If Calzaghe v Hopkins comes off...bookies fave

Workrate is only a factor if you are able to get into positions to throw and land punches. Trinidads workrate against Hopkins was much lower than usual, this was due to him being unable to get into the right positions to throw. Hopkins is a master at this. This fight won't be decided by workrate alone.

 

Even tho I still favor Hopkins, this is a very good post. I can respect someone who views the fight intellegently like this. Honestly, great post!!!

Its the people who totally disregard the facts and history of both fighters and expect it to be a blowout and that Joe will simply outwork him, that confuse me...

Only thing I would disagree with is, Hopkins allowed Taylor to throw as much as he did....if you watch the second half of both of those fights, you will see Taylor doing the same things as the first halves, but Hopkins just going to another level. He went in there with a gameplan to let Taylor punch himself out, and then punish him late.

One thing I might add to all of this is, fighters who can make the fight dirty tend to bother Calzaghe (go watch the Bika fight). And if people think that this fight WONT be dirty, they have never seen Hopkins fight.

 

And you assume that he wont...:deal

 

Just because you are the favourite, it doesn't mean you should get the lions share of the purse. The fact is Calzaghe needs Hopkins name on his record more than Hopkins needs his. Hopkins for Calzaghe is like Tyson for Lewis. Tyson was old and way past his prime but that fight did more for his legacy than any other fight out there at that time. It shouldn't have been that way but some fans are just dumb and the name of a great fighter on your resume means something to some fans even if that great fighter is old and shot.

I hope this fight happens it makes too much sense not to.

 

Not necessarily. As I said in a previous post Calzaghes speed and jab are the 2 attributes that will win this fight for him in my opinion, not his workrate. Though by outspeeding and outjabbing Hopkins it will inevitably result in him outworking him. But if Hopkins can out jab Calzaghe it becomes a winnable fight for Hopkins.

 

I think that outjabbing Calzaghe is completely out of the question cause Bernard cannot work the left lead that he didn't use consistently enough with Taylor in 2004, at this stage and against a mobile lefty. And if Joe can throw 1000 punches in a 12 round fight, Bernard cannot throw more either, but he can definitely control the distance by throwing that counter right down the pipe, have him progressively discouraged and reduced to the same speed as him. Bottom line, it all comes to negating what Joe Calzaghe has physically with what Hopkins has mentally - and that's exactly why Bernard can't fight in Great Britain, he would never have a chance to negate the psychological edge to Calzaghe there and the 12 round action would be just academical practise for the Welsh...One thing is to outwork Tito is MSG packed with PRicans, to discourage Calzaghe in Wales or England is a completely different matter.

 

.

hopkins v wright
hopkins threw 90 jabs

calzaghe v kessler

calzaghe threw 500 + jabs.

hopkins main asset in a fight v calzaghe to quote emmanuel stewart is
left shoulder/lead with the head and sneaky right.

 

To answer your pop quiz: twice. To Jermain Taylor. I do think that Hopkins looked like the better fighter in his losing efforts. I feel he threw away too many rounds in both fights by not being active enough.

I do think you have to give Bernard a chance. He has no problems with southpaws, and I think he'd be able to counter Joe occationally with his right hand even if he were 80. I just don't like the way Bernard looked in his last fight. I picked him over Winky, even won a couple of dollars more than I risked off Bodog since Hopkins was the underdog. He just looked less athletic than I've seen him before.

At Hopkin's age I don't think he has enough left to match Joe's activity level. He could land the cleaner punches, and not have to be as active as Joe. I just don't think he has the legs to pull off that kind of fight.

 

Turded up Winky good and proper. It wasn't pretty, but it was beautiful.
He was still the man that night, unfortunately not the man he used to be.

I walked away feeling a little sad that most casual fans who didn't follow Hopkins from before 2002 will only remember him this way and not for the monster he was the previous 10 years.

Nevertheless, I had Hopkins winning 8:4. He stole the even first round with a couple of heavy shots. I thought Winky clearly won 2,3 & 4 as most of his pitty-pat punches were landing and for some reason Hopkins wouldn't just punch with him. The 5th was a pretty solid Hopkins round based on the power and taking control of the tactical advantage. Then 6,7, 8 were real ugly and not really definitive, but I gave hem all to Hopkins cause he took almost everything away from Wright, and his infrequent punches were moving and hurting Wright regardless of wether they landed clean or not. The 9th was even uglier, I gave it to Winky mostly on a coin toss, maybe he seemed to get in a few more pokes.

In the last 3 rounds, Wrights unstable legs and declining punching technique confirmed that Hopkins had got the better of the first 9 rounds punishment wise. The home stretch was all about Hopkin's strengths and power and Wright was merely willing himself to the finish line, assisted by the apparent retirement of Hopkin's killer insitinct.

Funny thing is, he did even worse to Germiange Failure twice, but didn't get the credit.

 

After the Tarver fight it would have been Calzaghe slight favorite, with betting patterns making it more like evens.

Calzaghe would be a substansial favorite now though. But nine montsh ago, you could have become a millionaire betting on Joe.

 

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So CHJ....hypothetical question.

If Hopkins wins, how much credit does he get from you for the win?

 

China_hand_Joe remembers about a year ago asking who wins Calzaghe or Hopkins on one board or another, over 50% of Americans favoured Hopkins.

China_hand_Joe then laughed at those Americans.

 

That depends on what happens in the fight. Say Calzaghe looked good and quick and Hopkins beat him a massive amount of credit.

But it is impossible for Hopkins at this point in time to beat a Calzaghe who still looks in good nick.

 

That wasnt my question.

And I still feel Hopkins will win....and it has nothing to do with location or nationality.

So are you going to answer?