Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr. Fight Predictions

As “Super” Joe Calzaghe and “Superman” Roy Jones Jr., get ready to face each other Saturday night in “Battle of the Super Powers” at Madison Square Garden and live on HBO Pay-Per-View, some of the best fighters in the sport and a sampling of the top boxing writers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean lend their analysis and predictions on the highly anticipated match-up.

FIGHTERS:

Bernard Hopkins-Former two-division world champion

Fought Joe Calzaghe on April 19, 2008 and lost by split decision
Fought Roy Jones Jr. May 22, 1993 and lost by unanimous decision

“Jones by unanimous decision based on his speed and power.”

Ricky Hatton- IBO & Ring Magazine junior welterweight world champion

“Roy has seen better days and I think that Joe will be too fast for Roy. Joe will outbox Roy and win by points. I’m going with Joe.”

Lennox Lewis- Former heavyweight champion

“Jones has unbelievable speed and Calzaghe’s never fought anyone like him. Jones likes it when his opponent comes to him and unfortunately for Calzaghe, that’s exactly what he does; comes to his opponent and is right in their face. I pick Jones on points, but I think it’ll be a very close fight.”

Jeff Lacy-Former IBF super middleweight champion

Fought Joe Calzaghe March 4, 2006 and lost by unanimous decision
“It’s going to be a hard fight to pick. If Jones doesn’t stay on the ropes and give Calzaghe angles and lots of movement I’m going to go with Jones by decision. Roy can’t stay on the ropes and give Joe the chance to throw his slapping punches. This is a great fight for Jones to win and setup a big money fight again with Hopkins!”

John Ruiz- Former two-time WBA world heavyweight champion

Fought Jones March 1, 2003 and lost by unanimous decision
“I like Calzaghe by decision. He’s still a hungry and aggressive fighter. He keeps coming at you. The problem for him is that Jones will run all night. He won’t stay still. Calzaghe has to cut off the ring. Calzaghe’s a gentleman in and out of the ring. I think Jones saw the fight against Hopkins and was motivated to fight Calzaghe.”

Peter Manfredo, Jr- Former EBA, IBU and WBO NABO light middleweight champion

Fought Joe Calzaghe April 7, 2007 and lost by KO in 3rd round

“Calzaghe by 12 round decision. Joe doesn’t hit hard enough to knock out Jones. Calzaghe is very busy and Jones doesn’t like somebody on him for 12 rounds. Personally, I’d like to see Jones do it. I always root for the underdog because I’m an underdog. Both win in the end, though. They’re both making millions of dollars and fighting in the boxing Mecca of the world, Madison Square Garden. There are no losers in this fight.”

Glen Johnson- Former IBF, IBO and Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion

Fought Roy Jones September 25, 2004 and won by KO in 9th round

“Roy Jones will win. I believe Calzaghe fights an amateur style. He throws a lot of slappy punches. Roy throws much more meaningful punches. In general, Calzaghe will throw more punches than Roy, but Roy’s will be harder hitting. Unless the judges are blind, they will see that the harder punches make Jones the winner. They should see that Roy Jones’ hard-hitting punches make the difference.”

Oscar De La Hoya- Olympic gold medalist and 10-time world champion

“Calzaghe will beat Jones by a unanimous decision. Joe is going to close the door on Roy’s boxing career.”

Manny Pacquiao- Ring Magazine pound-for-pound champion

“Calzaghe by decision. Joe is hungrier and a little younger.”

Shane Mosley- Former lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight champion of the world

“Roy has trouble with southpaws and Calzaghe is a great southpaw. Roy is a fighter that is always on his toes and I think that when Hopkins fought Calzaghe, and was moving a lot, it gave Joe a lot of problems. I think Roy can do the same thing. I think he can cause problems for Joe with his speed. I’m not really sure on Roy right now. I have to lean towards Joe on this one. You can’t count Roy out, but I think Joe will get Roy with a lot of combinations and out point him. Roy back in the day would have destroyed Joe, but now Joe will outpoint him with a lot of activity and win the fight.”

Vernon Forrest -WBC welterweight champion

“Roy Jones is still the best fighter in my era and still arguably one of the best fighters period. Roy with his speed can match Calzaghe, and he has power. So the power and speed is with Roy. Roy by decision.”

Amir Khan- Commonwealth lightweight champion

“I’m a big fan of Roy Jones, but I have to go with Calzaghe in a great fight.”

Paulie Malignaggi- Former IBF junior welterweight champion.

“It’s a hard fight to pick. I thought Calzaghe at first because, but maybe he’s too much for Roy right now. But based on what Joe just said about the three Brits beating the three Americans (Calzaghe-Jones, Hatton-Malignaggi, Haye-Barrett), I’m pulling Roy home…..Jones by decision.”

