Could Joe taste defeat the same as Enzo?...

Calzaghe is actually a world class fighter, with a granite chin. So no

 

Absolutely agree with. Calzaghe UD because he can swallow those shots and doesn't rely on single shots. I do believe that Reid threw some all mighty hooks on him in the fifth and the eleventh and Hopkins cannot fire with more power than that. B'sides, Joe has fought huge men, natural 175 pounders like Manners, Wilson, even Starie, giants Veit and Kessler and he always moved forward against all these guys.

The window of opportunity for Hopkins is not really a hook or a headbutt but whether if he can really limit the pace like he has done so many times... Calzaghe would never throw 1145 if Hopkins keeps on moving a step back and keeping that Calzaghe right jab short - they're about 73-75 ins of reach and Calzaghe can't just square up and lunge forward cause that's where he takes Bernard's precise straight right counter out of the back foot.

There is a whole lot more to it and a lot of other shots they can use - Calzaghe has a consistent, stiff jab (vs Kessler, vs Ashira), double shots with the straight left too ( vs Sheika), goes to the body with the right and up to the head with that same hand ( vs Eubank, vs Thornberry first 3 rounds, vs Ashira first 3 rounds, vs Sobot), left uppercuts inside ( vs Thornberry, McIntyre, vs Mkrtchian) and of course, the left over the top ( vs Delaney, vs Eubank, vs Veit I, et cetera), a looping right hook ( vs Woodhall firts round). Hopkins goes to the body with one excellent left hook ( vs Daniels, vs Allen II, vs Mercado II) and a right uppercut inside ( vs Wright, vs Holmes, vs Aquino, vs Lipsey), he can fire a leading left hook better than Calzaghe can ( vs Howard Eastman, vs Vanderpool, vs Tarver), he has a good jab when he uses it ( vs Joppy, vs Echols I & II, vs Daniels). I think this fight may be decided in their first approach - Nard tucks his chin down behind his left shoulder and baits Joey, walking backwards, and it's all about Calzaghe touching him with the right or the left or not. Hopkins has very solid boxing skills and his old scholl moves, sharper shooting can definitely beat Calzaghe's unconventional fast flurrying inside... I don't think this would be a bigger upset than Campbell on Diaz or Quintana on Williams, I really don't, but it would be an upset nonetheless.

 

Hopkins can win but he wont win the way Haye did. Joe has a good chin and Hopkins isnt the biggest puncher. If joe could take kesslers punch, he can take hopkins punch.

 

That's a very subjective comment. Punches you can see are alot easier to absorb than punches you don't see coming. BHop is probably one of the sneakiest fighters out there and he has very good accuracy.

 

Although Hopkins has not really had a lot of hard fights,so his age is just a number, he is still a tough and experienced foe but he has to face a fighter who has speed and a punch, Hopkins will be a differcult opponent but Joe is a winner and will try to make it impressive, BHop is a spoiler but I think Joe has the will to win...He is a nicer person than Bernard who is still mad at the world because he sold drugs and got caught and did a few yrs in Jail, big deal he got 4 yrs in the state and did 3. he is a millionare, where else in the world can a guy comeback from nothing to be a milionare (and with his personality he is not loved for it, just his ability in the ring)Calzage is not a **** talker, is not as experienced as Bhop or as dirty but he has heart and has talent...its going to be a tecnical fight, with a lot of tricks and adjustments and it should go 12, I favor Calzage, close UD

 

and jermaine taylor sure as **** ain't on the same level as joe calzaghe. :yep

this is hopkins biggest test by some distance since he met RJJ all those years ago.

 

mitchell was a former world champ and a good, strong fighter.
oh and tell me, which round did you have lacy taking joe out in? easy to be clever now, isn't it?

kessler was obviously calzaghe's biggest test and he passed with flying colours.

manfredo and ashira were poor, then again so was morrade hakkar, how about carl daniels?

 

Nah, Hakkar and Daniels are articificially inflated to tough contenders that would give Joe a lot of trouble just because they're Hopkins opponents.

Don't forget Lipsey and Mercado also, real killers there according to some. Pfft.

 

i'd quite happily take kessler over todays, shopworn version of hopkins. can you see kessler dropping rounds and being caused trouble by that blown up, out of shape, tired version of winky?