Category: 
Joe Calzaghe’s unbeaten record is on the line again. After 45 fights, some would gladly retire, reflect on their career and stare at their bank balance. Not Joe – however, will he live to regret this decision to take on one of the greatest boxers of all time, Roy Jones Jnr?
Bernard Hopkins turned back the clock against Calzaghe in one of the scrappiest fights seen since my mate Frank lost his dignity outside our local barndance at the age of sixteen. Unlike Frank, their reputations will be long remembered after that unattractive battle. Following the victory, the Welsh south paw was disappointed with his own performance while B-Hop was adamant he had won the bout – he has since gone on to beat the alleged up and coming star Kelly Pavlik. Irrespective of their own encounter, that proves these boxers are still very much capable of producing the goods in their twilight years. Maybe Joe thinks he still has something to prove - a real legacy to be remembered. A win over a man who is widely regarded as one of the best of his generation would go far to feeding this desire. Junior will give the Pride of Wales another difficult conundrum to deal with - Carol Vorderman is looking for work, but we don’t think she’d be much help. Like Hopkins, he too has been written off by many – do so at you peril.
Easily excitable boxing expert Steve Bunce has commented that the Welsh star is a bit too relaxed, even cavalier in his preparation. I feel Calzaghe needs a knock out to win this fight – something he hasn’t really got in his artillery. He wears down opponents with more frequent, but ineffective punches. Despite his age, Jones’ speed, agility and power will be the difference. Michael Douglas will agree with me, age is irrelevant. Jones to win on points.
Is this a step too far for Calzaghe? Should he have retired or is he just fighting so his missus can get her picture in The Sun? Not that we’re complaining. Have your say on this possibly momentous encounter.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Jones will murder Calzaghi. If they had had the balls to put them together when both were somewhere near their best, it would have been a total mis-match. Everyone who claimed greatness on this side of the atlantic (Benn, Eubank, and Collins), ran for cover if the prospect of a tilt at Roy was mentioned. Leaving aside 2 fights at heavyweight, Jones will be remembered as pound for pound, one of the “Best Ever”. He will only have to summon a fraction of that class to beat Calzaghi, who at best can only be described as an inside of the glove SLAPPER.
P.S. A few quid on the draw at 25’s, but only because the sport is rotten.
November 8th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Calzagge before the limim 100%.
Roy Jones old body is much more damaged. His victory against Tito is a joke of Gram-Pa´s meeting.
November 8th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Jackdaw, Jones was at his best 8 or so years ago when he was fighting at light-heavyweight and Joe was still cleaning up the domestic challenges at super-middleweight. Calzaghe is arguably at his best now, or if you want to argue that he is slightly over the hill then his peak was perhaps trouncing Jeff Lacy two years ago. Though his wins over Kessler and Hopkins would suggest he’s still in pretty good shape. So when exactly was this mythical perfect time when they should have met?
Jones at his best v Calzaghe at his best? Yeah I’d plump for Jones in that hypothetical situation but boxing is all about timing and to have a go at one fighter for not being around at the right time is a little dumb.
As for being an inside of the glove slapper at best? Not all of Clazaghe shots land cleanly but amongst the slaps he does land quality punches, if you actually watched his fights and had any knowledge of boxing you might be able to spot this.
Jones seems to have lost a little power since his temporary move to heavyweight and the consecutive knockout losses have taken something away from him too.
Calzaghe is in better shape, both physically and mentally and should win on points.
November 8th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Calzaghe is not looking himself at all hes too laid back and quiet he has everything to lose going into this fight,a few years ago this fight would have been a total miss-match with only one winner….jones…….and at 2-1 for the win its time to lump on the kids christmas money.
November 8th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
how can i register and bet online
November 8th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
If i can remember collins stood on jr jones door and wanted the fight. Collins was and still is best pound 4 pound fighter about
November 8th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I think you need to either take off the green tinted specs or sober up.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:57 am
Are you talking about Steve Collins shoey? He was a very good tough fighter and I wouldn’t talk him down but I don’t think I’ve ever heard his name and the words “best pound for pound fighter” in the same sentence before….has anyone on here every actually watched a fight before? Next thing someone will be saying Lennox Lewis is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time….craziness on all fronts
November 9th, 2008 at 2:16 am
Probably one of the best………CANADIANS!
