[DrWise]

Well who do you guys think will win?
Joe Or Peter????????????


Taken From Skysports!!!!!!!
Enzo Calzaghe, father and trainer of record breaking world super-middleweight champion Joe, will be taking nothing for granted when his son meets Peter Manfredo at the weekend.
The pair are set to dispute the world title in front of 33,000 fans at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday night.

The match could see Calzaghe junior, who is already the longest continually reigning British world champion, equal Larry Holmes and Bernard Hopkins' record of 20 straight defences.

Calzaghe is a massive 50-1 on favourite to win his title defence against the American, who was a star of the first 'Contender' television series.

But Enzo, 57, who has trained his son since he first set foot in a boxing gym aged five, warned that you dismiss the underdog at your peril.

He said: "All champions used to be underdogs, just like Joe was an underdog when he went in to win the title from Chris Eubank in 1997. Underdogs are there to take your title.

"It is one of the most important things you can teach. In boxing you do not under-estimate your opponent and you do not start talking about the future beyond your next fight.

"Manfredo has not been picked out from a box of bananas. He has been picked for the fight because he fits the bill. He has got the chance of a lifetime on Saturday night and Joe must remember that."

With the roof closed at the Millennium Stadium, Saturday night's show will be the largest at an indoor arena in Europe.

[shandypants]

Calzaghe is one of the most under-rated sportsmen of our generation IMHO. Doesn't get anywhere near the respect he deserves. Just because he's a normal guy who doesn't make a tw*t of himself all day long like Eubank used to, he's never got the recognition his unbeaten records demands.

I think it will be close - Joe's last few fights been getting that way - but I reckon he'll win.

Shandy

[Synchronicity]

Originally Posted by shandypants

Calzaghe is one of the most under-rated sportsmen of our generation IMHO. Doesn't get anywhere near the respect he deserves. Just because he's a normal guy who doesn't make a tw*t of himself all day long like Eubank used to, he's never got the recognition his unbeaten records demands.

I think it will be close - Joe's last few fights been getting that way - but I reckon he'll win.

Shandy

I rate Joe very highly as a fighter and agree that he is quite underrated but he has done himself no favours whatsoever With his skills he could have had a superb career and been remembered as a legend but instead he seems to have been happy to defend his title against the crap that Mr Warren serves up to him;as long as he is getting a decent wage he doesnt seem concerned about securing any sort of legacy or proving his greatness

This Saturday's fight is just another mismatch and Joe should dominate Manfedo easily.I really do find it genuinley frustrating because I am sure he is capable of so much more.Hopefully he will fight Kessler in his next fight to unify then go to America for some big fights-possibly Jermain Taylor or BHop....but I wont hold my breath

Other mismatches on the undercard include another Kahn walkover and Enzo against an absolute nobody.It is a shame ITV and HBO let Warren get away with this crap

On a more positive note UFC is on this weekend,and although not one of their best cards, should have some mroe competetive fights than we will see in Cardiff

[DrWise]

It wont be an easy fight for calzaghe but i am sure it will be entertaining

yeah khan another walkover
and enzo is fighting who never heard of the guy

i think calzaghe vs bernard hopkins will be legendary

[dc007]

Calzaghe. A walk in the park. Unless he injures his hand(s) again.

[Harj]

Yes Joe is pushing himself fight a blown up light middleweight (2 weight divisions below Joe's natural fighting weight) , who is also famous for losing 3 fights on the contender.

The other joke is Enzo fighting Bobby Gunn who again started out as a light middleweight and is now fighting 4 divisions higher, and had an ELEVEN year break ! Also his wins have come against guys who have losing records.

Remember david Haye offered Enzo his biggest payday for a good old British tear up, and was turned down so Eno could feast on this bum, typical Frank Warren show.

[MedMick]

Joe Calzaghe to win, by a mile. If he cant get his big pay day he deserves, he may fight Carl Froch (ranked 3rd by WBC/WBO) unless boxing politics gets in the way(itv vs Sky)

[Harj]

Originally Posted by wiser1

It wont be an easy fight for calzaghe but i am sure it will be entertaining

yeah khan another walkover
and enzo is fighting who never heard of the guy

i think calzaghe vs bernard hopkins will be legendary

Hopkins is now 41 years old, its amazing, Calzaghe has not fought Glen Johonson, Roy Jones or Hopkins, because these fights would have given him more credibilty, he clamis he could not get them to fight, but hang on, other Brits like Howard Eastman & Clinton Woods managed to!

