Joe Calzaghe’s career leaves much to the imagination of the American boxing fan. But before I continue I must provide a warning to Calzaghe fans around the world: you will probably not like this article.
It has been about five months since Joe Calzaghe retired with an undefeated record of 46-0 (which included an impressive 10 year title reign). He left the boxing world spouting the same old rhetoric, something about achieving everything possible and going out on top. I guess what else would he say? That he didn’t want to risk getting that first L? I do remember him making a comment about fighters who don’t know when to put up the boxing gloves. That reminded me of a gentleman named Roy Jones Jr.
I am not disputing that Joe Calzaghe’s legacy is great. I am simply postulating that his legacy was built on safe fights and European fan frenzy. One must admit that Calzaghe’s camp had impeccable timing when it came to fighting certain opponents. He also rarely ever left his comfort zone to fight (I guess who can blame him with the gates he was bringing in). But even Calzaghe knew he had to fight in the United States to get his respect. My question is why didn’t he come in his prime?
Don’t get me wrong. I was ready to jump on the Joe Calzaghe bandwagon after seeing him demolish Jeff Lacy. But the fights against Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. made me put down the kool-aid. What I saw was Joe Calzaghe get knocked down by two old-timers. I know Calzaghe slapped his way back to victory in both of those fights, but I could only imagine how many times he would have been knocked down if he was fighting in the United States as an up-and-comer. This “what if” will always make me think of Calzaghe as being one notch below the truly greats.
The true test for Joe Calzaghe does not come in the form of Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones Jr. or any other boxer who just wants to get paid (I’m actually surprised there wasn’t a Calzaghe-Mayorga fight at some point). The true test comes in the form of someone who is not a household name but that is capable of doing some damage. There is someone just like that who is calling Joe Calzaghe out right now. The road warrior Glenn Johnson would like the human slap machine to come out of retirement for one more fight. This is the same road warrior Glenn Johnson that made shorter work of a younger, fresher Roy Jones Jr. The same road warrior Glenn Johnson that says he can beat Joe Calzaghe. The same road warrior Glenn Johnson that I think has a pretty good argument.
Photo Credit: Andrew Couldridge / Action Images / Icon SMI
Written by Steven Zorbas, Saturday March 28 2009
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4 comments
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Listen,loren Calzaghe took a chance on going toe to toe with Roy Jones after being knocked down.When Calaghe finally got the recognition There was nobody for him to fight. Now all of a sudden after 40 fights names are brought to the four front.So what does Calzaghe have to prove. Hopkins and Jones both avoided Calzaghe about three to four years ago. I remember Larry Merchant asking jones "Then why won't you fight calzaghe." and jones kept running his mouth and avoided the subject and never answered the question.after he said that no white boy was going to beat him.So why didn't he fight him at the time? Calzaghe is not avoiding taking chances his problem is he is not stupid.That's why he is 40 - 0 that's write 0 nill.Calzaghe is not built to be another Chris Byrd.Who is more of a cruiserweight than anything.So why should he take a chance.
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Calzaghe's problem is he doesn't like to take chances. That's why he is retiring. He would never try to fight at heavyweight like Roy Jones once did and he would never risk his record to fight as many big names as Bernard Hopkins has done. He could have been great but like your article says we will never know.
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I would love to see a fight with Dawson. But I don't think he would come out of retirement for someone he may recognize as that threatening. I believe Johnson is older than Calzaghe and I'm sure Joe thinks he's the most beatable opponent out there if he were to give it one more go. Johnson can take a lot of punishment but he gets many shots in himself. Would Calzaghe go down from an accumalation of punches like Roy Jones Jr. did?
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Yeah !!maybe this guy will knock Calzaghe down in the first or second round like B-hop and jones Jr."BUt come on," do you seriously think Glenn Johnson is not going to be slap beaten by Calzaghe?I think Calzaghe would benefit more from fighting Arthur Abraham or Chad Dawson "maybe guy you might have a point.