Calzaghe vs Jones

[jumpinjackflash]

Anyone else looking forward to this? Can't wait! As much as I like Calzaghe, I can't see him beating Jones. Mind you I said that about his Bernard Hopkins bout. What's everyone else think?

[Jah Lush]

Roy Jones Jnr is a legend but at 39 it just might be a fight too far. The only way I can see Calzaghe winning this is on points and that'll probably be a split decision.

He'll have to be extremely busy, keep bobbing and weaving and throwing punches to try and wear Jones down. I still think Jones will probably have enough firepower left in the tank to win though, probabably on a stoppage around the eighth round. Should be a good fight and I'm hoping that Joe can pull it off.

[jumpinjackflash]

Yes, I reckon it will be decided on points too. My ex had a DVD of all Jones' fights and I have to say he was by far the most exciting boxer I've ever seen.

[Jah Lush]

Really? Good grief! Have you never seen Muhammed Ali in his prime? Or Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns. I guess you're too young to have seen those guys.

[bon3yard]

I'm confused, which ones Welsh and Which ones Italian? Are they both Chinese?

[SteveT]

Muhammed Ali was the most exciting heavyweight in his day,

but there are those of us who believe that he never fought a 'level playing field fight' with Sonny Liston.

Clay was his name when I was young, and although he was the fastest and most exciting, he was not the most durable or toughest, Liston was.

Perhaps you are too young to remember Jah!

[jumpinjackflash]

Yes, I've seen a few of Ali's fights but I meant more recent boxers I suppose. I wasn't really into boxing before I met my ex who used to be a boxer and I remember watching the Jones DVD and was amazed. However it was his highlights so it's all down to clever editing I guess!!

[Jah Lush]

SteveT Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Muhammed Ali was the most exciting heavyweight in

> his day,

>

> but there are those of us who believe that he

> never fought a 'level playing field fight' with

> Sonny Liston.

>

> Clay was his name when I was young, and although

> he was the fastest and most exciting, he was not

> the most durable or toughest, Liston was.

>

> Perhaps you are too young to remember Jah!

I'm not far behind you Tony. Clay as he was then scared the shit out of Liston before the fight even started. Okay there was the long count and talk of the mob but Ali beat him twicec. He had everything, unbelievable hand speed, great feet and was as brave with the heart of a lion.

Sonny Liston was an ogre but so was George Foreman and he done him too ten years later with his rope a dope tactics and knocked him out in the eighth round, regaining his world title at 32. Ali is a God.

[Jeremy]

Jones hasn't been a genuine force in boxing for 5 years or so, Calzaghe should win easily (on paper). However, like you say, don't expect a KO. Joe isn't a hard puncher, and hasn't KOd many of his recent opponents, unless you include that Manfredo debacle.

[Jah Lush]

You're right Jeremy. On paper he should win but I wouldn't right off Jones. I think it'll probably go the distance and Calzaghe can take it on a split decision.

[Jeremy]

Any pubs showing this, then? George Canning?

[alethea]

This is Alethea's husband answering to this. My second post.

I don't often contribute as I think there are too many people being mean, snotty and trying to needlessly score cheap points, but I am an ex-boxer and so can for once contribute with some degree of gravitas.

Calzaghe will win this, but only just. As Jeremy says, Jones has faded badly since his weight hopping a few years back, but if he is just 50% of his prime on the night, Joe will have his hands seriously full.

I can't agree with you though Jeremy that Calzaghe isn't a hard puncher. Jeff Lacy's face didn't get like that because Joe can't punch. I think what you might be right in suggesting is however, that he's not a concussive one punch knock out merchant like Tommy Hearns or Julian Jackson were, and you would be right in that respect, but he is mistakenly labeled a slapper because he throws hooks with his knuckles vertically aligned - imagine how you grasp the bar of a door handle if you are struggling to understand what I am trying to describe.

This is frowned upon in the amateurs as it is sometimes assumed that you are hitting with the palm of the glove instead of the white, but believe me - I'll take getting hit as an amateur would over how Joe throws his all day long. His hands are notoriously brittle these days (I can't understand why though, Dean Powell Wraps his hands and I'd say he is the best in the game at that) hence why the low KO ratio of late.

