Calzaghe vs Bute

[scurlaruntings]

As much as this fight isnt that appealing i believe its neccesary as Bute holds a portion of the title.Joes status as the best although already undisputed would be compounded even more if he could annex the IBF.This would make him the 1st 4 belt unified champ ever at 68.Other than Hopkins he would be the only 2nd man to unify all the major belts in his weight division.His position in the HOF would be secure and he could then make a very good claim as an ATG.

[crashzzz]

Joe already won the IBF title... so what difference does it make to win again? :huh

[brooklyn1550]

I would like to see Calzaghe vs. Bute and it would be nice to see Joe capture the IBF again just to hold all 4 belts plus the RING belt. But he never lost it in the ring, so I don't think he has any interest in it.

[Decebal]

I would like to see Joe unify, for the sake of it, to a certain extent. But not against anyone. Bute is a worthy holder of the IBF belt - as he will prove in the years to come. This is why I would be interested in Joe unifying first and foremost. Joe says there are no challenges left at SMW...and that there are better challenges at LHW. Maybe he is right. Then, let's hope he fights those better challengers than Bute at 175...not the names who just look good on resumes. What I am saying is that if he won't fight Lucian, he'd better not fight Pavlik at 168 or Hopkins at 175 either...he'd better go for Dawson instead. (I am assuming that Bute would provide Joe with more of a challenge at 168 in a couple of months than Pavlik and that Hopkins is too old to compete well against Joe)

[Decebal]

Give Calzaghe a break

I am sorry, no can do...Joe, if he wants to cement and augment his legacy needs to keep on fighting at least another fight against the very best from 168-175...Now granted, Bute might not be HIM...but that doesn't mean that Joe should have an easy time, because he's made it! Because he hasn't...yet.

[Pimp C]

This is a mismatch. Bute is too green and would get beat worse than kessler did. However it would be sweet to see my boy Calzaghe hold all the belts.

[Decebal]

You just quoted the single sentence which was conveniet for your point.

No, I haven't! If cashing in is the name of the game for Joe and not legacy, he should carry on fighting Manfredo type opponents in front of 35,000+ until he hits 40...or perhaps longer...

[Darien]

No disrespect for Bute, he earned his belt fair and square BUT Joe actually never lost it. So in my eyes he has already unified all 4 titles.

[Decebal]

No disrespect for Bute, he earned his belt fair and square BUT Joe actually never lost it. So in my eyes he has already unified all 4 titles.

In Joe's eyes, he has been SMW Champ since forever. In his eyes, the belts meant nothing anyway...he was Champ, that was all that mattered to him.:good

[yesihavearm]

Joe should still be the IBF champ, he never lost the belt.

Stupid IBF making Stieglitz (WHO ?) his mandatory. HBO wanted him to fight Manfredo to build up his popularity in the States.

[Decebal]

Joe should still be the IBF champ, he never lost the belt.

Stupid IBF making Stieglitz (WHO ?) his mandatory. HBO wanted him to fight Manfredo to build up his popularity in the States.

Yeah...fuck the IBF belt...it should be replaced with the HBO belt - based on TV ratings and PPV numbers.

[Paulie]

Bute is a too high risk level fighter for Calzaghe. Bute is a better fighter than Kessler. Kessler is too much of a mechanical robot for Calzaghe and Bute. Bute is the number 1 in smw division and Calzaghe needs to figth him in a few months. And don't forget. Bute hit harder than Kessler...

[Decebal]

Bute is a too high risk level fighter for Calzaghe. Bute is a better fighter than Kessler. Kessler is too much of a mechanical robot for Calzaghe and Bute. Bute is the number 1 in smw division and Calzaghe needs to figth him in a few months. And don't forget. Bute hit harder than Kessler...

Please stop!:twisted:

Fine, you hate Bute (??)...but why do you want everyone but the most knowledgeable and enlightened to hate him too?

[Paulie]

ok I stop. oh ! I forgot. Kessler knock down Beyer in 3th round !!

[Max Molyneux]

Bute looks like a slower Calzaghe.

He would be beat by the faster hands.

[PH|LLA]

Joe for all intents and purposes still has the IBF belt.

Bute wouldn't take this fight if it was offered to him on a silver platter

[Brickhaus]

Joe IS unified. The IBF belt is his. Bute is a paper champion. Besides, one of the other ABCs would probably strip him if he tried to fight Bute, which would render the whole thing moot.

Calzaghe doesn't have enough time left on his career to worry about fighting guys like Bute. He needs to be fighting guys who will get him paid. If he can do Hopkins, Jones, Woods and Tarver in the next couple years (I don't see any good reason why these fights can't get made as long as FW doesn't get in the way), he can enhance his legacy, beat up a bunch of guys he should be able to beat, and probably make about $10M in the process.

[Brickhaus]

Bute looks like a slower Calzaghe.

He would be beat by the faster hands.

Bute looks nothing like Calzaghe, except that he's white and has dark hair.

[Decebal]

Joe for all intents and purposes still has the IBF belt.

Bute wouldn't take this fight if it was offered to him on a silver platter

:nono Wake up! Bute is the IBF Champ! Just look to the left of this post - check out the pick! :nod

Bute would take this fight - it would be his dream to fight Joe...he says he isn't ready yet...but if, for some reason, Joe was still looking to fight someone at 168 towards the end of 2008/early 2009 - I am sure Bute would most likely even fight him for free!:deal

[Decebal]

Joe IS unified. The IBF belt is his.

No, it's not. It's Ottke's.:D