Ward vs Calzaghe? Thoughts on this fantasy match up?

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I think Ward would edge this one, perhaps too strong and spoil Joe's best work. I'd want Joe to win, but Ward has a way of getting the job done.

People are split on the Calzaghe/ Hopkins fight, at the time watching the fight with my brother I felt Calzaghe had won my brother thought Hopkins had edged it.

The problem Calzaghe's always going to have levelled at him, is that he never travelled to the US for the career defining fights and was definitely a home bird.

The ability Joe had, he was a hard nights work for anyone, more than capable. I could never understand why he choose not to travel, perhaps it was bad advise by his management team.

I must admit I had a few quid on Hopkins for the win but I knew by the end I'd lost my money.

All close rounds, I think Hopkins won the first three and you could make a case Calzaghe won every round from then on. All close though and could possibly see how someone could score it the other way.

You  can't ignore the cheating though, I think Calzaghe would have won more clearly if Hopkins didn't steal  that rest.

For me Calzaghe wins by outworking Ward, horrible fight to watch but just can't see Ward having the work rate.

Calzaghe's prime is a difficult one, as alluded to previously he struggled with Reid but then it seems a little harsh to throw what could have just been a bad day at the office against him when others get passes for poor performance.

He didn't fight enough top names when he could have but that in itself wasn't always his fault - who would have wanted to fight Calzaghe when he didn't really bring a crowd for much of his career. Had a belt not many cared about and had a high workrate.

It seems that some fighters (GGG) are avoided as they are a tough nights work and this is everyone else's fault, yet others are given stick for the same thing.

Ward v's prime Calzaghe (which was probably before the Lacy win - although it was his best performance) would have had around 12 people watching it.

huw wrote:For me Calzaghe wins by outworking Ward, horrible fight to watch but just can't see Ward having the work rate..

Yes because Ward is a one dimensional fighter who when he's being outworked will go "oh well... never mind!!"...

Who has Calzaghe beaten in Ward's class ??????

"42 yr old" past his prime Hopkins who some thought beat him..............

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

huw wrote:For me Calzaghe wins by outworking Ward, horrible fight to watch but just can't see Ward having the work rate..

Yes because Ward is a one dimensional fighter who when he's being outworked will go "oh well... never mind!!"...

Who has Calzaghe beaten in Ward's class ??????

"42 yr old" past his prime Hopkins who some thought beat him..............

Not suggesting for a minute that Ward is one dimensional, in fact rate him highly.

When you have a boxer that has a very high output to beat them you need to knock him down or knock him out. Can't see Ward carrying enough power to knock him out.

He has the style to nullify a lot of Joe's work but some would get through and Ward would be too busy dealing with the punches coming at him to get anything back.

The styles of both fighters here have the potential to cancel each other and it is Joe's fitness that I see as the main differentiator in this match.

Again I see a close fight and can understand why some people would pick Ward but for me Joe outworks him in a dreadful fight.

The 42 year old past it Hopkins was pretty much as effective as the 32 year old prime Hopkins, what he lost in speed he gained in experience. The guy is a freak who would be a match for just about anyone.

To be honest I only had Calzaghe beating Kessler by two rounds as did many others....

A case to be made that as Eubank was old like Hoppo and jr..... Kessler was his best win......If you apply the Lacy-hype job theory.......

Ward has beaten Froch who is in Calzaghe's league and probably Chad too..........I rate Joe higher than Froch because of his longevity......(A lot to do with his matchmaking)...

Calzaghe has beaten no one in Ward's league...

True, but you're putting Calzaghe in froch's league truss. I'd say ward has never beaten anyone as good as Calzaghe, or anyone like him.

2 points was the very best losing margin you could give to a prime undefeated Kessler, most had it wider and Calzaghe controlled the second half of the fight. He was also nearing his 36th birthday which makes him on the slide by your definition.

It's a tough call for me. Assuming ward deigns to fight someone better than Paul smith and continues to demonstrate superiority over varied quality fighters I will probably reappraise it.

Nice of Milky to let us know Kessler was in his prime the night he fought Calzaghe..

Apparently Hoppo wasn't in his prime when Jones jr beat him..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:To be honest I only had Calzaghe beating Kessler by two rounds as did many others....

A case to be made that as Eubank was old like Hoppo and jr..... Kessler was his best win......If you apply the Lacy-hype job theory.......

Ward has beaten Froch who is in Calzaghe's league and probably Chad too..........I rate Joe higher than Froch because of his longevity......(A lot to do with his matchmaking)...

Calzaghe has beaten no one in Ward's league...

