If Calzaghe's record is so bad, whose is better?

[Rantcatrat]

I noticed a few are saying Pavlik and Cotto etc... have taken risks at a younger age and Calzaghe didn't. Thing is, i don't see why it matters. If you take a risk, you take a risk. At the end of the day Calzaghe wiped the floor with the guys he supposedly took a risk with (well except Hopkins), whereas Pavlik and Cotto didn't.

He's always going to have his haters and i must admit i'm not a big fan, but his record is second to none. Same with Mayweather though. Great record, but folk would rather talk about the guys he didn't face.

It matters and it is relevant because it reflects the quality of their legacy. A fighter's standing in history depends largely on who they beat. Just the fact that people are comparing Calzaghe's record, at age 37, to records of fighters who are 10 years younger should be indicative enough. Cotto has already fought at least 4 accomplished fighters in their prime. Pavlik took a risk fighting Hopkins, and Jermain Taylor for that matter, whereas when Calzaghe was at that age he was content to fight British clubfighters. Whether taking the risk was justified is another story (ask Pavlik or Cotto). Moreover, Calzaghe only "wiped the floor" with one prime accomplished fighter, Kessler. Pavlik and Cotto can already make that claim, at age 26.

And you are dead-on about PBF. Good comparison. PBF was an amazing pound for pound fighter, but when he left the game he had never fought any accomplished prime welterweight. He left the game when Sugar Shane, Miguel Cotto, and Antonio Margarito were all in their primes. It will always be a knock on PBF.

What four acomplished fighters in their prime has Cotto beat?

Certainly not Judah (he hasn't one a big fight in about 4 years) , certainly not Mosely (people on here saying he should retire after the Mayorga debacle) , maybe Margarito but he got battered by Margarito.

I guess you mean Quintana and Malignaggi?

Dangerous fighters indeed

I'm not criticising Cotto here, I think he's a fantastic fighter but he hasn't faced 4 elite prime fighters like you suggest.

And Eubank was a million miles away from being a British 'club fighter', even weight drained he'd have beaten Jermain Taylor that's for sure.

Semantics mi amigo. Point being they are legitimate challenges. At 26, Cotto has already faced very qualified opposition.

Shane Mosley is an ATG, first ballot hall-of-famer. Agreed, he wasn't in his prime when he faced Cotto, but Cotto outboxed him, and Shane hadn't slowed down too much in that fight.

Zab Judah. Has Notable wins on his record. Fought PBF very well. Big time name. etc. Cotto demolished him.

Paulie, as of now is a junior middleweight champion. He holds a strap. His only loss being against Cotto. Dangerous, err, NO. Of course not, it is well documented know Paulie is feather fisted, but a worthy opponent in his prime, yes.

Carlos Quintana. The least accomplished of the above mentioned, but a good boxer, and the only boxer in the world who has beat Paul Williams.

Antonio Margarito. Dodged by PBF and Sugar Shane. Accomplished resume and in his prime.

Again, Cotto is 26.

I'm not taking away PBF's greatness. He was great. Unbelievable. Arguably the best of the last decade. I was only discusshing his record in the context of his welterweight legacy. I am NOT disparaging his record in any other way. Don't get me wrong.