Already have a 6 month avatar bet on it sorry, and you are crazy if you think he is gonna stop Hopkins.
Yes. Tho he hasnt fought the best comp (tho his resume is much better than some would have you believe), the ones he has, he has dominated. Add in the defense streak and the overall skill....you CANT keep him out of the top 100.
Sweet Pea...your smarter than that. Stylistically? Give me a break. Even if you think Calzaghe is gonna win, you have to know that Hopkins a stylistic NIGHTMARE for Joe. Joe's strengths are speed and output. Hopkins strengths are timing, movement and defense. HOW DOES THAT ADD UP TO A STYLISTIC EDGE FOR JOE???? And by stoppage? Joe doesnt have the power to do that to Bernard...especially on Hopkins PHENOMINAL beard. You have to be kidding me.
I'll be safe and go with the Wide UD, but a stoppage is possible, though I'll end this now because Sues2nd's in the thread, and he won't like this.
Please, fighting a Southpaw as a fighter with superior timing, defense, ring generalship, on par with Joe concerning power and chin, and Hopkins wont gas either, has he really ever been winded at the end of a fight? The only thing Joe has going for him is speed and workrate and he is no Roy Jones in the speed department. That overhand right is gonna find it's mark all night. Calzaghe will have his moments with overwhelming pressure but it won't be enough. A small upset but this is Bernards last great fight, style wise: advantage Hopkins.
Stylistically, an old Hopkins, with his low output and workrate, against a much faster fighter with an extremely high workrate. Joe has faster hands and feet, so Hopkins movement is nullified. Hopkins has good timing, but a few straight rights per round are not going to stop Calzaghe's output, especially when he is smothering Hopkins for the rest of the round. Hard to see Hopkins keeping him at bay with his increasingly low punch output. I just can't see it. I think you're confusing this old Hopkins with a prime one, who wouldn't be a bad bet. As for a possible stoppage, nothing to do with power or Hopkins chin, but to do with the fact that Joe's workrate and tenacity will simply be too much for old man Hopkins to deal with. His increasingly low workrate, with a fighter who can stay with him all night, will be his downfall. I see him getting beaten up. I believe he is close to shot, and this fight will show it. I don't think having a close fight with a fading, smaller Winky Wright shows he can beat Calzaghe, or even come close.
The fight will happen, unlike a lot of fantasy fights, so I've said my piece, you guys have said yours, the fight is not as far off as we think. I am 100% confident in my pick though. At this stage, I don't believe Hopkins is a match, you guys seem to think that this a prime or near prime Hopkins, when in reality, it appears to me he's damn near shot.
So throwing 650 punches his last fight is an abysmal workrate? This isn't a drained fighter at the end of his middleweight reign like we saw against Howard Eastman and Jermain Taylor twice. If Hopkins can throw 700 punches he wins a 8-4 or 7-5 decision, and I see him being able to muster it up.
That's the thing, considering Calzaghe's chin and Hopkins mediocre power(it is by no means top notch) I don't think he will be hurt at all. And if he is hit clean, I believe he will just continue, coming back like a bull and forcing his way in, similar to how he did against Kessler, a fighter people were calling to win for similar reasons they're calling Hopkins to win: Straight punching and accuracy.
I think he is good enough to be a top 100 ATG but for me its a close call because he didn't fight well known fighters and people as usual may critisize his resume for that. If this sounds wierd it's because im drunk. Oh well