If the hopkins calzaghe fight were to happen: It is a HUGE step up for calzaghe. I dont care that Hopkins is 42 (I know it would be even larger step up if he was younger), calzaghe has never fought anyone with the technique, skill, or ring intelligence that B-hop brings to every fight. Not such a massive step up for Hopkins. Hopkins just fought Winky Wright - probably one of the hardest fighters to look good against (all-time). I know that he didn't look good at all, but it is obvious the Calzaghe fight wouldn't be a HUGE step up for Hopkins, like it is for Calzaghe. When first hearing about this fight I definitely thought calzaghe had the edge (judgin by b-hops last performance and clazaghe's last performance). But when looking deeper into the issue I realize that it is in fact deeper than many of us may think. Hopkins has been in the light for YEARS and clazaghe is just entering the light. Hopkins knows how fight every type of fighter and has never been DECISIVELY beaten. Many people will be choosing their man but in my eyes this fight will be so hard to call.
Hopkins lost to Jones though , I know he wasnt made a show of etc. , but he was bested , fact . I was the same though , I thought initially that Hopkins is a great defensive fighter , but Calzages combos are 2fast to be blocked and Calzage would win . I have started to think though , that Hopkins is a master tactician and maybe he can think of a gameplan to beat Calzage , if he can , it wouldd be trully amazing , because Calzage looks unbeatable . I'm not biased here , just opinion
He couldn't think of a plan to beat Taylor, how can he somehow get a better gameplan when he is much older now.
Hopkins has never lost to a Southpaw and he did a pretty good job against Winky and should have killed Tarver. He just has the answers to any Southpaw he faces. I don't see how it will be different for Joe!
Just because he never come up with a gameplan against 1 oponent you are saying this ? Madness , I still think Calzage will win though
I dont think the southpaw thing has anything to do with it , southpaws have diffrent styles just like righthanders
kessler is far better than todays hopkins. i'd take kessler to brutally stop hopkins right now, calzaghe will take a UD.
At this point, Kessler is a far more dangerous fighter than Hopkins. Dawson would be a bigger test for Calzaghe right now.
The fact you put Manfredo in there with Lacey, nevermind Kessler, shows how clueless you are about Joe's career, and boxing in general Manfredo isn't even in the top 15 of Joe's opponents. Yet you mentioned him, because he's a yank, and just about the only one you've bothered to watch Diagram showing levels of respective Joe Calzaghe opponents Kessler |----| |----| |----| |----| |----| |----| |----| |----| |----| Hopkins This conclusively proves that Joe is taking a big step down. It's a colossal step infact, so big I'd consider installing a chair lift to help Ol man Hopkins bridge the metaphorical gap