Fighters that you (controversially) think are overrated

[BIG H]

Joe Calzaghe for me

For somebody with the amatuer record and pedigree he had and then to hold a title for 12 years undefeated and still be very widely put down and discredited I'd say the guy is extremely underrated.

He accomplished a lot and it's a brilliant career but i just can't help but think he could have done more. How many times was there fights mentioned/pencilled in for them to be cancelled or he would fight someone we had barely heard of?

I'm not slagging him off as i said previously i am a fan but i think he was a little overrated. My view might change in years to come as i look back but for now that's my opinion. A long title reign is admirable but opponents are also taken in to consideration when judging the reign.

Fair play mate, but I don't buy the argument about his opposition. I really don't see who was operating at SMW during his reign that he should've fought and didn't - except perhaps Ottke and JC would've outclassed him very comfortably imo. I'm not saying JC's oppoistion was great, but I wanna know who he should've fought and didn't - remembering it takes 2 to tango.

Ottke, Jones (earlier), Frankie Liles and Antwun Echols would sure have spiced up that resume.

How many times to I/We have to explain about Echols and Liles I mentioned Ottke and RJJ was not ever at SMW during Calzgahe's reign.

Let's try the actual, ya know, FACTS.

1996 Jones was still at 168. He moved up in 1997 the same year Calzaghe wins a strap.
1998 Liles is ranked #1, Calzaghe #2
1999 Calzaghe #1, Liles #7
2001 Calzaghe #2, Echols #4
2002 Calzaghe #1, Echols #3
2003 Calzaghe #1, Echols #4
2004 Calzaghe #1, Echols #4

Now do you NOT think those names would have improved Calzaghe's resume?

No, not at all!! And I will now explain why.....

Liles only fought a couple of times after 97, one of which he got Koed by Mitchell, whom Calzaghe took out in less than 9 minutes, begs the question why would Liles even have been on the radar. Echols: He probably had one decent win around that time (Brewer) after having already lost he then went on to lose to world beating Anthony Mundine and Kingsley Ikeke. Echols never deserved a shot and doesn't belong in the same breath.

P.S As I said RJJ was never a SMW during JCs reign. He was LHW champion from 96. Let's face it, if they had've fought Jones would've one pretty handily

I don't buy ANY of it!!!!!!!!! NONE! (Stubborn? Not me)

It's funny, I think Calzaghe had a real toughness to him and that the athletic gap between Jones and Calzaghe is smaller than most think. I think by say 1998? That's a competitive fight. I think Jones wins, but I don't think it's a walkover.

I think JC would've been the toughest fight Jones had had at that stage, but let's be honest he'd hardly lost a round at that point.

Yeah but except for James Toney ( a MONSTER win and performance) he wasn't exaclty facing studs. IIRC the only name was the Bodysnatcher and he was 137 years old and two divisions above his best weight. Maybe it's me but I find a tough, close win over a high quality foe far more meaningful and impressive than shutting out a clearly inferior guy.

When did he break Virgil Hill's ribs? 1999?

Agreed. I don't like RJJ's resume at all and I don't like Hopkins 20 defences at MW either. Both resumes have no right to be called anything other than OK. I still think both fighters were great and would've beaten whomever was put infront of them though.