I always felt Calzage won the fight pretty clealy, when B-Hop started faking a foul and took a few 5 minute rests I knew he was bidding time and trying to get some much needed rest. A lot of punches were thrown but Joe land more and B-hop played cheap with the foul act. JC UD
I watched it live and thought JC won it close but clear. But **** me it was an horrible fight to watch. Even edited like this it's a mauling, spoiling, clinching, cuffing, ugly mess, and these are the clean exchanges highlighted. Not one of my favourite fights (in fact I rate it somewhere between Nelson-De Leon and Ali-Young in terms of aesthetic value) and one I've not watched in is entirety since.
I’ve never understand any kind of controversy in this one. Hopkins couldn’t live with Calzaghes speed and volume and gave up trying to win basically just trying to spoil and steal points by faking injuries. I felt Calzaghe won 8 rounds. Can make a case for 9 or 7 but that’s being very generous to Hopkins.
Calzaghe- he controlled this fight Hopkins is a study in subtle control, slick tricks and ring IQ but he was physically out matched in this fight
Hopkins: 1 (10-8), 2, 3, 6, 10, 12 Calzaghe: 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 draw: 5 115-113 Hopkins 2-3 - Hopkins lands more often and they are more effective punches, Calzaghe looks puzzled 4 - Hopkins lands nothing of notice, Calzaghe lands enough good punches to take the round 5 - nobody lands anything of notice, maybe Hopkins was a little better with punching at close range 6 - Hopkins slowly builds up the lead with single counters, while Calzaghe lands nothing. Final flurry by Calzaghe can't even it up. 7 - Hopkins lands nothing at all until the last second of the round, but Calzaghe has a wide lead already 8-9 - it's all Calzaghe 10 - the reverse of 8-9, Hopkins is especially good with his right hand 11 - Calzaghe's stepping forward with flurries wins him the round 12 - Hopkins lands more often and his punches are more effective
I feel it was too close and messy to call, I haven`t re-watched the fight for years though, it was boring.
Calzaghe won. Close but clear. Hopkins simply did not land enough. Roy Jones fans admit Calzaghe beat him in the USA. Many of Hopkins fans can’t admit it.
I only watched Nelson-De Leon because of its reputation as one of the worst boxing matches of all time. It justified the hype. Probably the dullest, most awful boxing match I've seen. I consider it the boxing version of an Alan Smithee film as should both fighters.
