Joe Calzaghe: Andre Ward is good but beatable

[Gandalf]

I have done a couple of polls on who people thought won between Hopkins and Calzaghe and Calzaghe always wins by a considerable margin. He outlanded Hopkins something silly.

And let's not pretend that that was Calzaghe at his best either. Withered hands and a high energy fighter at 36? Calzaghe was on the slide too, but he was still far too much for a savvy Hopkins. He always would have been as the younger Calzaghe would have hurt Hopkins more.

So Froch sucks and yet why did he win 3 rounds against Ward? Was it charity? Are we suggesting that Froch is in any comparable to the unorthodox, high output style of Calzaghe? It's nonsense and an obvious extension that Ward be taken into deep waters and lose a lot more rounds. I couldn't see him winning rounds against Calzaghe TBH. Early on for sure, but once the adjustments are made and Calzaghe is set on what he needs to do, Ward is done for.

Ward has beaten nobody that Calzaghe couldn't beat better. Ward is a novice and has so much more to do.

And Calzaghe did face in their prime fighters. Everyone overseas was saying Lacy would destroy Joe. Kessler was supposedly a pick 'em fight. Hindsight means those opponents are discounted, but pre injury Lacy was better than people say. Kessler was undefeated and hungry.

Wards biggest win is Kessler and Calzaghe beat him much more impressively.

[ross]

I havent followed Wards career but have read a few times he used to try and fight like Jones. Is that up until he nearly got stopped by Boon? Has he changed in to Ruiz since then? Bika also had him holding for dear life during the last 2 rounds.

That is the only reason Ward is effective, the holding. Without that he has to fight. Calzaghe is about the only fighter that has the workrate, angles and speed to make Ward think twice about coming in. With Froch it was easy, hes not that quick and loads up, which probably is what makes him slow. If he has natural strength which everyone says he does, then he should concentrate on just being sharp and landing and not just one shot at a time. He would have done a hell of alot better and it would only take a win or 2 to get the rematch as now the super 6 is over, everyone is going to go back to avoiding each other. Froch is now in a pretty good position business wise as he is a beatable big name opponent who will travel. He even has Bute thinking of travelling for fuck sake!