Calzaghe vs Hopkins

No. Although Hopkins may look like he's aged overnight if Calzaghe makes him look slow and ponderous.

Joe looks pretty good in his training videos from where I'm sitting - 9 punches a second :bbb

 

I asked for 'elite fighters', not a list of B-B+ level's.:good

 

Tho I think adaptability and inside fighting are both easily in favor of Bernard...I gotta wonder why you mentioned all of these strengths...yet you left out.

Defense
Timing
Ring Intellect
Ring Generalship
Accuaracy
Dirty fighting (if you dont think this is a big thing...you are mistaken)
Lateral movement
Defensive movement

Is it because these are all things that Hopkins holds a DISTINCT ADVANTAGE IN????

 

you are having a laugh? surely?

 

This fight is going to be nasty, you are gonna see a very pissed off Joe Calzaghe when his workrate is nearly cut in half, he will be hesitant, Tarver has a good chin and we saw what that Hopkins right is capable of when it lands flush. :good Hopkins has the size, wisdom, and strength to counter, get inside, get the better of Joe in the pocket and push him up against the ropes.

 

I think all of you are focusing on the wrong things on this fight if you are contmeplating race instead of skills! Joe is faster, fitter , but hopkins has experience of been in there with the best n the skills to slow joe down and work at his pace! joe has never fought at this weight, joe has never fought outside of europe, look at his opponent its Bernard Hopkins!!! a man who has had a career of fighting down to the wire fought roy jones! n didnt get whooped what can calzaghe do which bernard hasnt seen before? he has equired the best in the game to train him he aint taking calzaghe lightly but calzaghe is taking b hop lightly! which will be his weakness and his deafeat in this fight!

 

196...you are a really good poster...but you couldnt be more off with most of those. Hopkins holds a HUGE advantage in all of those categories (I will break it down later for ya...Im out the door on my way to work). And accuaracy and timing are two ENTIRELY different things...as are defensive movement and defense.

Again, Ill get to these things later for ya bro!!!

:good

 

You seem to have a good knowledge of the sport and we'll find out in a week's time if your analysis is correct but whenever you break down this fight you focus mainly on Hopkin's Movement + Boxing Brain, do you maybe underestimate these qualities in Calzaghe?

 

Yeah, but Calzaghe has considerable advantages in hand speed, foot speed, stamina and work rate.

Hopkins has defied the odds, but he's also lost before. He failed to dominate Jermain Taylor; only taking over the fights when Taylor started running out of steam. Calzaghe never runs out of steam, and is a better fighter than Jermain Taylor anyway (in virtually every department except power). Plus, Hopkins is another couple of years older than when he fought Taylor.

 

Boxing is not a huge sport in America, no one would've even paid much attention. Furthermore, I seen plenty of incidents where athletes have made racial remarks about a black athlete. Very rarely does it even register a pulse. I'm a black American, I think I have a pretty good idea of how black Americans would act, in general, to a particular situation.

 

Really good post and I'm elated to see it coming from an obvious Calzaghe fan. Too many posters here are more blind loyalists than actual, educated, boxing fans who can think objectively. I'm cheering for Hopkins, and he's one of the only fighters I'll actually root for because I connect to his story on a deeper level than just sports. But, I believe the scenario you described (Calzaghe outworking Hopkins) is probably the most likely one. But........Hopkins has made a career out of proving people wrong and winning when many thought he'd lose.

The thing a lot of Calzaghe fans aren't thinking is, as great as Joe's workrate is, it can be used against him. Hopkins is looking to make Joe pay for all that jumping in and out, with precise timing and ring smarts. So if Joe swarms and throws 10 punches that score and demonstrate the workrate, but Bernard times him and connects with a punch that not only scores, but actually hurts Joe. Do ten punches that look nice bt only score mean more than one that connects and wobbles the opponent?

I think Bernard going back to work with Mackie Shilstone is an obvious sign of respect for Joe and the serious nature of the task at hand. He's not just planning on showing up and being Hopkins, he's working hard and covering all of his bases to make sure to be at his best. As well respected as Winky Wright is, Hopkins didn't go to such lengths to prepare for him. He doesn't think Calzaghe is a bum, he knows this is a true challenge. And I think Hopkins is at his absolute best when he knows a lot of people think he's going to lose.

Anyway, good post man and I hope to chat the fight up next week, no matter who's guy won.

 

Hopkins took nine rounds to KO former lightweight De La Hoya, but he's going to stop Calzaghe in the same round - an undefeated, super middleweight with a granite chin who has been champion for 11 years, and never even come close to defeat, let alone being stopped.

I seriously doubt it.

 

Ok Reg, I really cannot argue with you on that one as you are far more educated than I on the subject. One thing I can assure you is that in the UK, the left-wing assholes that run the country would have torn a strip off his ass for making any statement like the one Hopkins made.