Joe Calzaghe-Carl Froch: Who takes this?

[ViperSniper]

Another gigantic fight had it happened. Was Joe really that good and picks Froch apart with speed and combination? Or would Froch have enough grit, durability and determination to make this a dog fight and win?

Who takes this?

[the ollie reed fan club]

Calzaghe by wide points decision.

[blackbelt2003]

If it's prime vs prime, then Calzaghe wins on points.

If it's the old Calzaghe who retired rather than fight Froch, who was young and hungry at the time, there's more of a chance of an upset.


It's strange, because Joe is clearly a better fighter than Froch, but Froch had a MUCH better career and was a better champion.



Black

[ROLLDEEP]

My thoughts exactly.

Calzaghe would have beaten Froch. Just a little too quick for Carl.

Froch's hope would have been that Joe was lured into a slug fest, which he sometimes did, and that Froch's power could drop and hurt Joe enough to minimise his speed, but after a shaky moment or two, Calazaghe wins.

[blackbelt2003]

The greatest ever thing for British boxing would have been a four way tournament, with Benn-Calzaghe in one semi final, then Froch-Eubank as the other, the winners (and losers) facing their counterpart three months later in the finals.


Calzaghe would rightly be favourite...but it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that either Benn or Froch drags him into a pitfight and floor him heavily. Joe's chin is overrated IMO...he was hurt/floored plenty of times by so-so hitters (old Jones Jr who didn't hurt anyone at that stage of his career, light hitting old Hops, who-is-he Kabary Salem and average Byron Mitchell...plus he was wobbled late on by Eubank, looked disorganised vs Sakio Bika and buzzed several times by Robin Reid).

Benn and Froch would arguably hit him harder than any of those guys did.




Black

[Dickagon]

Calzaghe. Hate to to say it but Froch would be too limited

[TheTeddyBear]

Carl wouldn't know what to do getting hit from all the weird angles joe would hit him from and Carl keeps his hands too low

[JD]

Froch is my guy...but I got Joe Cal WIDE

[and the NEW]

Cal slaps the shit out of Froch. But Froch would have some moments, and may win 3-4 rounds.

[blackbelt2003]

Let's not overestimate Calzaghe, especially the older Calzaghe who fought Hops and Jones Jr, which I'm guessing would have been the version who took on Froch who was just easing into world class at the time.

The Calzaghe who fought Hopkins was on borrowed time. He was always injured, had completely lost his punch, and was getting hit (and hurt) a lot more than in his earlier days.

Regardless of who you think should have gotten the decision in the Hops fight (I thought Joe edged it and morally deserved it), it was a close thing, and bearing in mind what Hops did to Pascal and Cloud afterwards, was a good victory.

but the Jones Jr fight, which many Brits hold up as proof of Joe's greatness, was actually an indication of his limitations. The fact that old Jones, who had no power at this stage and couldn't knock anyone down, hurt him badly and was perhaps only a good flurry away from getting a stoppage, shows that Joe, at this stage of his career, was ready to be taken. Jones was bombed out by Glen Johnson three fights before and in one by Danny Green just two fights later, which shows what Calzaghe really should have done to Jones to be impressive.

Joe's legacy is helped massively by the fact that he GOT OUT AT THE RIGHT TIME. One more fight, and Joe might have seen that undefeated record come crashing, and much of Joe's legacy and 'greatness' is based on the fact that he ALWAYS found a way to win.

The problem with that logic, is that there were actually only about four or five times in his career when he HAD to find a way to win, because so much of the opposition was dire. Eubank, Reid, Lacy, Kessler and Hopkins...those are the only fights he ever had any danger of losing. The rest of his career was just a good-to-great fighter beating up on lesser opponents.

Had he taken on the challenges Froch has taken on, I've no doubt there might have been the odd few losses on his record. In fact, substitute Joe Calzaghe for every single one of Carl Froch's fights and I reckon their records would be identical. I reckon he'd have lost to Ward, and I think, based on how close the first Kessler fight was, there's a possibility Kessler improves in the second match.

Joe is definitely one of the best fighters in British history, but there is a tendency to overrate him based on that little run at the end of his career from Lacy to Jones Jr.



Black