Was Steve Collins avoiding Joe Calzaghe?

MC Paul Barman

MC Paul Barman

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I was listening to one of my UK chaps that claimed that Collins ducked Joe Calzaghe.

I'm not familiar with their history. I know people always say stuff like that, but I was curious if it could either be validated or kicked to the side on this forum.
 
Collins got a shitty brain and he had to retire. Calzaghe would have tore him to pieces though...so its a good thing he took off when he did.

No idea if he would have fought him or not, but Collins made his name off of has-been fighters. He got beaten everytime he stepped outside of that level.
 
To shift the topic a bit:

How often, back in the early to mid to late 90s did the top UK boxer fight the top US boxer?
You've got Benn fighting McClellan.
But it would have been interesting to see a Eubank v a top american in like 93 or 94.
Think it was 94 when Jones beat Toney at super middle. Eubank would have been a super middle.

Was it that the talent in the US was that much greater? And Eubank would have been tooled? Or, that US fighters didn't want to fight a potentially dangerous fight against a UK'er not well known in the States.... and then lose?
 
Its not so much a talent thing, its just that during the 90's the WBO was basically Frank Warren's off-shoot organisation and he kept all the British fighters under the WBO banner and made them very comfy at home.

Eubank was a better fighter than a bunch of the rubbish Jones Jr fought and was fighting at that time. Chris might not have won, but he'd have made Jones work hard.
 
Naseem Hamed vs Kevin Kelley.

Regarding Collins, I've only heard him cited as a guy that Calzaghe avoided, but that's only one side of the story.
 
Jones would win decisively due to superior speed and agility, but Eubank vs. Toney would be very entertaining.
 
I doubt Collins ducked anyone so he would have fought him if the opportunity come up. Joe would have beat him though so its probably a good job he didnt.
 
collins didnt duck calzaghe but he was at the end of his career when joe was coming through. i think collins was a lot smarter in who he faced toward the end than say eubank who did fight joe and carl thompson who was way to big for him
 
Pro Killer said:
I doubt Collins ducked anyone so he would have fought him if the opportunity come up. Joe would have beat him though so its probably a good job he didnt.
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i agree,collins would have fought him but he wanted roy jones(who would have easily outboxed him)
 
Never could understand Eubank electing to jump to cruiser to fight Thompson.

Collins is kinda overrated in my opinion. Calzaghe would have tooled him.
 
I remember a while back reading that Joe avoided the Collins fight when Collins was champion, how true I'm not sure then when he retired and Eubanks/Joe afterwards Joe called out Collins known Collins wouldn't come out of retirement due to injury.. tho Collins only "hung around" in the sport in the hopes of a big pay day with Jones Jr who kept passing him by, when Collins fought Eubanks and Benn he was meant to loss (hence the rematch with Eubanks) the Benn rematch was due to Benn injuring his ankle but from what I can recall he was getting beat in the first fight.
 
Tam-Tam said:
Collins got a shitty brain and he had to retire. Calzaghe would have tore him to pieces though...so its a good thing he took off when he did.

No idea if he would have fought him or not, but Collins made his name off of has-been fighters. He got beaten everytime he stepped outside of that level.
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Haha if Collins makes his name off has beens then what about Joe Calazaghe, the chap won a bs decision off an old man in BHOP and fought Eubank at his worst, he is a nobody. Steve handed Eubank his first loss. Both in their prime it would be a close fight.
 
Collins did duck him but it was early in Calzaghe's career and he didn't have too much drawing power at the time.

Jones ducked Eubank/Benn/Collins and then Calzaghe for years, but he was getting more cash for fighting less dangerous opponents so can understand why he did it.
 
I liked how Eubank would crouch down and then burst up into a punch. He could be right in close on a guy, little room to move. But opposed to backing up to get himself distance, he would crouch down and spring up into a shot.
 
When Collins fought Eubank and Benn they were coming to the end of their careers at world class and fought them at the right time. Collins was in the same situation regarding Calzaghe and sensibly retired and avoided defeat.

Each fighter i have mentioned in their prime would of defeated Steve Collins
 
how about watson?
i think he would have beaten collins quite comfortably
 
EsercitoBlu said:
When Collins fought Eubank and Benn they were coming to the end of their careers at world class and fought them at the right time. Collins was in the same situation regarding Calzaghe and sensibly retired and avoided defeat.

Each fighter i have mentioned in their prime would of defeated Steve Collins
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I'm not too sure about Eubanks and Benn, but i think Calzaghe would have beaten him. Calzaghe is a very clever fighter, like Fedor he seems to come up with the perfect gameplan to defeat his opponents.

Collins style puts me in mind of Antonio Margarito's, both relentless, and they both seem to walk through punches.
 
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