Anyway, back to Joe. His idea of a good combination would go, Left forearm, Right wrist, Left palm, and Lucky Uppercut. He is a spoiler, and these gobshites on t.v. who are talking about a “CLASSIC” are going to be dissapointed. Dont get me wrong, Joe may win. He has bags of heart. But I backed Boxing, with a covering few Euro on the Draw.
November 9th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Sam Langford is probably the best Canadian boxer of all time, so Lennox can’t even lay claim to that honour…
Jones isn’t the fighter he was a few years ago and there is the very real danger he could be knocked out, you shouldn’t underestimate the effects of the consecutive knockout losses to Tarver and Johnson…and he nearly went in his third fight with Tarver before losing the decision….as for Joe being a spoiler? if either fighter is a spoiler it’s Jones…he’s spent most of his career trying not to get hit and as supremely talented as he is Jones is often a negative and unattractive fighter. I’m wondering if you’ve ever seen any of Jones’ fights Jackdaw, beyond the highlight reels on youtube….
Calzaghe’s punching isn’t always the cleanest, which is down to the numerous hand injuries he’s suffered throughout his career, but he’s a far more exciting fighter than Jones and he’ll be the one coming out and going for the win
November 9th, 2008 at 3:16 am
I absolutely agree that Joe will be the the aggressor, Its just that sloppy way of going about it I find unattractive. Can’t imagine he knows from one punch to the next, what punches he’s throwing. I just like to see a boxer picking punches and combos. Thats the way I was Thought to fight, and the excitement for me is in the “Science”. Wild handbags can win fights. Joe’s proved that 45 times. Guess I’m just a Purist.
November 9th, 2008 at 6:52 am
you couldn’t have gotten that any more wrong if you’d predicted Calzaghe would be wearing orange shorts….
ironic that Calzaghe gets put down with cuff shot from jones….
not sure what this purist argument is though, it’d stand up if Calzaghe was a brawler like Hatton but he’s not…wild handbags? friend, if you don’t really know what you’re talking about but you still want a bit of banter about boxing that’s fine but don’t bluff….if you were a real purist you’d appreciate Calzaghe’s talent…I hope you can admit who was the better boxer tonight…..in what was a bit of a classic after all….goodnight and good luck
November 9th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Thats confimed it for me. Youve never laced a pair of gloves in your life. I can hear all your Bull sitting against the nearest bar. He was little more than a clown in there, and had Jones not been cut we may be having a very different conversation. I will however concede that calzaghe’s chin can never be questioned. That uppercut he got caught with in the 5th would have removed most fighters lower Jaw.
For you to dismiss a great fighter like hatton as a “Brawler”, when in fact he is one of the most intelligent, and efficient fighters Britain has ever produced, confirms for me, that you are jut a football fan, who feels the need to have an opinion on everything. Now thats what I mean by counterpunching “FRIEND”.
November 10th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Jackdaw? Jacks**t more like….because that’s what you know about the fine art of pugilism
I’m actually a fan of Hatton’s and have followed his career pretty much since he turned pro, (I spent plenty of my hard earned cash to travel to see his ill-fated crack at Mayweather….did you?) and just used him as an example of a more physical, bullying style of fighter…Hatton is a more of a brawler, much like Rocky Marciano was (the clue is in the nickname…if you’re a little confused just google it, then get your thesaurus out and all will become clear), though he’s not in his class, which doesn’t mean he lacks boxing ability or intelligence…you’re the one who has made the jump from brawler to lacking in talent….boxing is about more than the flashy one punch styles of Jones and Hopkins and again I’ll point out it was you who denegrated the world class Calzaghe to the level of a mere spoiler…as much as I like Hatton and his brawling style of fighting, Calzaghe is a more talented and more intelligent fighter, something which he has proven throughout his career by adapting his gameplan midfight to find ways to win….Hatton has talent but when he doesn’t have an obvious physical advantage over his opponent he struggles…a point proven by his two forays into the welterweight division….maybe you have actually been in the ring, where you’ve taken too many pummelings, which would explain the skewed and ill-informed opinions you’ve been coming out with….I’m a natural 175 pounder and could make weight with four weeks notice…if you could make that weight, which I suspect you couldn’t, I’d more than fancy teaching you as much inside the ring as I can out of it… give Calzaghe the props he deserves and maybe then go and learn a little something about the true greats of the cauliflower game…Willie Pep, Jack Johnson and Archie Moore are just a few to get you started….if you you get stuck just let me know and I’ll feed you plenty more to impress your mates with…I fear our zygotic friendship has come to a premature end but it would be uncharitable of me not to offer aid to one in such desperate need.