The ESB Classic viewpoint on Bernard Hopkins...

I'm taking Hopkins after thinking about it way too in-depth for anyone sane.

But that's just my opinion. I've got faith in Bernard.

 

I'm taking Hopkins to rough him up bad early on and then physically dictate the course of the fight.

Sort of like the Winky fight - Winky usually throws ALOT of punches, but he was held to very low numbers by his standards when he fought Hopkins. Hopkins needs to do that same thing to Calzaghe.

IMO the only way he's gonna lose a clear fight to Calzaghe is if he lets himself get outworked.

 

Hopkins doesn't box southpaws, so don't expect him to be working the jab often, if at all against Calzaghe. He'll look to force his way inside, throw flurries, then get away again. The lead right hand and left hook will also be key weapons for him at long range. Movement is a must and also part of the reason why he can make Calzaghe's workrate ineffective.

Workrate is useless if a fighter isn't effective with it at the same time. Close rounds, some judges might go with the busier fighter.

 

Honestly, people talking about Calzaghe's punch output don't seem to understand that it's going to be totally irrelevent when Hopkins, one of the best close quarters fighters in years, expertly clinches and continues to hit him. Like you said, roughing him up.

Again and again and again.

He's an expert at it, and considering where the fights taking place Hopkin's is going to get the benefit of clinches being broken. Not that Hopkin's can't work inside so well that his work isn't interrupted anyway.

 

with all due respect, calzaghe is no blown up, rubber ring wearing winky wright. people are really selling calzaghe short when it comes to fighting dirty and rough house tactics. hopkins is going to run into a much more natural man at the weight.

hopkins looked pretty damn tired in the closing rounds against winky and this time he will be encountering a much stronger and tougher opponent who he will not find so easy to boss around and maul. calzaghe with his freakish stamina will not be as easy to break down either, winky seemed to lose his legs pretty early. this may very well be the last time we see 'nard fight.

 

Ditto.

 

Tho i think Caz should outspeed Hopkins he's the type of old codger one has the feeling could well have a rabbit in the hat, but surely Caz would be at least an 8-5 fave, or plenty more.

 

Hopkins is a bit worse than 2-1 actually, but this is better than his 3-1 vs Tarver. I can dream can't i

 

Thought I'd follow up on the above. Hopkins threw about half a dozen jabs over both fights against Tarver and Wright, hence the reason IMO he doesn't box southpwas. He's cute and cagey against them, doesn't brawl outright, and uses every punch in the book against them regularly apart from the jab. One thing he does do often, gets inside on them to score, then away again planning his next attack.

John David Jackson has a lot of input when it comes to Hopkins' strategy against southpaws.

 

It will be only 3rd non-controversial loss in Hopkins' career.

 

Would you say if he won this would be similar to Duran beating Barkley, with his victory over Tarver being like Duran's over Moore? Or am I far fetching it?

 

Very effective fighter with a boring style that attracts the purist but has not captured the attention of the casual fan. His idoitic and racist statement directed towards Calzaghe does not surprise me at all. This is a day and age where there is no restraint showed anymore in sports or society. Michael Jordan was way too clever and calculating to ever utter something so ridiculous in public. When asked once what his political affiliations were he politely declined to answer. He made it a joke saying republicans buy sneakers too. Hopkins is trying to 'keep it real' so to speak and in doing so alienated a great deal of white fans who might have rooted for him.

 

regardless of the result against Calzaghe, I view Hopkins as a good but not elite middleweight (elite middles: SRR, marv, monzon, RJJ, Greb)