If Joe doesn't get Hopkins he might retire...

Interesting, they were close fights with Taylor though no?

Is Kessler superior to Taylor? Hopkins was weary of Taylor's workrate and 1-2, let's put that into consideration for Hopkins-Kessler now, he'd obviously lose pretty wide at this point.

Now, Calzaghe has an even higher workrate and much trickier movement/style, also is quite good at roughing someone up inside a clinch. On top of it, he throws at awkward angles that Hopkins WILL get tagged with.

Winky, blown up at 170, was landing jabs on Hopkins, now let's take the bigger Calzaghe, who's much faster, stronger and as good a technition + awkwardness.

Wake up. Calzaghe shut out over past it Hopkins at age 43.

 

Money + Acclaim Brooklyn, that'll keep him in there for at least 3 more.

 

I don't care what weight they walk around at.

On fight night, Hopkins was looking good.
Winky looked FAT and lethargic.

If they walk around at different weights, its because Winky gets even fatter, and Hopkins stays in shape.

Ricky Hatton probably walks around heavier than Hopkins between fights. Doesn't mean he's the bigger man.

 

I'd love to see this fight happen, even if Nard IS well over 40 years old--he's looked pretty good, at 175! Who else is Nard gonna fight? Chad Dawson? Seems like a fight w/Joe-C would be a more lucrative retirement fight. Joe-C (who isn't exactly a youngster!) doesn't have anything left to prove at 168, why not move up to a 'real' division, w/a chance to beat a living legend (who hasn't been decisively beaten since RJJ) and take a the linear championship? Can't imagine he'd make more $ against someone else.

Hope politics doesn't prevent this from happening.

In a perfect world, Chad Dawson would get the winner.

 

he wants to be a 2 time world champ hopkins or no hopkins.

but obviously he wants hopkins cos he's the true champ at 175.

 

You can say all these things with hindsight but at the time peoples opinions about Hopkins were very different. Going into the fight with Tito everyone had a 35 year old Hopkins as the underdog and were saying Hopkins at 35 was ready to be taken. Who knew then Hopkins would be another Archie Moore and still be good good enough in his forties.

Maybe Tarver did fight like a chump or maybe Hopkins made him look like a chump. I along with many others thought fighting Tarver after losing to Taylor was a big mistake. He took on what was perceived as a dangerous fight that he could easily lose. I wouldn't call that cherry pickcing opponents.

As for Hopkins/wright many people were divided in their opinions. Many thought Wrights workrate and equally good defense would be too much. This was the same Wright who drew with Taylor who beat Hopkins twice. Once again not exactly the attributes of a cherry picked opponent.