Chad Dawson vs Joe Calzaghe

[Kev]

Calzaghe is the linear champion. That is far more important than Dawson's IBF belt.

Dawson ONLY has that belt because off the way events unfolded after Roy gave it up when moving to heavyweight. It doesn't mean Roy wasn't the top lightheavy because he no longer had the IBF belt. That is nonsense.

Roy then lost to Tarver at lightheavy. That makes Tarver the top man. Then Johnson beat Tarver. Tarver beat Johnson. Hopkins beat Tarver. Calzaghe beat Hopkins.

To say Calzaghe needs an ALPHABET to claim he's a double weight champ is silly.

Calzaghe could have fought Clinton Woods for this very same IBF title instead of facing Hopkins for the linear title. What is the more important fight?

Yeah but sometimes the title of 'linear' champ is almost as much bullshit as the alphabelt titles Fenst

Hopkins had ONE fight at light heavy, against Tarver, then he gave up the belt to fight a light middleweight and a supermiddleweight. His last fight was against a middleweight. So although he beat Tarver to indeed win the linear title he has been as much a part of that division as Roy Jones was at heavyweight. Hopkins has made no attempt to unify belts at 175, to fight the other champs at 175 or be a factor at all at 175.

Meanwhile Chad Dawson has won two world titles at the weight class beating both Thomaz Adamek and Antonio Tarver, who had won his belt back with a dominant win over Woods. He also beat the always dangerous Glen Johnson.

Although Hopkins, Calzaghe and Jones Jr all fight at 175 (or 170) it's Dawson that is actually fighting light heavyweights and winning world titles.

Hopkins and Calzaghe have basically been using the 175 weight limit rather than taking part in the division's battles for titles.

It's a bit like when Mayorga and Vargas fought at middleweight, they wern't relavent to the division at all, it was just the weight limit they set.

If Calzaghe really wants to lay claim to being the champ in two weight classes he needs to fight the guy who is actually winning world titles there and beating all the other light heavies.

Hopkins only fought one and Jones hasn't beaten a decent light heavy in years.

Calzaghe beating Hopkins (who only ever fought once at light heavy, at least against a light heavyweight) in a not title fight hardly qualifies him as clearing out that division does it?

If he wants to truly be able to claim ownership of two weight classes he needs to fight and defeat Chad Dawson.

Ahhh.. Bilbo you're never gonna get it. So mesmerised by the letters and shiny belts

Dawson BEAT Tarver to become the IBF champ. That win is solidifying his place at the top of 175 IYO, right?

What makes Dawson's win over Tarver better than Hopkins? Cause it was for the letters IBF instead of IBO?

Hopkins had ALREADY beaten Tarver. Tarver WAS the BEST lightheavy when Hopkins beat him. That makes Hopkins the BEST lightheavy. How can it be any other way?

A lack of star fighters in the division led Hopkins to pursue other avenues. He had already slaughtered Glen Johnson years before.

Dawson may very well be the best fighter at 175. But he needs to beat the real champ - Calzaghe - to prove it.

Hopkins beat Tarver. Dawson beat Tarver, Johnson, Adamek, Mendoza, Harding and Ruiz.

Linear title aside who has done more at 175?

Let's go over it again.

Hopkins

Tarver

Dawson

Tarver
Johnson
Adamek
Mendoza
Harding
Ruiz

I say again, DAWSON is the guy at 175 who is winning titles and beating all the light heavyweight champs and contenders.

Calzaghe may have got the linear title but that's just a nice little history lesson in the how's and when's the mythical belt changed hands.

In all practical and common sense terms Dawson is the man to beat at 175 in order for Calzaghe to be able to claim he unified two weight classes.