
Originally Posted by
Bilbo
It's funny because Jones resume in terms of actual fighters is barely more impressive than Joe's
He beat Hopkins, but a green Hopkins who hadn't fully matured into the wiley fox he would later become. I don't believe that the Hopkins that Jones beat was better than the Hopkins that Calzaghe beat even in spite of the advancing years.
James Toney we all know the stories about the massive amount of weight he had to lose. Plus back then Toney wasn't the slick awkward fighter he was in higher weight classes. Michael Nunn outboxed him easily early as well. Toney really improved in terms of skills as he got older and anyway was much better suited at the higher weights.
Mike McCallum was a decent win but he was 40 and coming off a loss. Definitely at the end of his career, no better a win than Eubank certainly.
Then who else?
Clinton Woods, Virgil Hill, Reggie Johnson, decent fighters but not world beaters.
John Ruiz? Well it was a big achievement moving up to heavyweight to beat him but Ruix is derided as being universally recognised as one of the worst heavyweight champs ever.
Then Tarver who KO'd Jones and Glen Johnson who also Ko'd him.
If you just look at opponents you can make a case against any fighter.
Calzaghe's record is superb, if he beats Jones he has to first ballot hall of famers on his record, a great champ in Chris Eubank plus two highly rated undefeated, prime world champs in Kessler and Lacy.
He's proven himself, he's an all time great.
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