Joe Calzaghe under the micoscope

[Fenster]

Yeah, he fought Veit, but what about the other load of crap that he fought? Beyer, Bute, and Mundine were all way better than the guys he fought.

You're being silly with the Bute business. When were they EVER likely to fight?
Has Bute EVER even mentioned Calzaghe? He has only just moved out of the novices - a step above Froch.

And what you need to understand is - it takes TWO to tango. Did it ever occur to you that guys like Mundine and Beyer, that could earn good money defending their belts in their own country, might not have WANTED to fight Calzaghe?

So only third rate fighters were willing to take on Calzaghe? The second rate ones didn't want any part of him? If Beyer was willing to fight Kessler, I doubt he would have been unwilling to fight Calzaghe given the chance.

As for Bute, in April 2007, Calzaghe fought Manfredo. Two months later Bute fought Bika. He had already stopped Salem in 8, with whom Joe went the distance the previous year. Sure, Bute was just a knotch up from prospect at that point, but he was a legit top 10 MWW at the time, if I remember correctly, he was ranked about 6th or 7th then. Why is it crazy to think they could have offered him that fight instead of Manfredo? Are you saying that Bute hadn't done more than Manfredo at that point to deserve a shot? Would that not have been a better fight for the fans and a better show case of his skills? Since when does it require calling somebody out to make a fight? Manfredo certainly wassn't calling him out. And, in Bute's next fight, he beat Bika probably more easily than Calzaghe did. Bute would have been a good choice for the Spring 2007 defense if Calzaghe was interested in giving the fans a decent fight. Joe would have won, but it would been an interesting and meaningful win.

Even offering that spring 2007 fight to Froch would have been more meaningful than dragging Manfredo to Wales. I suppose you think Froch would have turned that down?

Beyer got a HUGE money cut against Kessler. A career high payday. Do you think it was a coincidence he retired after that fight (i know he's back)? I'm sure he wouldn't have minded Calzaghe retiring him for the money he got either.

I think you're just being petty with Bute. Compared with Calzaghe, Bute is a nobody novice, he's NEVER even been on TV in Britain. Has he ever fought outside Canada? I've NEVER heard of a possible fight between the two. I've never heard Bute mention Calzaghe. And I don't understand WHY you think Bute's people would be in such a hurry to chance ruining him?

Calzaghe ducked Bute. Good luck with that one.

I agree the Manfredo fight was utter shit. Pathetic. Calzaghe got tons of deserved criticism for that. I'm not even gonna try and justify it by Manfredo's "contender" fame, or the fact they shifted 30,000+ tickets for a mismatch. I agree it was crap.