Is Joe Calzaghe an ATG?

[S. Saddler 1310]

Seriously.

Joe wasted his career.

End of discussion

or his career was wasted for him by a compound of factors. either way, your point remains the same and remains true. the more discerning and honest of Calzaghe supporters will admit this.

[Saint G Groves]

Those saying if Calzaghe took the risks Froch did he wouldn't be undefeated are talking nonsense. Calzaghe is seriously underrated by many, he beat Kessler, he would have schooled Johnson, Abraham, Bute and he would have beaten Ward in a good close fight.

Joe was a great fighter, as a fighter he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Toney, Hopkins, Jones and those guys. Unfortunately, Joe's ambition didn't match his skills, he should have been mixing it in America with those great fighters in his prime, instead he took the easy route and defended his WBO title in Britain against a bunch of unknowns, hoping that a big fight would show up on his doorstep one day. He got lucky that it did in the end with Lacy, but at that point he was 34 years old and past his best.

What should Joe have done? He should have gone to America in the late 90's while in his 20's, made a name for himself there and he could have gotten a super fight with either Hopkins or Roy Jones, even a great losing effort would have seen Joe become a big star in the US

As it is, Joe was a great fighter, but he's no ATG

[B.U.R.N.E.R]

Hell no. Not even close.

[A-Wolf]

Yes. Hopkins was the man at 175 when Joe moved up, Joe beat Kessler (when he was undefeated), ruined Lacy as a fighter, Eubank and a past prime Jones.

But he beat a lot of other good former and future champions as well Robin Reid, Omar Sheika, Richie Woodhall, Charles Brewer, Byron Mitchell, Mario Veit and Sakio Bika.

I'd say it's comparable with Hopkins early MW reign (Hopkins toward the late middle of his MW reign has a greater depth of competition).

You mention two matches here many people consider losses for Calzaghe (Hopkins and Reid) as "good wins."

Right. Exactly.

[Stuntman Mike]

Those saying if Calzaghe took the risks Froch did he wouldn't be undefeated are talking nonsense. Calzaghe is seriously underrated by many, he beat Kessler, he would have schooled Johnson, Abraham, Bute and he would have beaten Ward in a good close fight.

Joe was a great fighter, as a fighter he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Toney, Hopkins, Jones and those guys. Unfortunately, Joe's ambition didn't match his skills, he should have been mixing it in America with those great fighters in his prime, instead he took the easy route and defended his WBO title in Britain against a bunch of unknowns, hoping that a big fight would show up on his doorstep one day. He got lucky that it did in the end with Lacy, but at that point he was 34 years old and past his best.

What should Joe have done? He should have gone to America in the late 90's while in his 20's, made a name for himself there and he could have gotten a super fight with either Hopkins or Roy Jones, even a great losing effort would have seen Joe become a big star in the US

As it is, Joe was a great fighter, but he's no ATG

How do you think calz could beat ward? Ward dominates elite fighters.. Everytime calz stepped up in class he's been life and death and had debatable wins... Calzaghe would get dominated by ward at least 10 rounds to 2,, Hopkins exposed calzaghe it's just a pity the old man never had the engine to make it convincing in his favour(ward does)

And as for ranking calzaghe as high as Roy jones and Hopkins , that's just bull, Hopkins and jones were undefeated (barring hopkins loss to jones) for an age aswell except they dominated top elite fighters of their era and fought far better opposition than calzaghe

[Saint G Groves]

How do you think calz could beat ward? Ward dominates elite fighters.. Everytime calz stepped up in class he's been life and death and had debatable wins... Calzaghe would get dominated by ward at least 10 rounds to 2,, Hopkins exposed calzaghe it's just a pity the old man never had the engine to make it convincing in his favour(ward does)

And as for ranking calzaghe as high as Roy jones and Hopkins , that's just bull, Hopkins and jones were undefeated (barring hopkins loss to jones) for an age aswell except they dominated top elite fighters of their era and fought far better opposition than calzaghe

Ward has never fought an elite fighter, his best win is Kessler, who Joe had already beaten years earlier.

Calzaghe has one 'debatable' win and that was against Hopkins, who was an 'elite' fighter, and it wasn't even that debatable, most feel Joe did just enough to win a close fight against an ATG. If Ward fought an ATG like Hopkins back in 2008, you'd see a very close fight

I see you hate Calzaghe and that's fair enough, I'm not a big Calzaghe fan myself. I watched most of his fights over his career though, and I know just how good he was, and I know he's better than Ward and any SMW/LHW today. Calzaghe would box Froch's head off for 12 rounds no problem. I like Ward, rate him highly, but did you see how he struggled and lost the last 3 rounds against Froch? I think in a rematch Froch would make it seriously close. Calzaghe would set a pace Ward cant handle, Calzaghe had great footwork, agility, handspeed, rhythm and stamina, add to that his ring IQ. Overall he's better than Ward and would beat him clearly, a younger prime Calzaghe would possibly stop him late. I know Ward won the super 6 and he's flavour of the month so you're going to tell me about how he's unbeatable and so on yeah yeah yeah

Like I say, I'm no big Calzaghe fan, I don't really care if you think he was a Welsh cab driver who got lucky. I saw almost all his televised fights and know about his underrated amateur career. He was seriously good and gets underrated, I know I won't change your opinion but it's the truth

[S. Saddler 1310]

a younger prime Calzaghe would possibly stop him late.

just stop, a "younger prime Calzaghe" went life and death with Rob Reid, he never stopped anyone on Ward's level his whole career. it's very arguable that he never fought anyone as good or as versatile as the fighter Ward is now, either, and that's including the version of Hopkins he fought.

[S. Saddler 1310]

another fellow pretending that he's not a diehard fan of the fighter he's defending, but rather is just stating 'the facts'. it's becoming a trend lately.

[S. Saddler 1310]

i don't by any means believe that Calzaghe has an evening of leisure with Carl Froch, either.

Joe Calzaghe has become terribly mythologized.

[Mr Randy Watson]

jermaine taylors an atg too. so is pascal. dont forget dawson..... the guy didnt do anything.... his most impressive wins are against guys who are not as good as they were expected to be. and no he did not ruin them.