Personally wouldn't have Froch in Calzaghe's league - feel Calzaghe would have handled him comfortably and had Froch been a bigger name (more money) that Calzaghe would have proved it.

It is all about styles again though Truss. Don't think Ward has gone up against anyone with the work rate of Calzaghe and as said this is why I feel he would win.

Very difficult to accurately predict how two unbeaten fighters can be beat but if in doubt back the Welshman, simple

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Nice of Milky to let us know Kessler was in his prime the night he fought Calzaghe..

Apparently Hoppo wasn't in his prime when Jones jr beat him..

That your best response response beefy? Jog on.

Calzaghe most likely beats Froch but I think it is a bit harsh saying Froch isn't in his league.

Froch has a fantastic record and his fought loads of good fighters in their primes.

No doubt I would back Joe to win but he didn't make easy work of Reid or Kessler, so I doubt he would beat Froch easily.

AdamT wrote:Calzaghe most likely beats Froch but I think it is a bit harsh saying Froch isn't in his league.

Froch has a fantastic record and his fought loads of good fighters in their primes.

No doubt I would back Joe to win but he didn't make easy work of Reid or Kessler, so I doubt he would beat Froch easily.

I feel that Reid was very much an off night, Kessler better than Froch and he was also unbeaten at the time. The league comment was more aimed at Truss for putting them in the same league.

Wouldn't have said league myself as an initial statement, think it is more about levels and feel Joe was a level above Froch.

Again no disrespect to Froch was meant in the statement, I feel froch is a good fighter who has made the most of his talents. Joe achieved more and I'd question whether Joe reached the level his talents should have lead him to.

In stating A is better than B, I'm not saying B is bad just that A is better - this applies to both the Froch and Ward comments.

I would again say Ward is better than Froch - Just feel Joe could beat both albeit with Ward being the more difficult fight for Joe.

Think Froch would struggle to win a round against Joe, defence to low and Joe to quick and hardworking.

Calzaghe possesses the one attribute that Froch really struggles with and that's speed, it would extenuated by the fact Joe could throw 90/100 punches a round without breaking sweat and wouldn't weaken down the stretch. It is a nightmare of all nightmare match ups for Froch and I say that as his biggest fan.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Calzaghe possesses the one attribute that Froch really struggles with and that's speed, it would extenuated by the fact Joe could throw 90/100 punches a round without breaking sweat and wouldn't weaken down the stretch. It is a nightmare of all nightmare match ups for Froch and I say that as his biggest fan.

I'd probably have to agree with the speed angle. Ward made a comment of being surprised at just how slow Froch seemed in getting his shots off. Enzo made a point to Joe before the Lacy fight in relation to how much time Joe was going to have to counter before Lacy got his big shots off. Is Froch going to have any greater success than Lacy? Maybe in patches, but Joe was quick and skilled with high output for the duration of a fight... and with a solid chin. Froch wouldn't have been able to get him out of there and would have been made to look relatively ordinary in that matchup, which he isn't!! Joe is just a bad style for Froch.

Listen...people come up to me all the time and they say...'Steffan, you know all about boxing. Do you really think this guy Ward could have beaten Joe?'

So I say...'This guy Ward is good. He is real good. But he ain't no Joe. This Calzaghe guy throws punches in bunches baby. When the final bell of the 12th goes...you know that Joe would have been the one with his arms raised.'


Regards

Steffan wrote:Listen...people come up to me all the time and they say...'Steffan, you know all about boxing. Do you really think this guy Ward could have beaten Joe?'

So I say...'This guy Ward is good. He is real good. But he ain't no Joe. This Calzaghe guy throws punches in bunches baby. When the final bell of the 12th goes...you know that Joe would have been the one with his arms raised.'


Regards

Do these people happened to be stood outside of a Wetherspoons, slurring and swaying from side to side whilst getting bundled into a police van?

DuransHorse wrote:

Steffan wrote:Listen...people come up to me all the time and they say...'Steffan, you know all about boxing. Do you really think this guy Ward could have beaten Joe?'

So I say...'This guy Ward is good. He is real good. But he ain't no Joe. This Calzaghe guy throws punches in bunches baby. When the final bell of the 12th goes...you know that Joe would have been the one with his arms raised.'


Regards

Do these people happened to be stood outside of a Wetherspoons, slurring and swaying from side to side whilst getting bundled into a police van?

Only on a Wednesday

To be fair most on here know more than casual fans that watch big fights. Obviously some of you guys have a lot more knowledge than me (wouldn't be hard)

Just because some of us don't pull our front ends, reading Bert Sugar articles and other old writers opinions doesn't mean some of us know f all.

Perhaps some people watch fights and make their own minds up on who is great etc.

Rant over!Ha