Does anyone else think Calzaghe declined from the Kessler to Hopkins fight?

How come everyone underperforms and has a bad night against Hopkins? Calzaghe had an off night, wasn't the same, Pavlik wasn't the same had a bad night ("it wasn't me in the ring"), Tarver had an off night ("that wasn't me in there....perhaps I was poisened"), Winky had an off night, Trinidad couldn't get his punches off. There seems to be a pattern here!!

 

It is interesting to me that this line of reasoning is used to justify Calzaghe's, Pavlik's, and Tarver's performances. For some strange reason they all had "off nights which didn't have to do with their opponent" on the nights they faced Hopkins. This seems to happen with a lot of people. Too much of a coincidence for me.

Hopkins IS the reason people don't seem to be themselves when they face him.

 

I think the talk of this being his last fight(I dont believe it will be!) may be joe admitting to himself that hes starting to slow down. The guy is in the twilight of his career!

However to say that a poor performance in a fight indicates a fighter is on the decline is a bit presumptuous. Hopkins is a master at making fighters look bad with his spoiling,counter punching and good defence and thus i feel is the main reason for calzaghe having difficulties(who does look good against him!!).
Kessler comes forward in throwing straight punches and had never been in with someone as classy.
The Jones fight will give us more of an indication.

 

What I didn't mention is that in my view Hopkins had an even bigger off-night, against Calzaghe. I don't buy this "they both gave their all but cancelled each other out" line of reasoning completely. They both cancelled each other out AND underperformed.

 

edit

 

Well the hopkins,calzaghe fight isnt anything good to review how calzaghe or bhop is currently performing. Bernard wasnt there to fight he was there to spoil (single punch down the middle then into to a hug). Calzaghe was there for a quick spar for a lump of money.

So fook knows what we are gonna see this weekend but from the training videos he looks like he normally does.:?

 

he looked better against Kessler but take this into consideration: Hopkins is a great counterpuncher, a style that will always bother Calzaghe. Kessler is actually a very average counterpuncher, and had to change his gameplan to be successful against Joe C and did pretty well but it remains that counterpunching is not his MO. Calzaghe by keeping at bay a little bit more was able to neutralize Kessler's counterpunching. Against Hopkins, controlling the range of a fight is a much harder task.

 

Yep, I can agree here.

 

I don't think Calzaghe took Hopkins lightly but i believe he underestimated Hopkins, thinking he was old and past it and I think the fact that he sparred with some inexperienced nobody nothing like bhop adds weight to this. Plus, the fact that he slapped the whole fight (unlike with kessler), shows his hands were probably a mess as well.

This added to Bhop fighting an effective game plan resulted in a very poor performance

 

Impossible to tell. The fact that a percieved decline coincides with Joe facing the most skillful boxer he has ever faced speaks volumes.

 

This content is protected

 

What a coincidence, Calzahge just happened to look worse against Hopkins than he did against Kessler. Who would've ever guessed that would've happened? I mean, being that so many claim that Kessler is the best fighter from 175 on down and would beat Hopkins, then that would mean that Kessler is better than Hopkins at this point. You would think with this being the case that Calzaghe would've steamrolled through Hopkins. Oh well, I guess Calzaghe just happened to have an off night when he fought Hopkins.:roll:

 

I guess we'll reflect on this on Saturday night / Sunday.

Talking about speed though, he looks fine here. Good to see this from the pad mans view, looks pretty quick to me..

 

Underestimating someone and writing them off as old and past it is the same as taking them lightly.

Hatton sparred against inexperienced nobodies when he fought Mayweather. He also spent countless hrs. sparring Bill Graham in a padded suit. I guess he took Mayweather lightly as well.:roll:

It shows that he's a smart man. Hopkins isn't going to give him the openings that Kessler did. He had to win that fight based on activity, and that's what he did.

:good

 

damn copy failed; link I meant to send;

http://www.zootoday.com/sport/archive/2008/11/04/in-the-ring-with-joe-calzaghe.htm