By Michael Lieberman: After watching this week’s Steve Bunce boxing special, I’m more than a little confused about who’s telling the truth between Joe Calzaghe and Kelly Pavlik in terms of whether or not Calzaghe ever offered a fight to Pavlik in the past. According to Calzaghe, he twice contacted Pavlik about a fight in the past but he failed to take the bait. For his part, Pavlik is saying that Calzaghe has never once offered to give him a fight, and is just trying to “save face” by saying that he offered Pavlik a fight which he wouldn’t accept. One thing is clear, however, Calzaghe clearly isn’t interested in fighting Pavlik anymore, if he ever was to begin with.
Calzaghe is more interested in making easy money, saying “I deserve to get the biggest fights of the day…I want to retire and keep my looks intact.” The part where Calzaghe said that he’d like to keep his looks intact, seems to give me the impression that he doesn’t want to fight Pavlik because he understands how hard such a fight would be and would potentially risk getting hurt by him.
How a fighter like Pavlik could be considered unproven and overrated after twice defeating the likes of Jermain Taylor, stopping Edison Miranda, Fulgencio Zuniga and Bronco McKart, is a mystery to me. In truth, I’d give anyone of those fighters an excellent chance of defeating most, if not all, of the opponents that Calzaghe has faced in his boxing career. From what I can see of the two fighters’ records, Calzaghe is the one that is unproven. He’s only beaten one could fighter - Mikkel Kessler - and the most of them pretty average.
We’ll soon probably see one of Calzaghe’s best wins, his defeat of Jeff Lacy in 2006, be put in perspective when Jermain Taylor fights Lacy and likely knocks him out in short order. If Calzaghe thinks that Pavlik is overrated, then he needs to take a good look in the mirror because Pavlik is dominating his opponents, who I consider to be a whole lot better than the mostly Euro fighters that Calzaghe was served up during his career, in a much more impressive manner than Calzaghe has.
Actions speak louder than words, and what Calzaghe’s reluctance to fight Pavlik seems to confirm for me is that Calzaghe is afraid of Pavlik, probably afraid of being beaten to a pulp like his fellow countryman Gary Lockett was by Pavlik in June. Ending a career on a losing note is obviously something most fighters would naturally want to avoid having happen, but then again fighting an entire career against less than what I consider stellar opposition is far worse. After all these years, this is Calzaghe’s one big chance to fight a real legitimately talented fighter, not some old, over-the-hill fighter brought in to give Calzaghe another big payday.
September 19th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Ohhhhhhhhh Yes he is. Every boxing hardcore fan knows this. Whatever Calzaghe says we will forever remember him like Mayweather was afraid of Margarito and Cotto.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:14 am
the Taylor v Lacy fight will not prove anything as Lacy hasn’t been half the fighter he was since the annialation Calzaghe gave him.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Bronco McKart would have beaten Hopkins ? Lacy ? Kessler ? Brewer ? do you really believe that Mikey ? Would Miranda have beaten them ? Is that your expert opinion ?
You do keep on showing how little you know
September 20th, 2008 at 10:11 am
and… the part where Calzaghe said “i’d like to keep my looks intact” came after he said that he doesn’t want to fight 2 fights a year until he is 40 so he can beat Rocky Marciano’s record, where he then proceeded to say “i want to keep my looks intact” - check it out on youtube on steve bunce boxing hour
September 20th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I don’t think Calzaghe is scared of Pavlik, I don’t believe any quality fighter is scared to fight another fighter, it is just that Joe doesn’t need Kelly at this stage of his career, Calzaghe is looking to retire at the top and Jones presents a good challenge and hard tactical fight but doesn’t present Joe with too much danger, on the other hand win or lose Pavlik is going to give anybody 12 rounds of pure hell with his power and high punch output and is sure to hurt Calzaghe a number of times through a fight between them, Calzaghe might be able to outbox Pavlik and make him look silly at times but Pavlik could also ko Joe, Jones is a good option for Joe to finish a stellar career on. Good luck Joe
October 1st, 2008 at 11:08 am
those european fighters joes fought have been the best around at the time and the likes of hopkins , jones wouldnt take the chance of losing to an unknown fighter. joes the best out there at the moment.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
you just havent got a clue have you ,whats wrong with a boxer going out at the right time? hopkins,taylor,jones jnr all dodged joe even jones jnr admitted this recently at a press conference.and what calzaghe was refering to regarding his look was nothing to do with pavlick just getting out at the right time you knob!just because hes not american you are all pissed off that such a brilliant all round fighter doesnt come from your shores.well let me tell you some of the most overated boxers of all time come from america,and maybe its about time you started taking notice of the rest of the world.
ps this is a nation tht plays a world series and only they compete!
come on wales(uk)!.