Hopkins still winning titles, yet when Calzaghe beat him years ago he was shot right?

Who said he was shot? Most people say he won... Calzaghe could have removed all doubt by simply rematching him (like most of Calzaghe's ducks, a totally winnable fight for him), but clearly he thought he was fighting an old fight when he challenged him the first time (even admitted pre-fight)... He found out Hopkins wasn't that old and made sure to retire after fighting Roy

 

Joe Calzaghe's comeback from a disastrous start and a knockdown against a cagey, expert in defensive manoeuvres, rough and technically, fundamentally sound veteran in Hopkins is surely is his best win alongside with Kessler's. The fight was a real foul filled chess match that Calzaghe cannot compare with his easy shutout against Lacy or his efforts aginst countrymen like Eubank, Reid or Woodhall. Sure he was caught by a flashy RJJ in round one too but the rest was clear domination and the fight should have not gone the distance. Bernard also won 117-110 twice, 118-109 against Jones. So deep down only Joe knows how close he was to lose to Bernard when Joe was at his very bestin between Kessler's and Bernard's fights.

 

Clinton Mitchell's legacy is growing

 

Hopkins' work after losing to Calzaghe has solidified it as Joe's best win IMO.

 

Nah his win over Hopkins was solid and he would beat him at any stage .

 

I think this is probably true..

Hopkins had trouble with fast two handed fighters.. I really wish Roy would have taken 50-50 in 02 because I think it would have been pretty one sided..

But I don't blame Roy for wanting 60-40.

 

Same here but with regards to Joe he imo will always be a stylistic nightmare for Hopkins

 

I agree, that fight is always ugly, I would favor Joe 8 out of 10 times.

 

Kessler left middleweight because he was getting nowhere at 160. To pretend he would succeed there when he left it because he wasn't advancing is an outright opposite to the truth.

 

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Interesting thread. Calzaghe beat Hopkins sandwiched arguably between Hopkins best wins of Tarver, Wright and Pavlik, but something happened in between those wins and if you read some posters on here, he became badly faded and shot for one fight only where retirement was mentioned and he was holding to last and looking for time out.
Fortunately it didnt last when facing other top 10 LHWs and LHW champs in Pascal, Murat, Cloud, Dawson and Shumenov.

What is forgotten is that Calzaghe was at a new weight, lighter, closer to the end of his career and probably further faded due to bad hand problems and except for Tarver, was older than all of Hopkins other LHW title fight opponents

 

Hopkins prime was 96-00.

calzaghe fought him 2009? cant remember anymore tbh.

9 years late.

go figure.

 

as long as he waits till they are 40something, or in some cases 50something.

which he was quite happy to do on repeated occasions. joe always found a way to wait till they were old enough to beat.

 

:good

 

Really Hans? Ray Robinson? Ray Leonard?