Calzaghe vs Kessler: Anyone Excited?

I am. I'm really looking forward to this fight and I think it's going to be a good one. I like Kessler to win a decision, but Joe will make a good showing.

Anyone else excited?

 

I am.

I feel that out of all the big fall matchups, it is the biggest pick-em.

And from a pure boxing standpoint, it's the best matchup.

And it's not PPV!

 

i'm glad this is on hbo. im more excited about this fight than mayweater-hatton or cotto-mosley.

 

dsimon writes:

Yeah this is the main one Imo. It will probablybe a good fight.

 

I half agree...

I'm not looking forward to or care about Mayweather vs Hatton simply because Floyd has a tendency to not fight more than he fights. If I felt he intended to approach this fight like he did the Gatti fight, I'd be more inclined to care.

"However"

I'm equally excited for Mosley-Cotto as I am Calzaghe-Kessler. Both are great fights and you're right...the fact that Calzaghe-Kessler isn't on PPV makes it more intriguing...I just have to remember to stay home that Saturday afternoon to catch it live.

 

co-sign

 

i'm looking forward to calzaghe proving all the doubters wrong again. everytime he's matched-up against the "next big thing" he is always predicted to lose.

 

Yeah, he proved everyone wrong ONCE.

::

 

twice actually. first, he actually signed to fight lacy, which many doubted. second, he dominated the fight.

 

I stand corrected. Joony is right.

 

For some reason i am not. I expect it to be a tactical chessmatch with Joe winning because of his faster hands.

Hope I'm wrong.

 

You're insane! ::

 

one thing tho, kessler's only been televised once in the U.S.

he's virtually an unknown and HBO hasnt done much to hype this fight as a world attraction.

 

Joe's hands are faster, but when he throws fast punches he doesn't have much if anything on them.

Kessler's just as big, just as strong and younger than Calzaghe.

Last, Kessler has good handspeed and for the most part he's a 1-2 puncher. He throws a very good straight right hand and I think he'll land that on Calzaghe enough to keep Joe honest.

It could turn out to be a watershed fight for Kessler like Calzaghe's win over Eubanks was. In fact, Joe is a few years older than Eubanks was when he lost to Joe. I'm going with youth in this one.

 

It's Eubank not Eubanks. :doh:

In any event, that's the thing...

I see Kessler as primarily a one-two puncher as you've said. He's a very good technician, sound, well balanced...and I WANT him to win, make no mistake.

But Calzaghe is more of a combination puncher and as I said before...rather fast. He may win more rounds as a result.

For some reason, when I analyze the styles...I don't see a KO either way and I cannot see Kessler winning more rounds than Joe. I just can't see it. Hope I'm wrong....and you are right.

 

But then there were dozens of other times where he said he was going to fight someone and never did.

 

It'll be a good fight, but I see Calzaghe having all kinds of trouble with straight punches coming right down the middle. It'll be a matter of timing which upsets Joe's flow.

You could be right by saying Joe can make it boring by boxing from the outside, but I don't see that. 60,000 folks cheering his name, I doubt he'll fight a tactical fight, unless he gets buzzed or hurts his hand which is a legit concern. He hurt his hand against Manfredo and he basically slap boxed with Peter.

 

and yet you await every Floyd Mayweather fight w/ breathless anticipation?!

 

Not every, just most.

Floyd has far more exciting performances than not. :nono: You should know better than that.

 

I wouldn't agree with that at all. Entertaining, maybe. But when was the last time Floyd was in an exciting fight? The Judah fight was good, wouldn't go so far as to call it exciting (save for the brief anxious moment caused by the mini-riot).

Anyway, I agree with Muzse on this fight and Cotto-Shane being the two fights I've been most looking forward to all year (or at least since they were signed). This one gets the slight edge due to having greater historical significance, but style-wise, both are on the same level as far as I'm concerned (even if for different reasons).

I hear what you're saying, and when all is said and done, those in search of an action fight more so than "just" a boxing match will most likely find more entertainment from Cotto-Shane. But I think both will be great for the sport in their own regard.

 

Kessler-Calzaghe is a great matchup for sure. Very significant and certainly evenly matched. As you said, great for the sport.

But Cotto-Shane and Mayweather-Hatton are the ones that have me salivating.

Perhaps...only because I haven't followed Kessler for too long...

 

Mayweather Hatton will certainly get the most shine in the end, even if, fight-result wise, I believe it will be the least crowd-pleasing. And the sad part is, it will be wildly successful, and I believe at the EXPENSE of Cotto-Shane (at least in terms of PPV buys).

 

Hatton wouldn't allow it to be a dull fight. You obviously haven't done the styles analysis. In Mayweather-Hatton you have two fast fighters in there (YES Hatton is fast) who both don't like the other, who are defending unbeaten records, have contrasting styles and who are both tough, strong, SUPERfit and well skilled. Hatton is going to force a brawl and floyd will once again show his versatility.

I GUARANTEE that it'll be a better fight that Calzaghe-Kessler...we'll have a side bet on this matter.

It is also a better matchup (not saying it would be a more exciting fight..just more significant a matchup) than Cotto-Mosley which is saying something because the latter is a great matchup also. But in Mayweather-Hatton you have two undefeated fighters in their primes, each of whom have defeated great fighters.

Perhaps Vivian Harris, your buddy, has brainwashed you and transfered his jealousy and hatred of Floyd onto your susceptible bald noggin....:tease:

 

A side bet on which fight was better? That's an absurd bet.

Either one of you could simply say "No I think that fight was better".

 

Unlike every other fight he's had in the past two years, right? Mayweather's going to be dictating the pace in this one, not Fatton.

Ricky Hatton is fast the way a Datsun Z-Car is fast. Not bad on the straightaway, but you wouldn't race it against a Koenigsegg CCR.

Mayweather's just playing a part, like he does before every fight.

Blah, blah, blah. Mayweather's better. End of story.

Hmmm... Is a sig bet a possibility?

 

If Calzaghe fights a tactical fight he will lose. he needs to get inside, be agressive and throw a lot of punches. He's not going to outbox Kessler.

 

I am. I would rank this as the second most important fight this fall slightly behind Mayweather/Hatton. I really have no idea who's going to win.

 

:: I have to say, that laughing horse cracks me up everytime.

But beyond all of your post...do you really see Floyd-Hatton as a boring fight?

 

Consider bet taken on Calzaghe-Kessler - though short of anything obvious (like one of the fights universally regarded as a Fight of the Year candidate), I'm not sure how a winner will be determined on it. Both of us can claim our pick to be more exciting based on any number of intangibles.

As far as Floyd-Hatton being more significant than Cotto-Shane - hell yeah, that's a given. The undefeated linear 140 lb. champ facing the undefeated linear 147 lb. champ - it doesn't get any more significant than that. Cotto-Shane has the makings of a great fight, but in the end is "just" two Top 5 contenders facing one another.

Hatton managed to allow his last three or four fights to be either dull or awkward (in one or two occasions, both), and is seriously overrated in regards to being an action fighter. The only thing exciting/entertaining about the Castillo fight was the ending, and the crowd singing throughout. Hatton appears to fight in perpetual motion, but the excessive clinching often robs his fights of any potential fluidity and sustained action.

Floyd is Floyd. I really don't like him or hate him. But while his talent is exceptional, his fights are rarely anything special. (and no, he's not in his prime, just good enough to still be regarded as the best)

 

I'm willing to allow a neutral panel to decide which fight is more exciting after both are completed.

I nominate Rubio, Jaws and Maverick. Fair enough, Sly?