Prime Nigel Benn vs Prime Joe Calzaghe

[SugarBoxing]

Why shouldn't Hop be mentioned alongside Monzon, Hagler...etc.?!? At this point in his career I can't see how anyone can still try n discredit his ability n accomplishments.

No power and no speed, dirty, not otherworldly ring tricks. Solid, but not special

[mikeeod]

Also, while Benn was a one dimensional puncher early in his career, he morphed into a complete fighter during his reign at 168. Had he not developed his defense n boxing ability he wouldn't have lasted two rounds with G-Man in their fight.

[Beanflicker]

Calzaghe would have schooled him IMO.

[brocktonblockbust]

great thread thanks dudes.

[SugarBoxing]

Last nail into B Hop coffin: he fought only 2 ATG and lost to both

[mikeeod]

Hop fought Roy, Joe C, Tito, Oscar, Winky, Tarver, Cloud, Taylor, Pavilik, Dawson, Glenn Johnson, Jean Pasquale and list to Roy when Hop was still green, and Taylor (disputed both times), Joe C(disputed) n Dawson when Hop was WELL past his best days. Everyone of those guys I listed above, except for Johnson at the time, were ranked p4p when Hop beat them throw in tough challengers like John Davud Jackson, Keith Holmes, Joe lipsey, William Joppy, Robert Allen, n Antwun Echols n u have an ATG resume. Record 20 successful defenses, lineal middleweight n lt heavy(x 2). No way u can discredit Hop at this point. Only fellow ATG fighters like Manny n Floyd have that class of resume.

[mikeeod]

No power?!? Semin, r u new to the sport? Prime Hop was a beast. For a while he held the record for fastest k.o. In a title fight. As he aged Hop morphed into the clever, defensively minded fighter u see today. In his prime however, he had power to spare (but was a little crude). The Hop that beat Tito would have hung even with greats of the past such as Hagler, Monzon, n Robinson. There was no area of the sport that Hop of that time wasn't great at.

[SugarBoxing]

No power?!? Semin, r u new to the sport? Prime Hop was a beast. For a while he held the record for fastest k.o. In a title fight. As he aged Hop morphed into the clever, defensively minded fighter u see today. In his prime however, he had power to spare (but was a little crude). The Hop that beat Tito would have hung even with greats of the past such as Hagler, Monzon, n Robinson. There was no area of the sport that Hop of that time wasn't great at.

That's my current opinion.

[Syntax Error]

If Sugar Boy Malinga can beat Benn TWICE (yes, he was robbed the first time), then Calzaghe schools him.

Calzaghe W12 Benn unanimously.

Thought 2nd close, but Benn won it. Likewise if 40 year old Hopkins, Jones and a Mitchell are dropping him with single shots I'd wager that he would be in far worse shape when Benn managed to do so.

Joe mixed when he shouldn't and Benn was boxing better at 168. I just don't see all the schooling thought by the many.

I can see what you're saying.

I can also see Calzaghe maybe taking a count because he was sometimes not averse to getting into brawls, but Joe's adaptability was great: the way he would adapt to his opposition, sometimes midfight was phenomenal.

I still see him schooling Benn after one or two hairy moments.

[Spicoli]

If Sugar Boy Malinga can beat Benn TWICE (yes, he was robbed the first time), then Calzaghe schools him.

Calzaghe W12 Benn unanimously.

Thought 2nd close, but Benn won it. Likewise if 40 year old Hopkins, Jones and a Mitchell are dropping him with single shots I'd wager that he would be in far worse shape when Benn managed to do so.

Joe mixed when he shouldn't and Benn was boxing better at 168. I just don't see all the schooling thought by the many.

I can see what you're saying.

I can also see Calzaghe maybe taking a count because he was sometimes not averse to getting into brawls, but Joe's adaptability was great: the way he would adapt to his opposition, sometimes midfight was phenomenal.

I still see him schooling Benn after one or two hairy moments.

Yeh I can see Calzaghe activity and volume being a problem but he would have to keep a very level head and keep Benn moving. Calzaghe had a well grounded mentality and wouldn't fold. He takes alot of flack but I didn't mind the guy but when I think of him handing out lessons and Benn being called one demensional I think of Joe spanking Lacy, who frankly was an overrated puncher as well as flat overrated. Benn, not so much.

[erics44]

Calzaghe would school him properly.. Benn was a British version of Iran Barkley

I think their fight(Benn-Barkley) might suggest he was a bit more dangerous for a while. I'd pick Calzaghe but he could've gotten caught and put away as well.

Calzaghe had a rock solid chin in his prime, its only as he got into the latter stages of his career that he started feeling the punches

ben had a big punch but would have had to land one of his best to put calzaghe away

[Fenster]

Benn never beats Calzaghe in a million. Made for him.

[smashup]

Calzaghe loved a tear up but wasn't always a good move, Kessler was outgunning him early on and JC had to go to plan B , adjust and box him silly.
I reckon Benn would have put him on his ass early in the fight in a mad exchange then JC would have done the same again and won by pure boxing skill and speed.
Def think he'd have walked onto wild Nigel hook tho.

Would have been some fight that ;-)

[bzkfn]

Your face is to one dimensional!

I don't think anyone has ever argued a point better than this.