Calzaghe Throwing Away Greatness ?

[trampie]

If Calzaghe only has one more fight, will he be throwning away a chance of being regarded as one of the greatest ever boxers ?
I believe that the record for the longest reigning champion and the most title defences are only a few fights away, if Calzaghe remained unbeaten and these records were broken , would Calzaghe then achieve boxing immortality ?, especially if he held those records for the next 20 or 30 years.

[cpcompany]

Calzaghe seems to have little motivation for fighting these days and the only fighters I think he is interested in fighting are Pavlik and RJJ. He has already hinted that he might have 2 fights rather than one.
Due to his lack of interest in other fighters I think he is quite aware that if he attempts to break Joe Louis`s record he would possibly lose as he wouldnt be able to fire himself up for some fights.

This isnt a go at Calzaghe. I think he is right to bow out at this stage.

[Tins06]

Fuckin hell?? What else do you want him to do?

Unified SMW champ one of the longest reigns in history,undefeated

Ring champ at 2 weight classes? fought his career with constant injury's.like a true champ worked around it.

The ignorance kills me.

[trampie]

Tins you have missed the point, i think Calzaghe's achievements are fantastic. But he would not make a top 30 list of all time great boxers, yet if he broke these records which are a few fights away, he would be regarded as a top 10 fighter of all time, alongside the likes off Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis etc.

[Doot]

if he wants to really cement his legacy he HAS to have more fights in the states, its just the way it is.
looking through his record the only real impressive fights I saw were the hopkins, lacy and Kessler ones.
He needs more fights with big name fighters or I don't think he will be remembered the way he wants to be.

im not a calzaghe hater either, I don't like or dislike him, he just hasnt fought enough over here for me to be interested.

[Kev]

Tins you have missed the point, i think Calzaghe's achievements are fantastic. But he would not make a top 30 list of all time great boxers, yet if he broke these records which are a few fights away, he would be regarded as a top 10 fighter of all time, alongside the likes off Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis etc.

I agree with you trampie. Calzaghe is still in fine physical and mental shape, the best fighters in the world from 160-175 are all well within his ability to beat.

A win over Pavlik would be huge, as he's America's greatest current middleweight and Ring champ. Calzaghe could go for a world title at 175 with a fight against Antonio Tarver. The Jones Jr fight would be a nice way to finish off his career and imo is a fight he should take before he retires but I'd really like him to go for either Tarver or Pavlik as well, preferably both if possible.

It's not inconceivable that he could break Marciano's 49-0 record and enter into boxing immortality.

If I was Calzaghe I'd fight twice more this year, next time out a stay busy fight against a light punching nobody, a Manfredo rematch ideally lol.

Then in Decemeber go for a Roy Jones Jr megafight which presuming he wins puts him at 47-0

Then in 09 he could go for the glory with fights against Kelly Pavlik and Antonio Tarver (He'd be wise to avoid Dawson imo, the risk is not worth the reward) and then sign off with one last fight, maybe by taking on Carl Froch, (who hopefully will be a champ by then) in what would be a great all British clash between the old champion and the young pretender (although Froch is already 30)

A great way to sign off his career and all those fights are winnable. But it's an ambitious challenge and Calzaghe likely won't want to risk his 0 with such a dangerous fight schedule.

[Tins06]

Tins you have missed the point, i think Calzaghe's achievements are fantastic. But he would not make a top 30 list of all time great boxers, yet if he broke these records which are a few fights away, he would be regarded as a top 10 fighter of all time, alongside the likes off Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis etc.

No i get you mate. I just dont think the opponents are there to beat those records with strong enough opposition.

But i suppose i do slightly agree with you maybe.Only one thing i would like to see Joe do and thats fight pavlik.

thats the only viable opponent out there for Joe that IMO would increase his standing p4p.Anyone else is just a pay-day.

If he could win that fight no-one else would be worth it.

