From the current Boxing Monthly: Two-time belt-holder Duke McKenzie on the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight: "I'd love to be proved wrong but i'm going for Hopkins on a controversial decision. I don't like the fight in Vegas...over here Joe gets away with plenty but, in America, I believe his perceived slapping could bring point deductions and turn Calzaghe into an out of control windmill." Although Duke is one of the very few to pick Bernard, he's not alone in metioning this "slapping" issue - Witter backs Calzaghe but notes "Slapping could present Joe with a problem." I hadn't really thought about it, but it's an interesting point. The referee and judges can penalise Calzaghe legitimatley if he's seen to slap, somethin' he has a bit of a rep for. What do you think?
That naghty Duke! Yeah, I agree with this. I was thinking about it today. He does seem to be punching with an illegal part of the glove on occasion and a referee, if he feels that is taking place, is quite entitled to take points away. Expect to hear from Bernard about this in the week before the fight, if I know him. At first I thought this talk about judges and refs was a little bit para - but this right here is the reason it isn't. A combination of hurt hands and a referee who wants square punching could do for Joe.
It depends on the ref and what's in the contract, Bernard could possibly be docked points too. For instance, when Bernard fought Tarver, it was stipulated that the fight could not end in by DQ. It's a very valid point though. Look at Hatton Mayweather, while the point deduction itself may not have been a factor, it certainly caused Hatton to lose his cool in the ring. If Hopkins is succesful in frustrating Joe . . . And making him fight rough . . . A hometown ref could make the difference in the fight. And you've got to ask yourself . . . Joe's slapping style. Is it legitimate punching? His biggest fans on this website themselves say that he mixes his weak shots with the strong ones . . . Isn't this something he is able to do because of his perceived slaps? Should punches with no intention of doing any damage, basically nothing more than feints, be counted along with the serious punches that he hides amongst them? This is up to the officials to decide.
****, posted thread twice. But anyway: I think the fight is close enough that these things matter, although I favour Joe Calzaghe.
What do you think world champs Witter and McKenzie are referring too? Is it just pure paranoia of the back of the Hatton thing? McKenzie is not bad, he's in the commentary booth for sky quite a bit. No fool.