Mickey Ward- Former WBU intercontinental light welterweight title holder and the WBU light welterweight title holder

“It’s a pick ’em fight. I’d pick Calzaghe but you can’t count Jones out. I can’t pick a winner in this fight. They’re both up in age. Jones is coming off a good fight (vs. Trinidad). I like Calzaghe to outbox Jones, who has been knocked out twice, but he didn’t show any effects in his last fight.”

Winky Wright- Former world junior middleweight champion

“I think Roy is going to win. I think that his punches are going to be sharper than Calzaghe’s and I think that Roy is a harder puncher. I think it might go all 12 rounds, but if somebody gets stopped I think its Calzaghe late in the fight.”

Chad Dawson- Undefeated, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“It’s a tough one to call. It’s a very even match up. I think if Roy can do what he does best, use his head movement and out box Calzaghe, Jones wins a decision. However, Calzaghe is capable of doing the very same thing. I may have to give the edge to Calzaghe. He’s a little bit younger and little fresher. If I was putting a $1 million on this fight, I’d go with Joe Calzaghe by UD”
Freddie Roach- Trainer

“Calzaghe by decision.”

WRITERS:
Chris Mannix-Sports Illustrated

“Jones has done an incredible job resurrecting his career, but he hasn’t faced a fighter of Calzaghe’s caliber (sorry, Anthony Hanshaw fans) since he was slapped around by Antonio Tarver three years ago. Slapping may be the only thing the light hitting Calzaghe will do to Jones, but his superior hand speed will be more than enough to score a unanimous decision.”

John Falgoust-USA Today

“Calzaghe in late stoppage. Usually counter punchers like Antonio Tarver, Eric Harding and Montell Griffin give Roy Jones trouble. Not aggressors. But this isn’t the same Roy Jones. Calzaghe’s work rate alone should do the trick here. Make Jones fight three minutes of every round and don’t allow him to rest on the ropes or clown to kill the clock. It’ll open up Calzaghe to get caught in between his flurries, such as when Bernard Hopkins dropped him with a counterpunch, but fortunately for him Jones isn’t a finisher.”

Colin Hart- THE SUN, London

“Calzaghe should be too young and fresh for Jones who after all is nearly 40. So, I take Calzaghe to get a decision in what I believe will be a dull fight.

Beating an ancient Jones will not enhance Calzaghe’s reputation. He’s already assured of being recognized as one of the greatest fighters in British boxing history.”

Dan Rafael- ESPN.com

“Although Calzaghe is the favorite, I think Jones’ style and speed — he’s still fast — are going to give him problems. I think it will be a tough, close fight but I’m going with the upset special. I like Jones to pull it out on a close decision.”

Paul Hayward- Daily Mail, London

“Joe Calzaghe’s biggest victory has been against the clock. There’s still no sign of middle-age stealing his strength or skills. The victories over Lacy, Kessler and Hopkins amount to the best sequence of wins by a British fighter in modern times. And I expect that run to continue against Roy Jones, a world-class fighter, but no longer the force he was. The bout is a match-up between Jones’ cunning and Calzaghe’s power and work-rate. I believe the latter will prevail.

“A win at Madison Square Garden would plant Calzaghe at the top of British boxing’s all-time pile. Fifteen years unbeaten, and 11 years as a world champion? Beat that. No-one can.”

Kevin Iole- Yahoo.com

“Calzaghe will win in 12 rounds. If this fight had happened five years ago, it would be a different story. But Jones is a shell of the fighter he used to be and Calzaghe is simply too busy for Jones now. I expect Calzaghe to outwork Jones and pull out a clear decision.”

Gordon Marino-Wall Street Journal

“Jones over Calzaghe. This is a fascinating fight. Jones is still quick and with his awkward style and dangerous punching power is able to freeze very active opponents like Calzaghe. I’m picking Jones by a decision.”

Gareth A. Davies- The Daily Telegraph

“Calzaghe is catching Jones at the right time; though he is meeting a man, who, unlike Hopkins, is already well established at this weight. The two great ring experts have waited far too long for this fistic meeting, with the odds in Calzaghe’s favor. That being said, Jones may create problems for Calzaghe which the Welshman has never experienced before, in spite of his opponent no longer being the fleet-footed, flurry-of-punches throwing champion, and world’s number one pound-for-pound, he once was. If Calzaghe does lose – we could see a rematch in Cardiff. Having come this far unbeaten, Calzaghe could not allow himself psychologically, to bow out with a defeat. But do not listen to the naysayers, those casting aspirations on the making of this contest. Similarly to Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson, this is an end of era defining fight, stacked in flavor of Calzaghe.

