Does anybody else hate the fanboyism that dominates the boxing talk board?

[C-Lo]

I don't mind that either, at least you know it's honest and not something else. I think it's just unfortunate for them -- probably the best british fighter they'll ever see and they don't like him.

Even though I didn't like him during his reign, I think Lennox Lewis is the best British fighter...

I didn't like the safety-first thing. He was still great at what he did but Calzaghe gets stuck in. Much more entertaining and he shows much more boxing skills. I'd probably put Nigel Benn second, I tend to go for excitement.

I respect that. If you're going for excitement then Joe can arguably be greater than Lennox Lewis. I was thinking along the lines of opposition and the fact that he has never faced anyone he hasn't beaten.

[Kev]

Even though I didn't like him during his reign, I think Lennox Lewis is the best British fighter...

I didn't like the safety-first thing. He was still great at what he did but Calzaghe gets stuck in. Much more entertaining and he shows much more boxing skills. I'd probably put Nigel Benn second, I tend to go for excitement.

I respect that. If you're going for excitement then Joe can arguably be greater than Lennox Lewis. I was thinking along the lines of opposition and the fact that he has never faced anyone he hasn't beaten.

If Calzaghe beats Roy Jones to me his resume will be better than Lennox.

Lennoxes defining fights were against Tyson and Holyfield. Nobody can convince me that Mike Tyson and Evander Hoylfield were any less shot than Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones when Calzaghe got to them

Tyson had already been knocked out twice, disqualified once to avoid getting knocked out, had been in jail and was a shell of his former self.

Holyfield had been knocked out by Riddick Bowe, almost KO'd by Bert Cooper and was 38 years old and considered well past his best.

I don't see how those wins are any better than beating Bernard Hopkins who was the current Ring champ at 175 and has just pitched a shutout against the Ring Middleweight champ in his fight after losing to Joe.

Jones Jr has been knocked out twice just like Tyson but he's on a win streak and is considered p4p one of the best fighters of all time.

If Joe beats him, Jones and Hopkins are his Tyson and Holyfield imo.

Guys like Kessler, Lacy and Eubank approximate well to Klitschko, Ruddock, Bruno etc so I really don't see what Lewis did to achieve more.

When you factor in also that Lewis got ktfo twice whereas Calzaghe has never lost a fight then in my mind it's really hard not to put Calzaghe above Lewis IF he beats Roy Jones.

[rjj tszyu]

I didn't like the safety-first thing. He was still great at what he did but Calzaghe gets stuck in. Much more entertaining and he shows much more boxing skills. I'd probably put Nigel Benn second, I tend to go for excitement.

I respect that. If you're going for excitement then Joe can arguably be greater than Lennox Lewis. I was thinking along the lines of opposition and the fact that he has never faced anyone he hasn't beaten.

If Calzaghe beats Roy Jones to me his resume will be better than Lennox.

Lennoxes defining fights were against Tyson and Holyfield. Nobody can convince me that Mike Tyson and Evander Hoylfield were any less shot than Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones when Calzaghe got to them

Tyson had already been knocked out twice, disqualified once to avoid getting knocked out, had been in jail and was a shell of his former self.

Holyfield had been knocked out by Riddick Bowe, almost KO'd by Bert Cooper and was 38 years old and considered well past his best.

I don't see how those wins are any better than beating Bernard Hopkins who was the current Ring champ at 175 and has just pitched a shutout against the Ring Middleweight champ in his fight after losing to Joe.

Jones Jr has been knocked out twice just like Tyson but he's on a win streak and is considered p4p one of the best fighters of all time.

If Joe beats him, Jones and Hopkins are his Tyson and Holyfield imo.

Guys like Kessler, Lacy and Eubank approximate well to Klitschko, Ruddock, Bruno etc so I really don't see what Lewis did to achieve more.

When you factor in also that Lewis got ktfo twice whereas Calzaghe has never lost a fight then in my mind it's really hard not to put Calzaghe above Lewis IF he beats Roy Jones.

I actually disagreed until i read the whole post. You made good points here Bilbo but the only thing I could argue is that Lennox fought a better level of opposition throughout but then again he was twice beaten by lesser opposition which has obviously never happened to Joe.