ken Buchanan as being the best British fighter. If we are looking at post WWI I would say Calzaghe just about gets into the top 5 Welsh boxers, behind Jimmy Wilde, Jim Driscoll, Fred Welsh and Howard Winstone.

as in said in ym first post i consider jimmy and jim two of the best of the birts, its just i can not compare fighter of such a large difference in time... why i posed the question of the modern game...

I know from your other posts you know alot more bout guys like wilde and driscoll... they done things in boxing that were amazing, but so long ago its ahrd to compare to the modern game..

I totally agree mate. But thats part of the fun of the sport (and certainly of forums like this one). Everyone has an opinion, and nobody has the right say another's opinion is right or wrong - just different. Good subject and great post. By the way... how do I award CC's to people? I'll award one to the first person to tell me!!! (Bribery!!)

when you make your 100th post you get to see a [cool] and [sad] link under you cool/sad click ratings...
70 more ot go matey

[Preme]

sorry, the cool.sad link to CC/sc people will be undert thier ratings not yours

[Unknowndonor]

From the World view, I think Lennox gets the nod. Yes he lost twice, but he avenged those losses. Plus he did beat two of the most famous heavies in history. That speaks loudly, not to mention the fact that Lewis has fought in more places. IMO, Lewis is the better P4P fighter too.

[ICB]

Lennox Lewis
Jimmy Wilde
Joe Calzaghe if he beats Kessler

[Taeth]

No its Lennox Lewis all the way. Best competition of any of them, the most talent, and the most success.

He did fight alot of big names that was true, how many of them were in thier primes though was another question, he did call them all out another truth...

Most success?

Lewis got sparked twice agasint guys no realy great should even losse to, let alone get kayd by... there were other fights where he looked bad in and his power got him through..

I think lewis is great, got alot of respect for his skills. Personally though, i fell calzaghe has a better all round game, his speed, power, accuracy, chin, footwork, stamina and varity of punches make him the superier boxer...

People forget, the calzaghe fo the last 7 or so years has barly even sparred, whislt most boxers sparr a hell of alot, due to hand problems joe hasn;t been able to do that yet he still fights at the highest of levels...

First of all the McCall ko wasn't at true knock out, and the fight shouldn't have been stopped. Second if you've seen any of McCall he was a baddass when he wanted to be. Lennox beat Tua, Morrison, Mercer, Golota(meh), Destroyed Ruddock, beat Weaver, Mason, Biggs, Tucker, Bruno, Supposedly good Mavrovic, Destroyed Grant's career, Destroyed Rahman in the rematch. Beat Holyfield twice awhile before Holyfield became a true shell. Bowe was scared to fight him. IMO Lennox has/had better power, speed, accuracy than Calzaghe ever had. Chin is debatable because he would way better competition and Calzaghe was put down by Mitchell. Stamina goes to Calzaghe for sure. Regardless Lewis lost both of his fights because he didn't condition very hard for either one even when he was old and overweight he was turning the tide on Klitschko and would have won the fight had it continued or not. He is by far a superior boxer than Calzaghe in accomplishments and in p4p performance.

[Unknowndonor]

No its Lennox Lewis all the way. Best competition of any of them, the most talent, and the most success.

He did fight alot of big names that was true, how many of them were in thier primes though was another question, he did call them all out another truth...

Most success?

Lewis got sparked twice agasint guys no realy great should even losse to, let alone get kayd by... there were other fights where he looked bad in and his power got him through..

I think lewis is great, got alot of respect for his skills. Personally though, i fell calzaghe has a better all round game, his speed, power, accuracy, chin, footwork, stamina and varity of punches make him the superier boxer...

People forget, the calzaghe fo the last 7 or so years has barly even sparred, whislt most boxers sparr a hell of alot, due to hand problems joe hasn;t been able to do that yet he still fights at the highest of levels...

First of all the McCall ko wasn't at true knock out, and the fight shouldn't have been stopped. Second if you've seen any of McCall he was a baddass when he wanted to be. Lennox beat Tua, Morrison, Mercer, Golota(meh), Destroyed Ruddock, beat Weaver, Mason, Biggs, Tucker, Bruno, Supposedly good Mavrovic, Destroyed Grant's career, Destroyed Rahman in the rematch. Beat Holyfield twice awhile before Holyfield became a true shell. Bowe was scared to fight him. IMO Lennox has/had better power, speed, accuracy than Calzaghe ever had. Chin is debatable because he would way better competition and Calzaghe was put down by Mitchell. Stamina goes to Calzaghe for sure. Regardless Lewis lost both of his fights because he didn't condition very hard for either one even when he was old and overweight he was turning the tide on Klitschko and would have won the fight had it continued or not. He is by far a superior boxer than Calzaghe in accomplishments and in p4p performance.

I may get murdered with sad-clicks, but I totally agree that if the Klitchko fight would have continued, Lewis would have won. Vitali's heart was taken, after Lewis walked through his biggest shots, and started landing bombs, that were cutting him with every shot. People will argue, and Vitali was ahead at the time of stoppage. But, if you go back and look at Vitali's body language and facial expressions, he was happy the fight was stopped. He was happy with his performance, but I don't think he wanted anymore.