Should he win this, Calzaghe could retire with the knowledge that he was victories over the dominant champions above, below and around him for the period of a decade he reigned as super middleweight world champion. This is a legacy fight, and a Calzaghe triumph will cement him not only as one of Britain’s greatest ever champions, but as an indisputable Hall of Famer.”

Tim Smith- New York Daily News

“Roy Jones has good power and I think that will offset the volume of punches that Calzaghe throws. Calzaghe has a good chin so I don’t see him getting knocked out. I like Jones in a decision.”

Nick Parkinson- Daily Star Sunday

“Just like Bernard Hopkins did against Kelly Pavlik, I expect Roy Jones to find some of his old form in his best performance in a few years against Joe Calzaghe. I think Jones will get on his bike, forcing Calzaghe to hunt him down and giving the Welshman some worrying moments with his fast fists on the counter attack. However, I believe Calzaghe is fresher and will land enough leather to edge a split decision, leading to calls for the pair to do it again, in Wales. Calzaghe on points.”

Franklin McNeil- Newark Star Ledger

“On paper, Calzaghe should not have much difficulty getting by Jones. Calzaghe is a southpaw, and Jones has had his most difficult outings against non-orthodox fighters. And though each man has quite a few miles on his tires, Jones has logged a bit more. The physical edge goes to Calzaghe, but stylistically Jones’ constant movement could prove to be beneficial. If Jones can control the pace, make Calzaghe miss, score with counter shots and his stamina holds up, he will win. Jones wins by decision.”

Alan Hubbard- Independent on Sunday

“Calazghe should scrape a narrow points verdict, possibly another spilt decision, a la Bernard Hopkins, in an untidy fight. Jones may no longer have the residual firepower to hurt or harass him but Calzaghe has surely been distracted by the legal wrangling following his split from long-time UK promoter Frank Warren and the concerns of co-promoting this fight. He has struggled to repeat punch-perfect form he attained against Jeff Lacy, but is wily and resilient enough to keep Jones at a southpaw arm’s length. He is already established as Britain’s most enduring post world war champion and victory over Jones would cement his deserved claim to be the outstanding British fighter of the modern era.”

Bobby Cassidy- Newsday

“I like Roy Jones in the 11th round TKO. Calzaghe does not have the power to keep Jones honest. I think by the second half of the fight Jones will be picking him a part. Calzaghe looked so good against Hopkins because Hopkins didn’t have the firepower to slow him down. But Jones has both speed and power. In other fights, Calzaghe has been able to adjust to one of those assets; he won’t be able to adjust to both, especially from a fighter like Jones.”

Steve Lillis- Daily Sport

“If Roy Jones was in his prime it would be a no-brainer, but the four weight king gets hit more these days and is too inactive. Joe Calzaghe has to win big because another close fight in America will not go his way. Jones will show him things he has never seen before and I wouldn’t be shocked if Calzaghe suffers a flash knockdown before boxing his way to a landslide points win.

Calzaghe’s legacy is already secure as one of British boxing’s greatest in history. Even on his worst nights, Joe has always found a way to win. He is a freak who has always trained at a Spartan gym in Abercarn, never imported sparring partners and quit the only training camp he went to after just six days because he was homesick. For much of his career he has fought with one good hand. After Lennox Lewis he is the best in my 20 years covering the sport.”

Peter Higgs- Mail on Sunday, London

“I take Calzaghe to win on points (or possibly with a stoppage in the last four rounds). I think he will have too much speed, strength and work-rate for Jones, whose punch resistance looks suspect despite his impressive win over Felix Trinidad. The victory will leave Calzaghe right up there among the greatest British boxers of all-time. I’m reluctant to say the best because there was a question mark for a long time about the quality of his opposition, but his victories over Lacy, Kessler and Hopkins allow no argument and going 15 years unbeaten in 45 fights is one hell of an achievement.”

Keith Idec- Herald News

“Calzaghe by unanimous decision. Calzaghe might be vulnerable to Jones’ counter-punches by being so busy, but he has always responded well when hurt (see victories over Bernard Hopkins, Byron Mitchell and Kabary Saleem). Jones still has superior hand speed and power, but the confident Calzaghe also performs according to his level of opposition, another bad sign for a rejuvenated Jones.”

John Dillion- Daily Express, London

“Calzaghe by decision because he is so much younger, is quick if not hugely powerful and has a big heart that means he always finds a way to win.”

Michael David Smith- FanHouse.com (AOL Sports)

“American fans were slow to catch on to just what a phenomenal fighter Calzaghe is. But he already beat one American legend in April with a decision over Bernard Hopkins, and he’ll do it again in November with a decision over Jones.”



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