Is Hopkins ever going to fight Dawson, the legit LHW.

Like I said trying to groom a big name fighter on Showtime means they won't be able to sell. It's not all about money because boxing isn't popular as before and the paychecks weren't large as before. Calzaghe is another league when it comes to money, he's right there with Pacquiao, Hatton, Cotto when it comes to big fights, but again that's becoming a rarity now. Why did you think the Jones vs Calzaghe match was crappy? The public isn't that stupid, they want to see good fights against very good fighters. Taking risks needs to happen in boxing today as long as the fighter is good as they are hyped. Fight fans are the only ones keeping boxing alive (and surprisingy that's still in the millions) in America, and that number has shrunked since the 90's.

It's not about if Chad is not selling now, it's about if Chad can sell in the future. If he continues to get big wins against credible opponents he will sell. The fact that HBO is now backing up Dawson and Calzaghe at least recgonizes Dawson as a possible opponent, certainly helps Dawson stature. And you never know Calzaghe might fight Dawson. Calzaghe hasn't said anything about who he wants to fight next or if he wants to retire.

 

I said Hop has faced faster hands in Jones and Calzaghe. I was talking about Jones at MW.


Yes, Dawsons blistering, powerful 5-6(??) combinations on the cat like Glen Johnson had him in all sorts of trouble, he is truly the reincarnation of Roy.

Or was it his points win over the 40 yr old ex movie star Tarver that these blistering array of shots were on show. (When you want to actually start debating the points i brought up instead of taking shots at other fighters let me know).

**** it, while i am here i'll answer.

No, he doesnt have the fastest hands in the LHW division.

Does he deliver them with more power than the man who does? Yes.

Do they look better than the man who does? Yes.

Does that matter a **** when determining who has the quickest handspeed?. No.

Are they more effective?. No. When Chad beats someone of the caliber of Hop we can debate.


Id fancy Hop over Chad, for the reasons i've stated. He's too lazy in rounds to win a points nod over hop, and he cant Knock him out. Simple.

Can Chad improve his workrate during rounds, of course he can, but do i expect him to do it after Tarver. NOPE.

 

I was talking about how Hop had faced faster hands than Chad before, i.e Jones in 94(He hasnt faced him at LHW) dont why folk are thinking im talking about today's Jones but never mind.


Chad throws with more pop no question, but actual handspeed, no he doesnt.

Also doesnt have the array of angles of shots, the accuracy, placement or timing of Calzaghe, not to mention the unpredictibility, which is what Hop said himself he couldnt fathom.

 

We are on the same hymn sheet now. And i agree and understand what you are saying.

But Calzaghe is 37 and out of the game come September. If not before then. (Aparrently July).

Not a lot of time for Chad to become viable. And i like both. But it's ridiculous that Calzaghe could get blamed for not taking this fight(If offered, and if turned down).

Nobody in his posistion would.


Having said that, if HBO put silly money infront of Calzaghe, for a July fight, he wont turn it down. Up to them how much they back Chad.

 

You haven't seen any of his fights have you? It was those blistering combinations that bloodied up Eric Harding, it was those blistering combinations that took Tomasz Adamek to school. So he had a hard fight against Glen Johnson, lets totally discredit his handspeed and power as a fighter, *sarcasm*. And it was those blistering combinations that Tarver had no answer for. I ask you again, did you watch any of Dawson's fights?

 

That's fine. But what was the end result for Hopkins when he faced guys with natural hand speed? Lost to RJ decisively. Lost twice to JT controversially. And lost to Calzaghe on points. Dawson possesses that same element of being able to get off first. Hopkins doesn't like to get hit. Say what you want to say about the guy but the guy is a defensive minded fighter first and foremost. Even when he attacks, it's calculated. He almost never exposes himself.

I will never count Hopkins out against anyone. He's a legend. But if he fought Dawson, i would favor Dawson to win a UD.

 

Did you see Calzaghe "Slap" Lacy into looking like he got hit by a truck.(Something Taylor never did)

Did you see Roy's face after getting "Slapped"

Did you see Eubank get put on his arse by a "Slap", but not from Nigel Benn.

Like i said in the brackets if you wann debate i point i make go ahead, that's what we are here to do. But you have a dig, im going to have a dig. No?.


Yes if have seen the Johnson,Tarver,Adamek and some random i cant remember. No offense intended, i just cant remember(It wasnt Harding).

And as i've always said he has impressed me. It doesnt mean I can forget about his lazy lapses in rounds, and proclaim that if he fought Hop he would suddenly erradicate it, and beat the crap out of Bernard Hopkins.

 

Yep, i do agree Hop's kryptonite is handspeed, i said it in my first post on the matter. I just feel Chad, as he is on the Tarver/Johnson showing, has lapses in the middle of rounds, and a fighter of Hop's quality would expose it, while being crafty enough to minimalise the damage Chad can cause when he is busy. That's all.

I think it would be a great fight, and seeing as Chad's only 26 and that's his only major visable flaw, it bodes well for him.

Id favour Hop over Chad on the basis of their last fights but I favoured Margo over Sugar on the basis of their last fights so that says something.

 

And yet, Jermain Taylor fought evenly with Hopkins for two whole fights despite lacking much stamina or defense himself.

Dawson has too much speed and length for Hopkins at this point in Bernard's career. He'd land some clean counters, but Dawson would throw combinations upstairs and downstairs and establish himself as the clear aggressor.

Tarver marched forward and tried to pressure Dawson, but he never could find the range. Hopkins will attempt to tie up Chad at distance, but Dawson's ability to box and throw and evade will be too much.

Dawson by clear 8-4 decision.

 

What are you trying to point out? I'm not comparing Dawson's handspeed to Calzaghe's, in your other post you discredited his handspeed and his combination punching, I just countered back. What you're saying is way far off. And how is Dawson lazy? Dawson can't be lazy in a ring, especially when the opponents won't allow him to, Dawson isn't lazy in the ring that's just not possible, he would be knocked out if he was. We can debate back and fourth about who'll win between Hopkins and Dawson, but we'll never know until they fight.

 

Lacy didn't look like he got hit by a truck, he was just bleeding a lot, I've seen worse. Beating a Roy who was past his prime isn't impressive. The slap that knocked down Eubank wasn't a slap, it was a nice left cross. You call his punches what you want, but they look like slapping to me. Critics love to nag him about that, and you know that, so don't be telling that to me.

 

I was talking about Jones in his prime, you thought i was meaning he was faster than Chad now. Crossed wires.

You said something about Chad's blistering handspeed and power, then in brackets (Not slaps).

I took that as a dig at Calzaghe and responded with the negative comments about his handspeed and power. Doesnt matter anyway, the threads about Hop-Chad.



Whe I said Lazy i didnt mean he does **** all for 3 minutes every round, it's in the middle to latter stages of the rounds he drops off, or doesnt switch on till the last minute or so, or is just sporidaclly active in the round.

I see this as a big flaw, and I'm not the first to comment on it. And if Hop and him fought next week i cant, when making a prediction think he is suddenly going to go, "im not gonna do that anymore".

But like I said to the poster before you, judging a fight on the fighters last performances didnt work out too well for me the other week there.

im signing out the for the night i'll be back the morn to respond to any follow ups

 

how about because that 37 year old has never fought a proven world class fighter in his prime.

 

1. How does fighting Chad change that. Chad isnt Prime.

2. Either did Roy Jones Jr. Toney wasnt Prime and Hopkins was neither World Class,Proven or Prime. Hasnt harmed him.

 

But those fighters evolved into ATG's, it helped him.