Once Joe Calzaghe Retires, Who Is The Best Light-Heavyweight In The World?

by James Slater – Regardless of the criticism he’s been getting from some people for choosing to face a faded Roy Jones Junior in what will almost certainly be his last fight, the fact cannot be denied that Joe Calzaghe is the best in the world at 175 pounds right now. Not only is Joe The Ring magazine and lineal champ, the 36-year-old is also the choice for the best in the world pound-for-pound when it comes to a vast number of people..

Without a doubt, “The Pride of Wales,” for as long as he remains where he is before exiting the sport, is the best on the planet at light-heavyweight – despite his only having had one fight at the weight thus far. But when Joe goes, and it seems it will be early next year, who will be the most obvious choice to take over at the top in the opinion of most? As things stand right now, who is the best in the world after Calzaghe?

The light-heavyweight division has its share of good names at present. There are unbeaten young studs who have recently picked up a belt and are on the rise (Chad Dawson). There are grizzled, yet still teak-tough veteran former champions who will not go away (Glen Johnson and Bernard Hopkins). And there are guys who once dazzled and continue to do so in a slightly less formidable, but still respectable, manner (Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver). Then you have an unfashionable champion that not too many fans have seen fight (Zsolt Erdei) and an emerging puncher many feel has been avoided (Adrian Diaconu). So who do you like best? Who is the man to take over from Joe Calzaghe?

I think we can pretty much eliminate the trio that is Hopkins, Jones and Johnson. No disrespect to these three greats, but at their current age neither guy figures to be around for too much longer. And Calzaghe has already beaten Hopkins and is getting ready to beat up Jones (which he surely will do). And as for Johnson, surely even as stubborn and determined a fighter as he does not exactly have a long reign atop the division ahead of him. After a combined four of five fights at most, these three former champions will very likely have retired themselves. No, for a long-time successor to Calzaghe and a truly dominant champion we must look to the younger guys.

Dawson, though he struggled against Johnson in his last fight and has, according to some critics, a suspect chin, is a good candidate. He’s young enough at 25, he holds a major title with his WBC belt and he’s both talented and exciting. Should he get past Diaconu in what will very possibly be his next fight, “Bad Chad” may become the man to take over from Joe.

But what about Tarver and Erdei? When it comes to “The Magic Man” you never really know. Capable of looking like dynamite in one fight (KO 2 Jones), but then like blank ammunition in another (L 12 Hopkins), Tarver is unreliable at best. Also, as with Hopkins, Jones and Johnson, age is against him. Still, it’s impossible to write off a fighter who holds the IBF title and who looked almost back to his best last time out (Vs. the tough Clinton Woods). As for Erdei, he may be the dark horse of the weight class. Yes, he’s world champion, according to the WBO anyway, and he’s unbeaten. But Erdei has yet to box a meaningful fight outside of either Germany or Hungary. This hurts him in terms of public recognition. In terms of fighting ability, however, the Hungarian might be the best in the world. Erdei must get moving soon at his current age of 34, though.

When all is said and done, in the opinion of this writer at least, the next dominant force at the top of today’s light-heavyweight division comes down to two fighters – Chad Dawson or Zsolt Erdei. With the dangerous, but still unproven, Adrian Diaconu also in with a shout. Could Joe Calzaghe beat each and every one of these fighters if he were to take them on next? Sure. But once he’s gone it will be one of these guys who will take over for him atop the 175 pound division of the late 2000s.