Bernard Hopkins 2001 vs. Joe Calzaghe prime, who wins this fight?

The obvious choice is that it could go either way, there would be no clear pick or wide pts win here guys, you all know this, c`mon man.

 

I'm as big a Toney fan as you'll find here, but Joe is a problematic fight for him on a few levels. Stamina, activity, and footspeed all go to Calzaghe.

As long as he's smart enough to force Toney into leading, I think Joe gets the decision there.

 

I think Calzaghe has a style that troubles Toney more so than vice versa, but Toney's sharp power shots could definitely trouble Calzaghe, i could defo envision a straight right dropping Calzaghe, heavily. Apart from that though i expect Calzaghe to win, he's got speed of foot, multi-directional mobility, and footwork, all of which are top of your Christmas list if you've got a date with Toney. Calzaghe's not walking into counters like some soldier to the slaughter, but his defense isn't great and that means he will catch heavy counters, if they don't finish him i expect Calzaghe to adapt and win, outmaneuvring Toney and outboxing him, both fighters can win, i favour Calzaghe.

 

This ^

Hopkins was way to negative & Calzaghe was just ALL about activity, he threw technique out the window & concentrated on just plain outworking Hopkins which he did (barely) on my card.

A more offensive Hopkins would have gave him a better shout in the close rds but would also have allowed Calzaghe to be at his own best so its a catch 22 really.

I see a very close debateable fight whenever these 2 fight tbh, their just is not a lot between them in a H2H basis IMO.

 

was it not an actual fight then when he DID knock him down and had a chance to stop him.

Anyone that thinks that knockdown is evidence for a surefire stoppage for X is deluding themselves.

Regardless of who you would pick this is a matchup that has distance fight written all over it 99 times out of a 100.The other 1 being a ridiculous gift stoppage for Joe in BRitain

 

I'm not underrating anything, i don't know how you can take that from my post. I said he can stop him because of his skills, he has nice hand speed, there you go, my post stands. Thanks for reading

 

I disagree, i give Joe them chances based on a stylsitic analysis, basically the way i seem it is Calzaghe has the serious stylistic advantage but Toney could win anyway by a ko with say a peach of a right hand because he is simply better, but that's not a given for me, only a possiblity. I don't see why you're so butt hurt, i keep stating both men can win it, just because i'm not singing in the streets that i favour Toney you're bitching it!!

 

he knocked him down in the first round and had him stunned numerous times in the fight. don't get what you're saying here. prime bhop wouldve made short work of him after that knockdown

 

Different class of fighters.Calzaghe had the workrate,consistency and conditioning to edge Hopkins down the stretch,but he had nothing for Hopkins before that.Hopkins is still a classy fighter,but against a certain type of fighter,his age will show.At his peak,he was a consistent fighter that only became more effective over the course of a fight.And Calzaghe's susceptibility to being consistently tagged with the right hand,as shown in fights against Reid and Woodhall,in particular,would prove his undoing against somebody with great timing,and a consistent user of the punch in Hopkins.

 

Absolutely. I'm sure this list could be expanded out quite a bit too.

 

good post