What are the best fights for Joe Calzaghe?

[killersheep]

At this moment the only fight that matters is with Kessler, then he can say he dominated 168 and move-up.

[Fenster]

Ok, personally, I would think that Calzaghe has to be looking for the huge fights that are going to keep in fast cars and snappy suits for the rest of his life, and I think that those would come from fighting Americans, cause that is the big-money audience. Otherwise, Ricky Hatton wouldn't be there, and hundreds of Irish, Mexican and Filipino fighters wouldn't be plying their trade there.

If he was ever gonna ply his trade in the States he would of done it by now.

His unwillingness to travel has obviously hindered making big fights.

Why's he fighting Manfredo in Wales? (i know, record equaling defence deserves to be in front of his fans and all) Surely if they had any intentions of fighting in the States the Manfredo fight would of been PERFECT for Calzaghes debut there?

[Preme]

Ok, personally, I would think that Calzaghe has to be looking for the huge fights that are going to keep in fast cars and snappy suits for the rest of his life, and I think that those would come from fighting Americans, cause that is the big-money audience. Otherwise, Ricky Hatton wouldn't be there, and hundreds of Irish, Mexican and Filipino fighters wouldn't be plying their trade there.

If he was ever gonna ply his trade in the States he would of done it by now.

His unwillingness to travel has obviously hindered making big fights.

Why's he fighting Manfredo in Wales? (i know, record equaling defence deserves to be in front of his fans and all) Surely if they had any intentions of fighting in the States the Manfredo fight would of been PERFECT for Calzaghes debut there?

why the fuck would he want to fight manfredo in the states for? be lucky if 10 people turned up... why would he want to make his 20th def in the states for that matter either? he has said time and time again he will go to the states for a big fight if he has to - as agreed in the hopkins contract... you know this, so why are bullshitting about unwilligness to travel has hinderd making big fighs? then ONLY to big fights he could of had was hopkins, RJJ he had signed his contract to fight hopkins in the states YOU KNOW THIS, no one seems to be dead certain about the RJJ one - i heard he was willing to go to the us but don't have fcat to back it up.

Sum1 posted a link not long back about Ottke refusing to fight calzaghe in germany, a place where he has screwed countless people...

[Fenster]

Ok, personally, I would think that Calzaghe has to be looking for the huge fights that are going to keep in fast cars and snappy suits for the rest of his life, and I think that those would come from fighting Americans, cause that is the big-money audience. Otherwise, Ricky Hatton wouldn't be there, and hundreds of Irish, Mexican and Filipino fighters wouldn't be plying their trade there.

If he was ever gonna ply his trade in the States he would of done it by now.

His unwillingness to travel has obviously hindered making big fights.

Why's he fighting Manfredo in Wales? (i know, record equaling defence deserves to be in front of his fans and all) Surely if they had any intentions of fighting in the States the Manfredo fight would of been PERFECT for Calzaghes debut there?

why the fuck would he want to fight manfredo in the states for? be lucky if 10 people turned up... why would he want to make his 20th def in the states for that matter either? he has said time and time again he will go to the states for a big fight if he has to - as agreed in the hopkins contract... you know this, so why are bullshitting about unwilligness to travel has hinderd making big fighs? then ONLY to big fights he could of had was hopkins, RJJ he had signed his contract to fight hopkins in the states YOU KNOW THIS, no one seems to be dead certain about the RJJ one - i heard he was willing to go to the us but don't have fcat to back it up.

Sum1 posted a link not long back about Ottke refusing to fight calzaghe in germany, a place where he has screwed countless people...

Hmm the point I was trying to make is his future possible BIG fights will be guys that are prepared to fight in Britain...I don't believe Calzaghe will EVER fight in the States

I fully understand the speil about why he is fighting Manfredo in Wales...but his 20th-record-eqauling-defence-homecoming-fight-for-the-fans ...could of been against another no-name like Bika. If fighting Manfredo was to enhance his rep to the Americans thus setting up a possible fight with a BIG American in the States, fighting Manfredo in America would of made MUCH MORE sense, no?...you know like what Ricky Hatton has done? Fight a couple of no-names in the States to set up a mega fight - In the States.

Calzaghes unwillingness to travel obviously has hindered making fights..few years ago he admitted he was SCARED OF FLYING!!!

