By: Jim Amato
Joe Calzaghe is now the toast of the British Kingdom. After his long run as super middleweight champion, Joe conquered Bernard Hopkins to become the world’s best light heavyweight. Then he dominated a faded legend in Roy Jones Jr. Well who would be next? I know Antonio Tarver has been calling Joe out. How about Chad Dawson, Glen Johnson, Erdei or a Hopkins rematch ? What about Kelly Pavlik ? Well it will be none of the above as Joe has decided to retire after an undefeated fifteen year career. Will Joe go down in history as myth or legend?

Too bad that Joe came along about thirty five years too late. Back then Joe would have found stiff competition right in his own back yard..Chris Finnegan and John Conteh were on there way to becoming top contenders then. Finnegan got a title shot against the legendary Bob Foster in 1972 and after a plucky performance Chris was halted by Bob in the fourteenth round. It was the Ring Magazine ” Fight Of The Year. In 1973 Chris met and lost a fifteen round decision to Conteh for the European and British Empire crown. In a 1974 rematch Conteh stopped Finnegan in six rounds. Conteh was now making his way up the contender ladder. At the beginning of his pro career there were times that Conteh beat heavyweights. Before his second win over Finnegan, John had established himself a major threat to Bob Foster. Conteh had beaten Vincente Rondon and Tom Bogs leading him closer to the top. Foster came close to losing his title to Argentina’s Jorge Ahumada when they fought to a disputed draw. At that point Bob decided to relinquish his crown. The WBA matched Ahumada’s countryman Victor Galindez and Len ” Stinger ” Hutchins for their version of the title. The WBC matched Conteh with Ahumada. Galindez and Conteh emerged victorious. A fight between Conteh and Galindez would have been a dandy but it would never take place.

John would make successful defenses against Lonnie Bennett, rugged Yaqui Lopez and Hutchins. In their infinite wisdom the WBC stripped Conteh of his title and said it would recognize the winner of a bout between Jesse Burnett and Miguel Cuello as the new champion. Cuello halted Burnett to capture the crown. Cuello would quickly lose his title to Mate Parlov. Conteh would get a chance to regain the title against Mate but the awkward Parlov scored a fifteen round decision over John. Parlov would soon lose the title to Marvin Johnson. Matthew Saad Muhammad ended Johnson’s reign and Conteh would now challenge Saad. John fought a wonderful fight and I had him ahead after twelve rounds but he seemed to fade in the ” championship rounds ” and Saad pulled out a fifteen round decision. It was close enough for a rematch but this time around Muhammad handled John with relative ease scoring a fourth round knockout. Conteh would fight one more time and then retire in 1980 after a distinguished tenure posting a final record of 34-4-1. Conteh was bothered by hand injuries throughout his career.

How would Conteh have fared against today’s Joe Calzaghe ? Very well I think. Calzaghe’s swarming aggressive style would have been perfect for Conteh. John was very strong and was able to hold his own against some decent heavyweights. He was a good, solid all around boxer with a fine jab. Although not a one punch kayo artist, John was a sharp hitter. John tasted the canvas a few times in his career but he was only stopped once and as Calzaghe showed against Hopkins he’s far from being a big banger. Also Conteh was not above using roughhouse tactics in the ring. I think it would boil down to a matter of tactics and Conteh had the superior talent. I’d have to go with Conteh if the bout was the ” real ” championship distance of fifteen rounds. If it was a twelve rounder Calzaghe might have been able to salvage a draw. If it went fifteen I believe Conteh would have finished strong to take the duke. Although John faded in the late rounds against Saad Muhammad, he was past his prime and Saad was a much more punishing puncher then Calzaghe would ever hope to be. A peak Conteh finished well in fifteen rounders against Finnegan, Ahumada and Yaqui Lopez.

I actually shudder to think of Calzaghe in there with Bob Foster. Joe’s lucky he did not fight in the 1970’s and eighties.