However, boxing is that most uncertain of sports, and results change on the throw of a single punch and Jones being relatively recently the world P4P will always be in the fight and could win it.

in 2008 when Jones in 39 and Calzaghe is 36, I'll take Calzaghe.

[Keef]

I know it's very unbritish of me, but I want Jones. I respect Calzaghe, but have just never taken to him, he talks load of rubbish, and is arrogant but not in a funny way. I know it's wrong of me, but would like to see him retire without his unbeaten record.

[Jeremy]

alethea's husband - I think Lacy's face was messed up because Joe hit him hundereds of times, not because they were particularly hard punches. I think you hit the nail on the head with the brittle hands, and I get the impression that he has adapted his style accordingly, and that is why he doesn't often win by KO. Maybe he'll throw caution to the wind though, seeing as this is his last fight.

Keef - I think the "Calzaghe talking rubbish" bit has only started to come recently... he finally realised that he needed to cultivate some sort of public persona to help sell fights, and that may come across as arrogance. David Haye is the same... he used to come across as modest, unassuming, articulate... now all of a sudden he's publically slagging off every heavyweight left right and centre, he wants the publicity.

[Keef]

I know, but I used to love the "arrogance" of Eubank, he was a showman. Even Mayweather (although he goes a bit far, but then, he IS that good!). The rest of them jut come across as knobs!

[Jimbob]

calzaghe, was very very lucky against hopkins, a travesty of a decision. hopkins however belived his own hype too much, jones wont make the same mistake, thats why i back him to win in the 9th.

[Jeremy]

Yep... Hopkins is still one of the top guys - he proved that against Pavlik - and Calzaghe was fortunate, the decision could have gone either way. Calzaghe landed far more punches and was the more aggressive, but Hopkins was much more effective. It comes down to which the judges favour.

However, while Hopkins is still a force to be reckoned with, I'm not sure the same can be said about Jones. I guess we'll find out on Saturday...

[Jeremy]

Speaking of boxing... Haye vs Barrett... 3:1 odds to last the distance. Could be worth a flutter?

[alethea]

Alethea's husband again.

Hmmm! I can't agree that it was solely down to the volume of punches Jeremy. Lacy sustained a truly horrible beating and if you are light fisted, even volume wouldn't cause such apparently permanent damage. Calzaghe ruined Lacy. There is of course the fact that if they were pitty patty punches, given the way the fight was looking in the first 3 rounds Lacy would have happily walked through them to land his own and very likely finished the fight.

Lacy's left hook and overhand right were destructive and terrible to behold when he had the opportunity to set his feet and turn his shots over. If I were him in that fight I'd have resolved to take a few to get those ones in. He didn't because Calzaghe was causing him not just pain but damage from the very early rounds. Joe is a painfully underrated fighter. He hits harder than most people assume. For the record although I like him, I'm not what you could consider a fan, so I've no agenda.

Take as a comparison the upcoming Hatton/Malignaggi fight. No doubt who is the better boxer there, but I think that Hatton will eventually catch up with Malignaggi who is undoubtedly the better boxer, simply because Paulie is unlikely to have the pop in his hands to keep Hatton off for long enough. Take his fight with Cotto as a demonstration of what I mean.

I've no argument that Calzaghe isn't a one shot knock out merchant, but this is true of some great fighters with a high KO ratio due to them wearing their opponent down through volume and sustained power. I am specifically thinking of Hagler. If you can recall the run up to Hagler vs Hearns, you'll remember who the puncher in the fight was thought to be. Noted boxing scribe Hugh McIlvanney picked Hearns to prevail over Hagler for this reason, but Hagler was a class of one man in 1985.

[alethea]

Oh, and the 3 to 1 bet. I personally wouldn't touch that one, but then I am a notoriously hopeless gambler.

When nothing is at stake I seem to call the fight perfectly. If I've money on it, you can be assured I'll get it wrong.