Suddenly, I see a threat to Manny Pacquiao’s best around, Pound for Pound crown.
And the threat’s name is not Mayweather, no siree, Bob, it is not.
He didn’t exactly take the TV dance world by storm and, as best can be determined, undefeated in 46 fights Joe Calzaghe is twiddling his thumbs up in Wales.
In between twiddles, I guess he enjoys the life of a wealthy playboy if you judge by the racy UK tabloids. He goes from one verified hottie to another.
But I predict right here, right now, that Calzaghe, turning 38 on March 23—making him younger than his former opponents Roy Jones (41) and Bernard Hopkins (Ole Popkins is 45)–will come back to the ring for love and money.
Boxing’s in his blood and I don’t think his colorful father, the operatic Enzo, will put up much of an argument if Little Joe says to him, “I am still the best super middleweight extant, maybe the best light heavyweight also.”
AP Photo
Do you think Bad Chad Dawson beats Super Joe With what, a ballpeen hammer and a Louisville SluggeR
Depending on how he looks against Shane Mosley, turning 39 in September, Mayweather’s place as the Avis, sitting second to Manny’s Hertz, could be in jeopardy.
If Mayweather has little razzle and no dazzle and does jab the heck out of Mosley while evading nearly all the older man’s blows, you could make the argument that the Welsh Dragon sits just behind Megamanny in the P4P polls.
A piercing jab to Money’s monumental ego might give him a push into Pacman that the prospect of $50 million cannot.
If Freud was still alive, he be dreaming of putting of Mayweather and his “super id” on the couch.
The 168 pounders do not have a fighter who can make Calzaghe’s “second retirement” a lock.
Remember, Joe left us with this winning trifecta: Kessler, Hopkins and Jones.
Kessler had his chance and Joe C. Wales would school all the rest, including most promising Andre Ward.
Meanwhile, Carl Froch hasn’t exactly replaced Calzaghe as the UK’s most well known boxer, has he?
I suppose here’s as good a place as any to insert up from 160 Kelly Pavlik as a wild card, should he knock Lucian Bute, but remember how he was clueless at a higherweight against BHop?
For whatever reasons, Kessler dominance in Joe’s abdication has not happened.
Some would argue that all the Showtime tourney competitors are below Montreal’s Bute in ability and I think Calzaghe leaves Bute squirming in the sandbox as well.
In a twisted way, and isn’t that the best kind, the return of Calzaghe might add some pressure to Mayweather.
It might be the edge that pushes him off the ledge as far as fighting Pacman.
I may be misreading the tea leaves here but it’s a passing thought on a Thursday night.
Best fighter at 168 and 175 pounds?
Says here it is Super Joe until proven otherwise.
He may have bombed on “Strictly Come Dancing” but he still reigns in two weight divisions.
He did not get to 46-0, 23 Kos, playing beanbag or hackysack.
As Roy Jones might put it, “You feel me, dawg?”
