Top Five All-Time Great Super Middleweights
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
The 168 pound super middleweight division, more than just a phantom or passing through division, has been the testing ground for both natural super middleweights, and middleweights moving up in weight class. Here is this reporter’s list of the all-time-favorites in this division. While not universally well-known, the super middleweight division is one of the most competitive professional boxing divisions today.
Joe Calzaghe, 46-0, 32 knockouts, southpaw, Newbridge, Wales, United Kingdom
Years Active: 1993-2008 All-Time Ranking: Number One
Calzaghe won 22 consecutive World Boxing Organisation, World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, and International Boxing Federation world title bouts at 168 pounds. He finished his career with 12 round decision wins over former world champions Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. at 175 pounds light heavyweight. Essentially Calzaghe fought everyone of note, and retired when there was nobody left to fight. His October 1997 victory over Chris Eubank to win the title put the World Boxing Organisation on the map as a legitimate champion who would and did fight anybody who wanted to challenge him.
Calzaghe recently made news headlines when he and his sister Melissa Calzaghe were sued by his other sister Sonia Prosser over administration of his late father trainer Enzo Calzaghe’s estate. On May 12, 2021, Judge Milwyn Jarman, who hears civil court cases in Cardiff, Wales, was due to oversee an online hearing but lawyers representing all sides told him at the start of the hearing an agreement had been reached. Terms were undisclosed.
Sven Ottke, 34-0, six knockouts, Karlsruhe, Badem-Wurttemberg, Germany
Years Active: 1997-2004 All-Time Ranking: Number Two
Ottke fought only in Germany, and remains the only fighter of note Joe Calzaghe did not fight in his time. Like Calzaghe, a winner of all 22 of his World Boxing Association Super and International Boxing Federation world super middleweight title bouts. Later wound up bankrupt. A planned 2008 comeback never materialized. Ottke’s bouts are best known for some of the worst refereeing and judging ever seen.
Despite being a highly technical fighter without a knockout punch, no challenger of opportunity (and there were many who took the airplane trip to Germany, including Iran Barkley) was able to stop or knock Ottke out in Germany, where scorecards amounted to preferential treatment. Robin Reid (who lost on two scorecards 115-113), and Charles Brewer (who lost two controversial split decisions including his title) to Ottke, are among noted fighters who cried foul feeling they won and got robbed in Germany.
Andre Ward, 32-0 with 17 knockouts, Oakland, California
Years Active: 2004-2017 All-Time Ranking: Number Three
Ward reach the top of his game, beat the very best of the best, beat Sergey Kovalev twice to win the world light heavyweight title, and then defend it against him. Ward retired early. Not beyond reach of a comeback as a super fighter if he wanted to, Ward versus Canelo could be the ultimate super fight of the decade. From George Foreman to Henry Maske, late bloomer comebacks by the great ones are always a consideration. In fact, Ward fight be the only worthy opponent for Canelo, if Canelo keeps mopping up his latest paycheck opponents.
Carl Froch (The Cobra), 33-2 with 24 knockouts, Nottingham, United Kingdom
Years Active: 2002-2014 All-Time Ranking: Number Four
Froch did not beat Ward, but beat everyone else, including Mikkel Kessler in his second attempt. An all-around versatile fighter, Froch will always rank high in the super middleweight division he called home.
Saul (Canelo) Alvarez, 56-1-2 with 38 knockouts, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Years Active: 2005-2021 All-Time Ranking: Number Five
Canelo remains the hardest working fighter in the divisions below heavyweight, and professional boxing’s biggest draw. If he mops up the 168 pound and 175 pound remaining champions, he could go cruiserweight or bridgerweight. Who knows? Canelo has helped to keep boxing alive during the coronavirus pandemic. There are still some dangerous opponents out there for Canelo, but aside from a third rubber match with GGG, Canelo remains capable of beating the best of the best at 168 pounds in any time period. Canelo simply has more raw natural talent than the regulars fighting in the 168 pound division.
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