It's a competitive fight, I won't pretend like not.. but I think the Toney of the Barkley fight wins clearly. Toney takes control late and probably hurts/drops Joe in the later rounds to win a well deserved decision.
I think that's an exaggeration. I'd pick Toney as well, but I think he'd have to be on his game to beat Joe. I know Calzaghe isn't the most popular guy around here, but he wasn't an easy guy to beat.
Much as I hated Calz and loved JT, I have to stay objective. Calzaghe was too good for this to be an easy fight for Toney. Prime Jones is the only super middle who beats Calz with relative ease. So once again, I think Toney beats him, but he'd have to be on his Barkley form to do so.
As long as Toney is on and gives a shit, I think he quietly lays a beating on the Tae Bo instructor. There's just too many opportunities for him to counter in between those repulsive slap flurries. Of course he might also spend training saying "yeah I'll have the number 4 and the number 7 with extra sauce" which could negatively affect his chances
We've done this one before and my opinion hasn't changed: Toney wins. His harder, crisper shots make the difference down the stretch and I could see him dropping Joe sometime during the fight. I think Calzaghe's activity makes it close(ish) on the cards but he'd take a ton of punishment in those exchanges and come out worse for wear.
toney easy. JC was lucky to get a win over an old geriatric Bhop who was countering him. He gives way too many opportunities to beat Toney
I think I'd lean towards Calzaghe in this. A number of fighters have made the mistake of thinking they could counter Calzaghe in between his "slapping" flurries, only to find that those "slaps" are deceptively hard and too fast and unpredictable for them to time.
Calzaghe is basically considered an absolute bum on this site. You'll win no friends with that sort of sensible, measured take on him. MTF
Feebles and JOM are exaggerating BIG TIME! Calzaghe is not considered a bum on this forum at all, but I don't have an issue with someone picking him over Toney. Would I agree? No, I think the Toney from the Barkley fight would outclass Joe. But I don't think picking Calzaghe is ridiculous or anything. I've heard Calzaghe fan boys pick him over guys like Spinks and Foster - THAT'S when I start calling it ridiculous. Joe is at least even money with any supermiddleweight in history not named Roy Jones. Prime Roy is the only one he doesn't have a case at beating. He has a case against Toney and Ward. He would be favored over any other supermiddle.
Disagreed big time. He has no shot against them imo. Barely beating a decrepit bhop is fine and dandy, but he showed a ton of limitations in this fight. Not to mention that he should have lost to robbed reid, who was able to counter his slaps with hard shots. I just cant see him winning against accurate sharpshooters like ward and toney
I don't even like Joe, and I think that's a stretch. No chance against Ward and Toney? I can't go that far. Jones is the only super middleweight Joe has no chance with - and Calz himself has admitted this. He was capable of Toney, and I think he's basically even money with Son of Judges.
Toney really shined against Barkley, but Barkley fought the perfect fight for him to shine against. I think Toney's performance in that fight is deceptive when assessing how he would fare in other MMs.
Calzaghe is routinely referred to as 'a jazzercise instructor' by most posters on this board with a style consisting of 'slap avalanche bemusement' I'd say that marks him out as a bum Otherwise, agREED. MTF
Toney tended to love guys who came at him with volume, and loved southpaws. Joe is versatile enough to fall back on movement & make Toney come to him so i can see some tactical ebbs and flows but Joe can't pot & hide the way prime RJJ could & I think Toney finds enough round-defining counter rights to pull the decision out. But frankly thats all besides the point.... because after the fight one of them would still be james toney and the other would still be joe jazzercize calzaghe so, you know....whatever the result, there's only one winner, really.
I think it'd likely be a higher level version of Toney-Jirov. Toney wins a close decision in a great fight.
Although he he always seemed to recover well Calzaghe was on the canvas numerous times. With Toney's pin point counters it's pretty easy to see Joe hitting the deck a few times. Assuming it goes the distance that could be at least two 10-8 rounds in the bank for James.
Thats what i had in mind too, but it has to be conceded that Calzaghe had a plan b or even c, unlike Jirov
One of his greatest assets, was his adaptability. The Kessler fight was a great example. Kessler was working Joe over in the first half of that fight but Calzaghe changed his gameplay entirely, stopped engaging, negated the range Kessler needed to operate and won going away. Still a jazzerciser, mind. MTF
