Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima

Youre making the assumption that Boots would even be on HBO's radar back then.

In the era with Trinidad, Quartey, and DLH at 147? We dont even know if Boots could hang with that trio.

 

Ha the classical Calzaghe argument. Coulda, would, shoulda

 

By time Mosley was Boots' age he had wins over Holiday, Molina, Lejia, Rivera, and Oscar.

Even if Boots whups Ortiz, Shane is still miles ahead. Vergil is really nothing special to me. He isnt a fraction as good as prime Oscar. An elite level fighter should be thrashing a merely good fighter like Vergil.

 

Speaking of Calzaghe I just rewatched the Roy fight. I forgot how much Roy got clowned for 12 rounds. Calzaghe looked so annoying and shit with his clowning but was levels above Roy and showboating all night. Not sure why he showboated like that. There was no need for it really. Roy still caught him with a couple of good shots but Calzaghes chin was fine. I actually think Hopkins was Calzaghes hardest fight and honestly think Hopkins deserved that decision. He landed clean counters all night.

 

Reid deserved the decision more than Hopkins imo. Hopkins won the first 3 rounds (+ a KD) but Calzaghe took control after that. I had Reid nicking it at the time, and still had it his way after a rewatch many years later.

 

hopkins fought like a bitch against calzaghe and tried to find a way out of that fight same as vs robert allen, dawson, etc.

 

Seems to me alao that it was a close but rather clear win for bhop

 

I was rooting for Hopkins, but no way did he win the Calzaghe fight. The coking Welshman won it by a clear margin.

I think Hopkins would have beaten Calz prime-for-prime had they fought in the late 90s/early 00s, but he damn sure didn't win when they actually fought.

 

Agreed. I dont get why people have him winning tbh. The prime for prime argument I understand, but in the actual fight he lost more rounds. Regardless of whether you liked the way it was done, he was just massively outworked from round 4 onwards (after an admittedly great start).

 

Because you have to look closely at the exchanges with a keen eye. Calzaghe was running into counters all night.

 

I think Calz would have always been a difficult fight for Hop though, even at their bests.

Not like with Roy, where I think prime Jones shuts Calzaghe out.

 

Exactly, hopkins was landing by far the cleaner harder shots. Calz activity was pretty much always while clinching. A lot of emotions was involved in the scoring of that fight, cause bhop was negative and complaining constantly, and that swayed a lot into thinking that calz was beating him.

 

I agree, to be honest though I gave up on defending Calzaghe a long time ago. Whilst I thought he was a great talent, and in my opinion does beat a lot of great fighters, the criticism of him is absolutely legitimate. He DID hide away fighting utter wank for years in Cardiff, avoiding the best. I actually find myself arguing AGAINST Calzaghe on British boxing pages on Facebook these days, more often than not, I'm a fan but I'm not saying he's a greater fighter than Robinson like some of the Brit casuals out there

 

I just finished watching all of Calzaghes career and he was super legit, much better than I gave him credit for. Just a very hard guy to beat because he's going to outvolume you, has a solid enough chin and blends offence/defence very well. Flashy looking guy and its eye catching for judges. I definitely have a new found appreciation for him. I strongly disliked him during his prime because of him taking easy fights.

I'll die on a hill saying B Hop beat him though.

 

I will put that on my list of fights to watch. That and the Starie fights were fights I skipped. I remember it was close but didn't score it. That David Starie fight though - jesus fucking christ that was an awful fight.

 

Hopkins fought the Jazzerciser fight like another Philly fighter Jimmy Young.

He fought not to lose instead of trying to win with his 10 punches a round strategy

 

Mate, the Starie fight was atrocious. Legit one of the worst fights I've ever seen. I was actually looking forward to that one, Starie was on a tear on the domestic scene at the time, but the styles just did not gel.

In retrospect, someone like Dean Francis (RIP) would have been a better test. I don't think he was good enough to beat a guy like Calzaghe, but he was genuinely one of the best guys never to get a title shot from these shores.

 

Man, if you do watch the Starie fight, youre an absolut masochist