chop
03-30-2007, 05:15 AM
By Cliff Rold
Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com
A little more than one week from now, world super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (42-0, 31 KOs) of Wales will make his second defense of the crown since gaining universal recognition as ‘the man’ last year against US Olympian Jeff Lacy. His pending bout, against Ring Magazine #10 contender Peter Manfredo (26-3, 12 KOs), will also mark the 20th defense of his WBO belt. Yet, for all his accomplishments and dominance at 168 lbs., Calzaghe can’t help but hear the whispers, the questions about whether he has made a lasting impression.
Having just turned 35 (happy birthday champ), words like ‘history’ and ‘legacy’ should be taking on new meanings. It’s this simple: everyone knows he’s good but is Joe Calzaghe great? More importantly, if Calzaghe should defeat the prohibitive underdog Manfredo as expected, will he make the decision a great fighter would make and face his #1 contender, Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler (39-0, 29 KOs)? Having been a smashing success in his HBO debut, Kessler has made that question one of the biggest in the sport.
It might be unfair, but asking that question almost assumes a Calzaghe victory against Manfredo. Manfredo, who cut his teeth as the first season runner-up on “The Contender,” is not a bad fighter. There has been little to indicate that he’s a special one either. After ten years on top of his division, it’s unlikely that Calzaghe will fall to anything less.
While the competitive merit of this bout is questionable (Manfredo fought the bulk of his career at 154 lbs. and has yet to beat a legitimate top contender at any weight), the business quality of this decision is not. Calzaghe has made no secret that he wants to make a mark in the United States and Manfredo is more recognizable than most fighters stateside. (Ironically, in a strange twist of fate, after years of yearning for big U.S. money, the biggest money available may now be against the European foe on U.S. TV.)
HBO gives this bout the Manfredo bout its biggest possible stage and grants Calzaghe a chance to stamp himself firmly in the minds of those who missed him over the years. What it does not do is finish the process of validating his place in the record books. This is his second chance to complete that journey.......
rest here, including the ten count
http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=7965
Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com
A little more than one week from now, world super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (42-0, 31 KOs) of Wales will make his second defense of the crown since gaining universal recognition as ‘the man’ last year against US Olympian Jeff Lacy. His pending bout, against Ring Magazine #10 contender Peter Manfredo (26-3, 12 KOs), will also mark the 20th defense of his WBO belt. Yet, for all his accomplishments and dominance at 168 lbs., Calzaghe can’t help but hear the whispers, the questions about whether he has made a lasting impression.
Having just turned 35 (happy birthday champ), words like ‘history’ and ‘legacy’ should be taking on new meanings. It’s this simple: everyone knows he’s good but is Joe Calzaghe great? More importantly, if Calzaghe should defeat the prohibitive underdog Manfredo as expected, will he make the decision a great fighter would make and face his #1 contender, Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler (39-0, 29 KOs)? Having been a smashing success in his HBO debut, Kessler has made that question one of the biggest in the sport.
It might be unfair, but asking that question almost assumes a Calzaghe victory against Manfredo. Manfredo, who cut his teeth as the first season runner-up on “The Contender,” is not a bad fighter. There has been little to indicate that he’s a special one either. After ten years on top of his division, it’s unlikely that Calzaghe will fall to anything less.
While the competitive merit of this bout is questionable (Manfredo fought the bulk of his career at 154 lbs. and has yet to beat a legitimate top contender at any weight), the business quality of this decision is not. Calzaghe has made no secret that he wants to make a mark in the United States and Manfredo is more recognizable than most fighters stateside. (Ironically, in a strange twist of fate, after years of yearning for big U.S. money, the biggest money available may now be against the European foe on U.S. TV.)
HBO gives this bout the Manfredo bout its biggest possible stage and grants Calzaghe a chance to stamp himself firmly in the minds of those who missed him over the years. What it does not do is finish the process of validating his place in the record books. This is his second chance to complete that journey.......
rest here, including the ten count
http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=7965