Including this Manfredo defence, Joes last 3 out of 4 defences have been against fighters whose natural fighting weight divison was lower than Joes. Not good. Also he's only big fight is aainst Mikkel Kessler, unbeaten Dane whose last 5 fights have been gainst independently ranked top 10 super middles, he's actually achevied better class of defences in the last 2 years than Calzaghe has in 10.


http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=016951

[Harj]

gunn gets blown out in one round (lots of ppl from boxing circles put alot of money down for Gunn to lose in the first round), Manfredo was exactly what I expected, though that stoppage was disgraceful, so for what its worth, 35,000 ppl saw a pretty rubbish show, and I missed match of the day for this rubbish.

[raigraphixs]

Manfredo seemed happy with his payday, he did alot of posing at the start of the match, and then did nothing in the rounds. The Contender tv show made him look better than he was, with it use of editing. He said he was the real rocky, if he was talking about the movie character, yes he was just a actor with no fighting skill. But it was stopped to quick, nice to see Joe KO him. Joe was pure class.

Amir was class to, and Enzo seems to be someone to watch.

[Harj]

Totally disagree Rai.
Manfredo is famous for LOSING three fights on the contender, which took fighters from the back waters of american boxing.

Calzaghe did not KO him out, the ref stopped him even though Calzaghe punches were missing.

I agree Calzaghe would have won anyway, only because Manfredo is not a very good fighter and has only had 6 rounds at Calzaghes weight.

Bobby Gunn had an eleven year break and used to fight at 10st, he turns up out of nowhere and is now fighting at 14 st! Its well known that Frank Warren and the WBO (Calzaghe & Enzo title holders) are hand in glove thus suddenly fighters suddenly appear in their top ten to validate their challanges (Evans Ashira was a light middleweight who did not even have a ranking, then suddenly appears in the top ten at super-middle and fights Calzaghe, all so convieneint).

This was a **** poor show that ITV were hyping up to be as big as Benn & Eubank, those in the know knew better, hence like I said, over in the boxing forums as www.boxrec.com , alot of ppl made money on Bobby Gunn to be blasted out in one round and Calzaghe to win inside the distance, for us boxing fans , there was no fight tonight, just awards ceremonies.

[Synchronicity]

I posted this on a boxing forum I am on(cant be bothered to type a similar post,so just copy and paste job)

Warren should be ashamed of that show last night!Lets be honest,thats all it was-a show,it certainly was not a fight card!Sports Network were supposed to be putting on the biggest night of boxing in an indoor arena ever held in Europe,which was being shown on prime time ITV and HBO and could have made it an excellent event and a superb showcase for boxing but instead we get a stream of terrible lopsided mismatches-an absolute waste of time,disgusting.

I know it is a bad thing to say but in a way I think it would have been good if one of those boxers had got seriously hurt-then Warren would to have answered some serious questions-like why he had put Bobby Gunn in there to get demolished by Enzo. Surely the odds on all the fights beforehand show what a onesided card it is and people just accept it?These are supposed to be fights,where ideally you really do not know which fighter may win-not get odds like Calzaghe at 80-1 on to win Hopefully HBO will feel the the same and will not stand for this bullsquirt any longer.

Ah well,I suppose at least UFC is on Bravo this weekend,so will get to see some decent fights .

[bekko]

That was a Joke, Manfredo would of eventually lost but to stop it like that was wrong, The prob was he looked in troubled and wasnt throwing punches so the ref stopped it but way to early.

[DrWise]

I aint even saying nothing
the worst boxing SHOW i have ever seen
well lets just hype up May 6th Oscar Vs Mayweather
*Starts Watching Barerra vs Marquez again"

[MedMick]

Agree last night was a farce, but Jennings was outstanding against Takaloo. How one judge only gave it by 1 round astounds me