In hindsight, was Sir Joseph Calzaghe's win over Bernard Hopkins an enormous one?

After he got the W vs Hopkins, fights were on the table Hopkins II, Froch, Pavlik, Dawson, Roy Jones Jr, Tarver..... and so forth.

Calzaghe made a smart move to get paid nicely beating the **** out of the corpse of Roy Jones Jr.

The Hopkins II fight was still on the table, would have paid a nice sum, also would have been a good farewell to the Welsh fans in his hometown. But Calzaghe wanted to retire instead.

“Joe retired because the world wanted to see a rematch and he didn’t want want one. It was a controversial split decision. When those things happen and the media feels it’s legit, then why not fight again? Clear it up…The thought of fighting Bernard a second time was too great a weight for Joe to bear.”

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/07...ant-to-give-me-a-rematch/#XaJml40dGXe3cDPQ.99

 

Its impressive moreso because a nearly retired joe who couldn't even put a solid punch together basically slapped his way to victory. Hop was beaten by a weak punching shaky chin euro fighter. I bet that is embarrassing for a fighter like bernard.

 

He established a solid blueprint for beating Hopkins at that phase of his career. Hopkins was and remains effective when he controls the pace because he doesn't have the lungs he did when he was in his 20s and late 30s. The key was to push the pace and force Hopkins to fight every minute of every round and eventually wear him out. Calzaghe executed that pretty well down the stretch. No one Hopkins has fought since had that sort of swarming style.

Personally, I think Dawson beating him was a more impressive-looking performance. I would rank Calzaghe's win somewhere between the first and second Hopkins-Taylor fight.

 

I dont recall the world wanting a rematch but rather Hopkins wanting it. I dont think the thought of fighting Bernard was too great a weight to bear or think that there was mental torture as I think Hopkins even walked out of the post fight press conference when Calzaghe started pointing out how Hopkins lost. I think the loss affected Hopkins and Calzaghe retiring has possibly been annoying for Hopkins.
Also many felt that Jones was likely to beat Calzaghe more than many felt Hopkins would beat Calzaghe, due to styles I guess