Ottke never wanted anything to do with Calzaghe. They offered him a million quid but he was already getting that for "beating" far lesser foes than Calzaghe.

[hackey100]

I believe Taylor is his best bet. If he beats Kessler then people will say Kessler wasn't that good and the money will be relatively poor to boot. The exact opposite is true for Taylor. He will get all of the recogniton and the financial reward, if he wins, his "legacy" will almost be a cert.

[BIG H]

I believe Taylor is his best bet. If he beats Kessler then people will say Kessler wasn't that good and the money will be relatively poor to boot. The exact opposite is true for Taylor. He will get all of the recogniton and the financial reward, if he wins, his "legacy" will almost be a cert.

If he beats Taylor, people will say Taylort was too small - he can't win!

Although I deff agree Taylor (or Kessler) are the best fights out there.

[jbirdy]

i would like to see JT or hopkins personally. i think joe has the tools to beat both but i doubt either fight will happen.

[El Kabong]

Kessler just to shut his fans up

Hopkins
Taylor
Dawson
Tarver
Bute
Froch

He just needs exciting fights....no more Manfredo's or Bika's just superfights from now on for him!

[Tysonbruno]

I think Dawson would be a good fight

[Preme]

I think Taylor, then the winner of hopkins v wright - move up beat the best LHW possibly defend if a good fight is still there then retire.

Kessler now would be good yes, he should be fighting him next in terms of 'the best out there' - i don't rate kessler to highly, i don't think its much longer before he geats beat, i think lacy will beat him, and taylor if he faces him - and once kessler has lost, he will be of no value to calzaghe, taylor and wright in the us will and a belt at another weight will be.

[killersheep]

I think Taylor, then the winner of hopkins v wright - move up beat the best LHW possibly defend if a good fight is still there then retire.

Kessler now would be good yes, he should be fighting him next in terms of 'the best out there' - i don't rate kessler to highly, i don't think its much longer before he geats beat, i think lacy will beat him, and taylor if he faces him - and once kessler has lost, he will be of no value to calzaghe, taylor and wright in the us will and a belt at another weight will be.

Agreed, but at the moment Kessler is undefeated and a multiple title holder.

[Tysonbruno]

If he does fight and beat Kessler he may as well move up to light heavy and try to boss another division

[killersheep]

If he does fight and beat Kessler he may as well move up to light heavy and try to boss another division

Yeah he could get some bigger names up there.

[Gandalf]

I think Taylor, then the winner of hopkins v wright - move up beat the best LHW possibly defend if a good fight is still there then retire.

Kessler now would be good yes, he should be fighting him next in terms of 'the best out there' - i don't rate kessler to highly, i don't think its much longer before he geats beat, i think lacy will beat him, and taylor if he faces him - and once kessler has lost, he will be of no value to calzaghe, taylor and wright in the us will and a belt at another weight will be.

Agreed, but at the moment Kessler is undefeated and a multiple title holder.

I want to see Calzaghe unify above all else. You cant unify a division and be accused of ducking everybody.

[dumdane]

At SMW it's a no-brainer. Kessler is by far the most credible opponent for Joe atleast since a prime Ottke.
I would also be interested in seeing him against fast fighters like Mundine or Bute, as Joe has very rarely fought those types of fighters (they're quite different, but both fast). Atleast not fast fighters who are actual SMW's.

Middles moving up (Taylor/Winky) would not mean as much (to me) untill they've proven themselves competitive against top-10 SMW's.
I don't buy into the idea that a top middle could just walk into SMW and take over without breaking sweat.

At LHW - if he refuses to "finish the job" at SMW. The fighter I'd now most like to see him against is Dawson. Dawson is very fast and he just beat Adamek, who i'd seen as a very interesting match-up for Calzaghe. With Dawson's added speed it should be even better.
I still wouldn't mind seeing how Calzaghe would deal with Adamek. And Erdei would also be interesting although highly unlikely - but that goes for most pmatch-ups. Particularly those against non-americans.

Hopkins would be allright. But despite Dawson being far less known or proven (well - not so at LHW really) I believe it would be a better test. Just can't help thinking Hopkins can't stay eternally young. And any loss would almost automaticly be attributed more to Hopkin's age rather than the winner's skills anyway.
Besides a weight drained Tarver to me is a less impressive win than Adamek. Hopkins is/was a great middle, but is not that proven at LHW.