Hopkins V Calzaghe - Weight

Against Tarver, Hopkins entered the ring at 182 pounds I believe. And as far as who will be physically stronger, I believe Calzaghe will, by far.

 

If you had them compete in a series of weightlifting competitions, I think Calzaghe might have a bigger frame and greater potential, but

Hopkins specifically trained for strength in the clinches against Tarver, and I think most people would agree, Tarver is by far the bigger man, and has greater capacity for brute strength, but

The outcome of their work inside and in the clinches was obvious, Bernard was stronger and more coordinated.

Based on that, I am guessing that Hopkins will be stronger on the inside in this fight.

 

nice videos

 

Hopkins will have height and reach advantages over Calzaghe also

Bernard Hopkins:
Height: 1.85cm
Reach: 1.91cm

Joe Calzaghe:
Height: 1.82cm
Reach: 1.85cm

Sorry cant convert into feet n inches for you yankees!

Does anyone see those advantages comming into play for Hopkins? The height advantage inst huge but the 6cm reach advantage may benefit Hopkins if he chooses to use it?

 

Many boxers have had a reach advantage against Calzaghe but it's a misleading stat. The best way to use a reach advantage is to box from the outside using your jab to keep your opponent out of range. Joe Calzaghe simply does not get hit by jabs. I'd go as far as to say it would be impossible for anyone currently in and around his weight class to outbox him from the outside. Simply impossible.

A reach advantage against Calzaghe basically means that if you use it, he will see your punches coming, slip them and counter you. Joe's counterpunching game is top notch. Allied to his speed means that the Kesslers, Woodhalls, Veits of this world went in with a big reach advantage (and were considered very technically sound operaters) but couldn't achieve much with it. Bernard is not going to use this so called advantage as it would be detrimental to his infighting game plan. Hopkins wants to lessen the gap by making Joe jump into the space where he's a sitting duck. If he decides to box at range, Hopkins will be on the receiving end of a large shut out.

 

In my mind all I keep seeing is Bernard doing a number on Joe Calzaghe but without being biased, I must say that Hopkins is going to be in for a rough night because Joe is a southpaw and he throws lots of punches and that will be off putting to Hopkins because Taylor was fast and Calzaghe is fast but throws more punches. Calzaghe is said to be about 6' tall ( or slightly less at 5' 11 1/2'') and Hopkins 6'1'' tall so let's say there's one inch ( 2.5 cm) of difference, it doesn't play a part because they have a wingspan in the range 71-75 ins ( according to other fights and tales of the tape), actually Hopkins is probably disfavoured in reach but that also doesn't play so much b.c. there would be a smaller distance beteen him and his opponent for sharp punches to travel and he controls the distance with footwork and sense of distance... The speed and the pace are definitely factors b.c. Hopkins found it a bit hard to keep up with the pace at times with Taylor and for some reason I can't see him being strong right till the last bell with the pace that Joe Calzaghe pushes, but to be honest, Hopkins will be going for the body to slow Calzaghe down and it might just work.

I think Hopkins will block a lot of Calzaghe's punches but he will need to come inside those flurries to land something.

I can see this being a 12 round close decision maybe even a split decision.

Hopkins will not want Calzaghe to beat him and I dont think Hopkins would of taken the fight if he did not see a weakness in Joe Calzaghe. What if Calzaghe gets cut? We all know that Hopkins will work on that cut and then Calzaghe will break down

The suspense is killing me. And I don't even care about Hopkins age, his age does not play a part, it's his ability in the ring, he took out Winky Wright and dominated him and I can see him doing the same thing to Calzaghe...

My final verdict is Bernard Hopkins by Split Decision, but I'm sure Calzaghe's camp will have something to say if they lose...

 

hopkins has always been a physical type of fighter, muscling people in the clench. I never thought of calzaghe as a physically strong fighter, cuz he has never really showed great feats of strength.

 

can Hopkins win this fight by hugging and tangling calzahge up if joe tries to outwork him?

 

I was thinking that too, his timing looks great but his punches don't look as sharp.

As for any comments regarding Calzaghe's power - he has always had it, but he had all but fazed it out of his style due to hand injuries. It may be hard to believe but early in his career he was considered to be a puncher not a boxer!

 

He manhandled Lacy for an entire 12 rounds, was clearly the stronger of the two when Americans before the fight were saying Lacy might have been strongest p4p.

 

Great assesment, :good

 

He looks sloppy as hell in there.

I've seen him much sharper.

And how do you judge power based on work done on a double end bag???????

I must be asking the wrong question here...

Question should be: are you stupid?

 

People are going to be VERY suprised if they think Hopkins is going to be able to manhandle Joe. Joe's physique is very deceptive, I've never seen anybody budge him, infact he is the one that throws bigger looking guys around like a ragdoll

At worst strength will be even

 

They say the camera adds about 1.8 meters in height, it's a trick of the eye. Did you know Joe lives in a thimble and when Bernard isn't kicking back in his nest made out of wood shavings he rents a nice little egg cup down by the beach? :yep