[trampie]

Bilbo i have come up with virtually the same schedule and time frame as you, if Joe retires 46 and 0 {having beaten Jones} he will be regarded as a marvelous boxer if he retires 50 and 0 {3 fights Cardiff, 1 fight Madison Square - no altitude, 2 of the fights against Stellar opposition and 2 against average opposition} Calzaghe retires as a legend.

[p4pking]

I'd like to see him fight Glen Johnson, but obviously it won't happen now. Johnson is still right in the mix at LHW and in line to fight anybody willing. Hope he isn't left on the sidelines while the other big names fight each other. I think Johnson has a lot more to offer than Tarver at this stage, aside from notoriety, and would potentially give Calzaghe as tough a fight as anyone, barring maybe Pavlik if he found a home for the right, but maybe he couldn't. Johnson would certainly put a lot of pressure on Joe, it would be a grueling fight that's why I don't think Calzaghe would take it.

[Dark Lord Al]

If Calzaghe only has one more fight, will he be throwning away a chance of being regarded as one of the greatest ever boxers ?
I believe that the record for the longest reigning champion and the most title defences are only a few fights away, if Calzaghe remained unbeaten and these records were broken , would Calzaghe then achieve boxing immortality ?, especially if he held those records for the next 20 or 30 years.

Calzaghe is not an all time great , so he cant throw it away if he has another 50 fights.

[trampie]

I will try and answer my own question about Calzaghe possibly giving up greatness and becoming a boxing immortal.
Even if Calzaghe got to 50 and 0 breaking the longest reigning champion record and the most title defences to boot, i personally would not think he was the greatest ever boxer, but i do think he would be perceived by history as at least being regarded as one of the greatest ever boxers.
A good example is Rocky Marciano seen by the man in the street as a legend, never lost a fight so famous that a hollywood blockbuster film was made about him.
Yet boxing fans know that as good as he obviously was, he was only champion for 3 years and only won the world title 7 times, he does not usually make a top ten list of all time greats, yet people that were not even born when he was fighting have heard of him.

Calzaghe could be missing the chance to be that well known even if most boxing experts did not believe him to be an all time top tenner.

[HattonTheHammer]

if he wants to really cement his legacy he HAS to have more fights in the states, its just the way it is.
looking through his record the only real impressive fights I saw were the hopkins, lacy and Kessler ones.
He needs more fights with big name fighters or I don't think he will be remembered the way he wants to be.

im not a calzaghe hater either, I don't like or dislike him, he just hasnt fought enough over here for me to be interested.

spot on

However much i hate to admit it joe has at times tended to side away from fighting the big names and opting instead for a good pay day back home, that in itself is a common trait under frank warren.

Why oh why joe would choose to fight his final fight in a place he has fought and won on endless occasions (cardiff) is beyond me.

The MGM, madison square garden, staples centre - plenty of massive arenas stateside where joe can attract MAJOR box office sales by fighting.

Joe doesnt need jones jr, he has proven already he can live with the legends from yesteryear, pavlik or/and one last defining unification fight at 168 or 175 would be a fitting way for JC to end his career

[:::PSL:::]

He must atleast defeat Pavlik and RJJr to cement his legacy.

[HattonTheHammer]

He must atleast defeat Pavlik and RJJr to cement his legacy.

jones jr??

someone who hasnt K0`d an opponent for 6 years. has a record of 3-3 since then and is now nothing more than a showhorse needing to be taken to stud.

Hopkins had the potential to beat JC, Jones jr wouldnt even have a fighting chance of getting anything other than a very big points loss.

I for one would not be ordering that on PPV as i would if it were pavlik/dawson/miranda!!

[littlebif]

Jones is past his prime but he still has the speed with his right hand to cause Joe some problems.I can see Joe stopping Jones late on.

As for Pavlik he can be out boxed and gets fustrated we saw that against Taylor in the seconds fight although he did find away to win. Calzaghe is a better boxer than JT so iam picking Joe by ud in this fight.