Joe Calzaghe – The Truth Behind His Career

calzaghe53454By Anthony Mason: It was not shocking to see Joe Calzaghe inducted in the Hall of Fame. Not because of Joe Calzaghe’s career, but because of the low standards the Hall of Fame has set for induction. Calzaghe had a very unimpressive career, and the only big names on his resume came against men who were well past their prime.

Chris Eubank was in the very end of his career and a complete shell of his former self. After not losing in over 40 fights, he lost twice in the span of six fights prior to facing Calzaghe. Eubank had not defeated a top-level opponent since Nigel Benn seven years earlier and Michael Watson one year after that. Calzaghe obtained the vacant paper WBO belt and proceeded to make 21 incredibly weak defenses.

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Calzaghe – Another great addition to the HOF

calzaghe56736737By Daniel Hughes: This weekend in New York sees Joe Calzaghe, the retired, unbeaten 46-0(32ko) super-middleweight champion from Wales rightly inducted into the boxing hall of fame.

The Newbridge born fighter reigned unbeaten at 168lbs for over 11 years now rewarded for his career that certainly excited the fans in the UK. He becomes only the 4th Welsh fighter to join the IBHOF joining esteemed Welsh fighters Jimmy Wilde, Jim Driscoll and Freddie Welsh some achievement.

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Joe Calzaghe turns 42 today

calzaghe56736735By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KO’s) turns 42-years-old today, and I guess it’s pretty clear at this point that Calzaghe will never return to the ring to fight ever again despite the big money he could get for a clash against someone like Carl Froch, Adonis Stevenson, Bernard Hopkins, Andre Ward, or Sergey Kovalev. Calzaghe retired 6 years ago when he was still more or less in his prime of his career, but also the timing of his retirement came about right at the same time as the emergence of Andre Ward.

Some boxing fans think Calzaghe chose to retire at that time due to what would likely have been mounting pressure for him to face Ward. Had Calzaghe continued his career, he would have had to fight Ward otherwise fans would have seen him as a ducker and questioned his entire legacy.

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Great Brits #3: Joe Calzaghe

calzaghe56736735By Olly Campbell: Joe Calzaghe has long divided public opinion among fight fans. Not brash, loud, obnoxious or self promoting, he has always had something to prove. Especially to the American audience who long doubted the boy from Newbridge, South Wales had what it took to become their idea of a pay-per-view star.

For those who have followed the epic career of Joe closely, they will know that such pre-occupations were never really a consideration of his. The longest reigning British world champion in history, his incredible tenure as top of the super middleweights, cemented his place in the record books for those who really mattered.

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Calzaghe wants Froch to fight Groves again

froch56267By Scott Gilfoid: Former super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe thinks IBF/WBA 168 lb. champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) was totally schooled last month in his fight against 25-year-old George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) on November 23rd in Manchester, UK.

Calzaghe wants Froch to do the right thing and give Groves a rematch so there’s some proper closure on this farce. Calzaghe thinks that’s the right thing or Froch to do. But it doesn’t look like Froch has any intention of doing that, because he’s been talking about moving on and fighting other opponents rather than getting back in the ring for a second helping from Groves.

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Calzaghe: Groves could outsmart Froch

froch565By Scott Gilfoid: Joe Calzaghe is giving unbeaten George Groves (19-0, 15 KO’s) a good chance of beating IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) this Saturday night. Calzaghe thinks that Groves could end up being too smart for Froch in this match-up, but he feels that for Groves to win, he’ll have to be able to take a certain amount of punishment.

In other words, Calzaghe doesn’t think Groves hit and run style of fighting, which he used to edge a close 12 round majority decision over James DeGale two years ago, will work for 12 rounds against a fighter like Froch. Groves will need to be able to nail Froch with 3-4 punch combinations and stand in the pocket for a certain amount of time.

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Calzaghe: Cleverly needed to use his speed against Kovalev

calzaghe444By Scott Gilfoid: It seems that a lot of former WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly’s followers are coming out of the woodwork with their second guessing of his fight tactics in his quick 4th round destruction against Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1, 20 KO’s) last week.

Joe Calzaghe is the latest one who feels that all Cleverly had to do in order to beat Kovalev was use his speed, and he would have gotten the job done. Tony Bellew is another one thinks that all Cleverly had to do was turn on the speed, and Kovalev would have been beaten.

Calzaghe said to the South Wales Argus “I felt he [Kovalev] was very slow and looked beatable.

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Calzaghe gives Groves a chance to beat Froch

groves4534By Scott Gilfoid: Joe Calzaghe is giving unbeaten super middleweight contender George Groves (19-0, 15 KO’s) a chance of beating IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) if Froch were to ever agree to fight the 25-year-old Groves. Calzaghe thinks Groves could out-box the 35-year-old Froch if he fought smart.

Calzaghe doesn’t understand why Froch jumps on the case of some of the younger fighters that call him out for a fight.

Calzaghe said to Ringside Toe 2 Toe – “I think he [Groves] has a chance of beating Froch if he fights the right tactics…Froch can be out-boxed.

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Warren: Froch wouldn’t have beaten Joe Calzaghe

calzaghe33333By Scott Gilfoid: Promoter Frank Warren thinks former IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KO’s) would have beaten IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) if they have ever fought before Calzaghe retired from the sport in 2008.

Warren said to thesun.co.uk “He [Froch] would not have beaten Joe Calzaghe…twice I offered Froch the Calzaghe fight but both times he stalled. He knew Calzaghe was as tough as him, yet far more quicker and more skilled.”

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Froch says he’s #1 fighter in British history; Calzaghe tears into him

froch644By Scott Gilfoid: It’s just what I was afraid of; IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch’s close 12 round unanimous decision victory over past his best Mikkel Kessler last Saturday night seems to have gone to Froch’s head because now he’s talking about being the best fighter in Great Britain history.

Former super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe took issue with Froch’s bragging and tore into him big time.

Here’s what Froch had to say about himself at the bbc.co.uk: “In Great Britain I’m number one. It’s between me and Lennox Lewis, depending on how far you go back.

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