Boxing

heavymental

Two huge fights happening before the year is out. Calzaghe v Kessler On saturday and Hatton v Mayweather in December. Both could go either way I think and both will be career defining fights. All the fighters are unbeaten so 2 of the 4 are going to go home with a smudge on their record.

They're going to be a couple of interesting nights. Especially Hatton v Mayweather which has been hyped for months, is still way off but should be huge.

Eat My Dust

I'm going for Calzaghe and Hatton for wins. I really hope Hatton destroys Mayweather!!!!

I was offered tickets for the Calzaghe fight, but I worked out it would be like watching 2 ants fighting, so I'm going to watch it at home, I'm sooooo excited!!!

rich_pcp

I really hope Calzaghe wins and wins well. Whatever he does he doesn't seem to be able to raise his UK profile. Most of Joe Public wouldn't even recognise his name let alone his face.

Eat My Dust

JC has to be one of the best boxers ever. He's been world champ for a decade, and you're right, most people don't even know who he is. When he fought Lacey, people were saying that he shouldn't fight, fearing that Lacey might have killed him in the ring!!! How wrong can somebody be, possibly the finest display of boxing skills ever, up there with the "jungle" fight!!

heavymental

The Lacey fight was magic wasn't it. Thing I can't understand is why he fought that muppet Manfredo next up. I thought the Lacey fight was a passport to several big fights before retiring. Even though Kessler is quality he's still not huge on the US radar is he? Or is he? I don't know. I just feel that the Hatton fight is a genuine superfight. I thought JC would have a fight of a similar scale pencilled in by now.

flattythehurdler

I think if he beats kessler he's going to box roy jones. Now that would be a biggie. I wouldn't blame him for fighting manfredo. I bet he hasn't made huge money in boxing terms, and he got a lot for that fairly low risk fight before stepping up for kessler. He has to look after his family in a brutal sport. Manfredo would kick the sh@t out of me no doubt so I reckon JC deserves every penny and plaudit. Really hope him & RH retire unhurt and unbeaten.

heavymental

I guess the Manfredo fight was purely about the money. It also shows Manfredo isn't too worried about having a long career. Why would he step into the ring with someone of JC's quality? It was obvious he'd get his ars handed to him on a plate so already he has a blot on his record. Surely most boxers serious about becoming a great want to take fights that are challenging but winnable, step up through the ranks and end with a 50 not out score. Why ruin your record at stage 1?

Roy Jones would be a good fight and I guess as Kessler holds 2 belts then he's a decent opponent to fight as one of your last 2 or 3 fights.

It would be great to see RH and JC both go out at the top. Britain can be very proud of those 2 champions and look back on them as being the best.

Eat My Dust

I read that Calzaghe was the richest British sportsman after Lennox Lewis, so I think he can look after his family pretty well!!!!

Ghost Donkey

On another note Khan is fighting a real tough cookie in Earl. If you saw his fight against Katsidis you'll know what I mean. I doubt Khan will be calling out Katsidis quite yet if he wins though.

rich_pcp

Eat My Dust wrote:

I read that Calzaghe was the richest British sportsman after Lennox Lewis, so I think he can look after his family pretty well!!!!

Richer than Beckham, Coulthard, Ferdinand etc?

Ghost Donkey

Heavymental wrote:

Thing I can't understand is why he fought that muppet Manfredo next up. I thought the Lacey fight was a passport to several big fights before retiring.

I think the likes of Taylor and Kessler weren't available to fight Calzaghe when he fought Manfredo. Kessler wanted more time to prepare than was available before the fight date and Taylor wasn't up for it. The Manfredo camp were convinced he would win. They really didn't recognise Calzaghe as the great fighter he is and were convinced their man could win the fight. Now Taylor's had a recent defeat he might be more interested in a fight with Calzaghe. Roy Jones has stated his interest in a match up against Calzaghe for a while but he's past his prime now and Calzaghe might not take him up on his offer . Gone are the days when he could play a professional basketball game in the day and then win a fight the same night. Domestically Carl Froch's been after Calzaghe for a while. If he beats Robin Reid in November it could pave the way for a domestic challenge. Calzaghe would obviously go for someone like Kessler over Froch as he is a world champion and there's the big money interest but once he's got through that it could set up a good fight. I doubt Reid will beat Froch but if he does he always wanted a rematch with Calzaghe after his points loss. Calzaghe may just move up a weight division instead.

I hope Calzaghe beats Kessler and Hatton beats Mayweather. If Hatton goes in at his usual weight and keeps up a massive workload he could do it but I can see Mayweather frustrating him to a points loss. If he loses he may take on someone like Junior Witter who he should have really gone after before, instead of some of his more lackluster performances in America.

heavymental

Listened to the Calzaghe fight on the radio, would have loved to see it as it sounded like a classic. What a champion he is.

Eat My Dust

It was a great fight. I always enjoy the interviews after Calzaghe fights, the losers always say "I didn't think he was hurting me that much" or something along those lines, then you compare the mess of their faces with Calzaghe's almost umarked face!!! it always makes me laugh.

Clever Pun

I thought this was about us lot boxing...

I missed the bout on Saturday, shame, it sounded like a good un

Anyone here follow MMA?

simon johnson

Did anyone see the clip of Hatton on the bodybag? Mayweather's going to get it tough! I think Hattons style will be trouble for Mayweather, I mean KO'ing with bodyshots!!!

Mayweather lost to De la Hoya in my opinion, I hope Hatton shuts him up.

heavymental

Do you think its true that Mayweather doesn't study video of his opponent at all? That seems to be a very dangerous idea unless he really is the greatest out there. Hopefully Hattons quality, guts and knowledge of how Mayweather fights can get him a result.

MMA...mixed martial arts? Can't say I like it really. I watched a few videos of the UFC a few years back. Royce Gracie and some other guys brawling. Can't say I found it an attractive concept or an attractive spectacle really.

simon johnson

Mayweather better study some footage. De la Hoya gave him trouble and from the fights I've seen, his opponents seemed a lot slower than Hatton and never really got in his face like Hatton will. I just hope Hatton contains himself and doesn't exhaust himself early on.

Clever Pun

Heavymental wrote:

Do you think its true that Mayweather doesn't study video of his opponent at all? That seems to be a very dangerous idea unless he really is the greatest out there. Hopefully Hattons quality, guts and knowledge of how Mayweather fights can get him a result.

MMA...mixed martial arts? Can't say I like it really. I watched a few videos of the UFC a few years back. Royce Gracie and some other guys brawling. Can't say I found it an attractive concept or an attractive spectacle really.

yep that's the stuff.. I understand the grappling and groundwork stuff so it can be pretty interesting, but the boxing is never to the same standard, but there's much more to it

I saw the UFC live at the O2 the other month... brilliant fun, especially when the retards in the audience started to kick off at each other

heavymental

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7080874.stm

Calzaghe Kessler repeated on the beeb on Saturday. Nice one beeb! I wonder how much it costs them to get it a week after the event!? I wonder if we'll get the Hatton fight aswell. Could be a future in screening events way after they've taken place!?

Ghost Donkey

Heavymental wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7080874.stm

Calzaghe Kessler repeated on the beeb on Saturday. Nice one beeb! I wonder how much it costs them to get it a week after the event!? I wonder if we'll get the Hatton fight aswell. Could be a future in screening events way after they've taken place!?

Excellent. The beeb showed Lewis Tyson one or two weeks after the event a few years ago. Worked for me since I don't have sky/ppv. I still rememberwis describing himself as a "pugilist specialist" 8)

heavymental

That was a hell of a deconstruction wasn't it. Good work Lewis.