Joe schooling Pavlik, having a young middleweight on his resume., then everyone claiming Pavlik was overhyped, or... Hopkins proving he was prime by schooling Pavlik (as he did), and everyone saying ''because Hopkins is an ATG he made Pavlik look bad'' thus actually having Hopkins as a prime ATG on his resume, and far from shot like ppl claimed? ... sorry i mean in hindsight , should he have faced Pavlik before Hopkins, and everyone think hopkins was shot? or does Hopkins look what he is now, an ATG in his prime?
"Hopkins proved he was "prime" by schooling Pavlik??? Hopkins IS NOT IN HIS PRIME,everybody here would tell you that and u can clearly see it..his workrate is nothing compared to what it used to be 10 years ago, and he tends to get tired,he was able to beat Pavlik because even though hes past his prime,hes not FAR from his prime...thats why he still able to compete against elite fighters..But Hopkins is NOT in his prime and yes Calzaghe should have fought Pavlik instead of hopkins WHY?? Pavlik was in his prime and he was undefeated,he was going to be the next big thing and honestly Joe would have gotten a lot more credit for that win..."IF" he would have beaten Pavlik
Joe should have fought the ghost. However he did it the eurobum way. He fought 2 old guys that he was favored to beat them both in his only two fights in the states. He didnt want to risk fighting an A level fighter in his prime and us here in the states don't play that ****.
The choice was never between Pavlik and Hopkins. Joe fought BHop about the same time Pavlik fought his mandatory rematch with Taylor, and publicly stated he would fight the winner of Pavlik/Taylor II. The choice was between an undeafeated Pavlik and shot to **** Roy Jones. Specualtion about who would have won a Pavlik/Calzaghe fight is irrelevant. Joe's choice told us everything we need to know about his character.
Calzaghe was not in his prime for that fight either,though he wasn't far off it, but still not in it. Both fighters were top 5 P4P, so I dont really get all the fuss of trying to discredit either guy... well, Hopkins a little maybe as he bitched out big time in that fight with his bull**** and looked like an ass doing it, Calzaghe just looked like a novice at times, even though I had him winning pretty easily.
Hopkins did not prove he was prime when he beat Pavlik but he did prove that his ring I.Q is light years away from Pavlik's. Hopkins physical peak came around ten years ago.
Hopkins is not shot but at same he's not in his peak which was in 2001 just so you know I had Hopkins winning the Calzaghe fight by 115 to 113 it was a close and messy fight but I still think Hopkins was much more a effective in that fight and made Joe fight his fight and netrulized Joe's biggest biggest advantage in throwing lots of punches by constantly moving and not a allowing Calzaghe to get set.
hopkins isnt an ATG in his prime now, but hes showing an incredible degree of longevity. there's no doubt calzaghe would have got more rep for beating pavlik. after all the talk about calzaghe never fighting a proven world class operator in his prime he passes up pavlik for a hopkins grudge match. as far as i see it's black and white and calzaghe learnt from warren that boxing has so many ambiguities with regards to 'world champion' and 'undefeated' that its easy to pull the wool over people's eyes. EDIT : but the win over hopkins deserves props. calzaghe is a very good fighter.
how do you know what calzahge's prime was when he refused to fight guys like jones and hopkins to prove it? EDIT : whats an 'overall prime'?
No, No, No!!! You guys are wrong. Calzaghe passed on a Pavlik fight and fought shot to **** Roy Jones! Pavlik/Taylor II, a contracually required rematch, happend on 2/16/2008. Calzaghe/Hopkins happened on 4/19/2008. Calzaghe called Pavlik out about 10 minutes after Kelly beat JT the first time. KP was not available because of the required rematch with JT. Calzaghe continued to run his mouth about Kelly for another 5 months. After Pavlik/taylor II, Kelly said bring-it, but Joe made a fight with shot to **** Jones. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWDtzdAYTOA