Hopkins is / was a strategical genius

Calzaghe didn't make those much better adjustements in the generalship. He just pressed it more and cut the ring well so as to make Bernard fight Calzaghe's fight which was an intelligent move. A great defensive old-school tactic directioned fighter never always wins a fight specially against a methodically aggressive swarmer who can box and punch and take short breathers. Calzaghe was very unorthodox with his attacks and Bernard had the obligation to make him see the stars with the power counter punches opportunities that he had early, he left him unrapp his act and payed for when Joe was feeling at ease and he was not. Same thing happened with Roy and Montell the first fight.

 

Hopkins is greater than Calzaghe and by the time he finally retires will be one of the greatest MW/SMW/LHW champions in boxing history.
That he barely lost to Calzaghe at an advanced age is as relevant as his 2nd fight against Jones to his legacy.
Calzaghe was the most unorthodox fighter in recent times whose greatest asset was the stanima to slap and lace his opponent many times per round. It would take Hopkins at least twice to figure out and adjust to this super unorthodox style.
Even still, it was Calzage who was hurt the worst in their fight and had his chin checked moreso than old Hopkins.

 

I mean take it from the 1st round when B'Nard came bouncing off the ropes and dropped the right hand in that angle right on Joe's lap. There were plenty of more situations when Calzaghe taken by the fire of his pace and willing to increase it, specially willing to leave a good impression on rounds that Nard was controlling, rushed in the last 10 seconds, slap, slap, slap blindfolded, winding everything up and finding Bernard's head or shoulders and that's when old man river tagged hard that chin... I would load up everything on those short bursting shots to send him reeling. That would have been a 10-8 round here, a 10-8 round there. Man, the guy was fast, most elusive but he was long lean muscled. Bernard was thick and solid as ****... He definitely should had roughed housed that skinny guy more.