11 years ago today: Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE SD12 Bernard Humphrey Hopkins Jr.

Bernard Humphrey Hopkins hahahaha

 

I never thought it was going to be exciting but dear God it was worse than I ever expected when I watched it in 2008.

That was the only time I ever watched it and I don't hate Bernard fights nor Calzaghe. Just the two of their styles meshing together didn't work AT ALL. Sometimes, two negative styles meshing can cause at least some fireworks. There wasn't even a spark in this one.

Ah well.

It was a damn good buildup though, gotta say! I think to this day, they still have good respect for one another.

 

I had it 6-6 many years ago. Never hothered to rewatch it.
I think Hopkins blew it with his BS tactics.

IMO Calzaghe, while he had a lackluster career, proved he can hang with the elites.

6-6 could have gone either way.

 

Not the most fun fight to watch, let's be honest.

On the first watch I had it around a draw (without actually scoring the rounds).

On the second watch I realised that Calzaghe was outlanding him by a fair bit even though his punches weren't really having an effect. So about 115-112 or 114-113 to Calzaghe seems fair. Hopkins can make pretty much anybody look shyte, with his style.

 

Calzaghe Hopkins
Rnd1 8/10 8-10
Rnd2 9/10 very close 17-20
Rnd3 9/10 26-30
Rnd4 10/9 close 36-39
Rnd5 10/9 46-48
Rnd6 10/9 very close 56-57
Rnd7 10/9 66-66
Rnd8 10/9 close 76-75
Rnd9 10/9 86-84
Rnd10 9/10 close 95-94
Rnd11 10/9 105-103
Rnd12 9/10 close 114-113

reviewed rnd 2 and 6, changed 2 to Hopkins left 6 as is

 

This fight triggers people badly.. Be honest, as awful & anti climactic as this fight turned out to be (stylistically & performance wise) Zaggers almost made Bhop quit that night... Bhop was looking for a way out from maybe the 5th or 6th onwards... It was comedy gold watching a shot Calzaghe work the best acting performance I've seen out of a boxer since Deniro in raging bull..

I think I remember Bhop saying to team Calzaghe beforehand, I'm going to Trinidad him! Or something to that effect..

 

I remember scoring it something like 115-112 to Joe. On another note, I didn't know Bernard's middle name was Humphrey.

 

I'm a Hopkins fan and I scored it for him by about a point. I thought it was a bad inconclusive fight. Draw would have been fairest result.

 

I think Joe edged it due to Hopkin's crippling inactivity in the second half of the fight but I don't think Joe could have complained too much about Byrd's scorecard either.

Crap contest between 2 fighters whose styles meshed horrendously

 

Now B-Hop a vegan that still eats lamb lol!!!

 

A draw or a few points in favour of Joe is fine. A younger B-HOP with better stamina would have probably won.

 

I had Hopkins 7-5 with the extra point on the knockdown.
This was a classic case of a dude throwing a lot of punches and missing and being clearly frustrated all night. The announcers trying to correograph something that wasn’t happening.
Joe and his dads back n forth after 11 shows you what they thought. Bhop won this fight.

 

That's true but I feel Bernard's style might have won out in this matchup. It's definitely hard to say and maybe younger Joe's stamina is enough to still win on points.