Why has Hopkins made this unwinnable match? Why does he think he can win?

Pretty slim, Calzaghe seems to fight his best in the big fights

 

Joe wins....Lets face it people the 43 year old man from Philly is a shell of his former self. once great, now shot.
Plus lets figure in Calzaghe throwing over 80 punches per round to Hopkins 10-30 punches a round
The Hopkins plan against Joe will be much like a Hatton plan of smothering Joe throwing a few punches out of a clinch...it could be ugly...I'm glad it's free

 

The punch output thing is a red herring. Joe don't just throw 100 aimless punches. He throws lots of lightnight fast jabs and combinations out of clinches. Very effectice work

 

Because in his deluded mind he believes all white Europeans are inferior.

 

1-The smart matchmaker thing is a myth (if you consider taking the path of least resistance smart somethings wrong) He's pretty dumb but knows that Joe would be a serious test and make him serious money

2-See above.....I think he may see how Joe fights best in close unleashing shitloads of combos I'm sure he thinks he can grapple when Joe gets in close.....I think he may think that he can keep Joe on the perimiter using a jab with good footwork and when Joe comes in to unleash a combo Popkins will clinch hoping to tire Joe

I hope Joe really hurts this old *******:yep

 

This is a great question McGrain. Thank you for posting it.

I will attempt to answer.

1 - I believe the answer to this question is legacy. Hopkins seems determined more than ever to create the best legacy of an older fighter. In his 40's he will have beaten the one time undisputed LMW champ of the world, dodgy decisions against the undisputed MW champ, the regarded top dog at LHW and now he's taking on the undisputed SMW champ. Pretty impressive stuff on paper. Calzaghe is the best of the recent opposition so it's a difficult question, this is a seriously tough fight for Hopkins to win. Even if Hopkins goes 12 and it's fairly close, Hopkins' stock will rise because that should would add fuel to the prime for prime arguement.

2 - I believe Hopkins thinks that Calzaghe hasn't boxed anyone like himself. He's used to come forward aggressors who he can pick off. By demanding the fight in Vegas and a few other things, Hopkins is putting more balls in his court and piling the pressure on Joe. I also think that Joe has slowed lately so maybe Hopkins feels the same.

 

So he is in his early 40s..Well, he completely dominated Winky, a highly rated fighter who is JCs age. Took away his gameplan and frustrated him, got into his head before the fight etc. Hopkins is a psychological master, even tho or because of being completely bonkers

 

I think the reason why is because he doesn't have anything to lose. He knows he is at the end of the road. There aren't very many enticing fights that will make the money he can make fighting Calzaghe. Plus, if he wins, his legacy will skyrocket. If he loses, it won't be a surprise. It's a no-brainer.

 

Because he wants the challenge of doing the seemingly impossible. He's been up against all the odds in his life before. You guys are making Joe Calzaghe out to be King Kong, this way anything less than a spectacular KO/TKO win for Calzaghe will be disappointing and a knock on Joe.

I don't believe that Hopkins has managed his career "beautifully". I don't know where you get this from? He just didn't have the resources coming up like you see with a guy like say Cotto, or even Calzaghe. He's done it his way though without the backing of a major promoter, he beat every 160 lb fighter out there as champion (admittedly in a weak era). You don't think he would have wanted the big fights earlier in his career? The fact is he has had to wait for his time and it's only been late in his career that he's been more of a force in match-making. Truth is Joe didn't have any other way to go, Hopkins eliminated prime suspects Tarer, Winky. And Taylor was KOd by Pavlik.

 

You have to respect him for taking the fight- if he loses he goes out on his shield etc