Hopkins - Calzaghe

**OZZ** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 10:45am

I know this was overshadowed by the UFC fight card in Montreal..but there were a few people watching it and I caught the first six rounds before heading off to the other bar to watch the GSP fight.
When Hopkins scored an early knockdown, I hoped for the best. But a younger, busier Calzaghe seemed to really be taking the action to the future hall of famer ...
Hopkins strategy of deftly counterpunching the younger, less experienced fighter apparently did not pan out because he lost a decision.
Could this be the end of the line for Hopkins? A truly old school fighter.I have enjoyed watching him over the years. Here's the story, anyways.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ric&id=3355783

**PointyShinyBurn** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 11:34am

I thought Joe did beautifully to (again) adjust his strategy mid-fight after a rocky start, the fight was close but the decision was the right one (though it sure as **** wasn't 116-111, that one judge must either hate Hopkins or fancy Calzaghe as much as the girl I watched the fight with).

To score the fight for Hopkins you'd have to give him rounds where he did nothing but smother and dodge. I'm a fan of his as well, but he lost this one fair and square.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 11:46am

Yes, I watched him when he entered with the hood, threw up the X, and **** talked Larry merchant.

I think he has 3-5 more good/decent fights and needs to retire. I hate seeing my favorite boxers turn to ****.

**BudoMonkey** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 12:38pm

I am a Joe Calzaghe fan. He is, hands down, one of the best boxers to ever enter the sport. He is phenomenal.
Now, I hate to say it, but if this had been a bare-knuckle fight, Bernard would've whooped Joe silly early on with his extremely direct and hard-hitting power punches. However, this was not a bare knuckle fight, and when it comes to put on gloves and step into a ring for good ol' boxing, it is hard for anyone to land more punches than calzaghe.

That's why the judges were all so screwy. You had the first judge at 114-112 hopkins, and the last one at 116-111. The difference being how you counted- all the punches joe landed (the latter), or the ones that really mattered (the former).

Either way, a calzaghe fight is quite a thing to see, and I'm happy someone shut hopkins up.

**PointyShinyBurn** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 12:56pm

Originally Posted by BudoMonkey

That's why the judges were all so screwy. You had the first judge at 114-112 hopkins, and the last one at 116-111. The difference being how you counted- all the punches joe landed (the latter), or the ones that really mattered (the former).

I watched the fight a second time and if you gave Hopkins every round where he landed a clean counter-punch it still went to Calzaghe.

Also, I think Joe Cortez was kidnapped and replaced by a Brazilian vale-tudo ref circa 1952. When Hopkins realised he was behind he should have tried taking the stool out of his corner and smacking Joe around the head with it, it would have been worth it for the possible mild verbal warning.

**Draven** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 1:01pm

"I will never lose to a white guy"

Well you did now shithead!

**BudoMonkey** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 1:07pm

Nice yojimbo pic, draven. I've got mifune tattooed amidst a big busy sleeve on my arm.

**Draven** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 1:09pm

Toshiro Mifune and Kurosawa were gods among men.

**Eddie Hardon** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 1:12pm

Largely agree with Pointy. I stayed up to watch it - nearly 5AM before I went up the wooden hill to slumberland. It was a difficult fight to judge as B-HOP adopted a wholly counter-punching strategy. Moreover he "went negative" as US politicians say, in clinching Joe's right arm and the referee was always conveniently on the blind side. Blimey, ole' Joe "Im fair but I'm American" Cortez was a worry based on his Ricky-Floyd perfomance.

His tucked in chin was perfectly correct but the forehead into Joe's face was a disturbing tactic for which he was never warned. The two attempts re the claimed low blows were laughable. He was gaining time as he was running out of gas and tried to conjure a Rest and penalty points against Joe. He consistently forced down on Joe's head and shoulders so you're going to get an occasional misplaced blow to the groin hence the Guard. Again, Mr Cortez hardly bothered to rebuke Bernie Boy.

Anyone ever read of Leach Cross?'cos that's who came to mind as I watched it.

The scoring was - on the face of it - bizarre from Chuck Giampa but then again, we know that in the USA, the judges favour the man pressing the fight. In this context, it made sense. In the UK, we're more keen to recognise it as the art of self defence and appreciate elusiveness, feinting, making the opponent miss. This approach does not always translate across the Pond. Except for the brilliance of Ken Buchanan.

Post fight, Bernie came across like a whinger. He offered no credit. I have to say that the lead up was a bit wearing. "I'm from the streets, the Ghetto....I bin to prison, y'all" Forgive me, but it was his choice to go to prison and he's long been a millionaire, so....

I have largely admired B-HOP through the boxing press as so little of his fights make it to UK TV and I was pleased at his jump from MW to LH and his defeat of Antonio Tarver. However his tactics, rind deceit and whinging only detract from his legacy in my eyes.

Well done to Joe Calzaghe (I was a bit concerned at Enzo's corner talk but then again I remember Teddy Atlas in Michael Moorer's corner and he was talking bollocks as well).

**Scott Larson** · Posted On: 4/21/2008 1:49pm

I lost respect for Hopkins for his post fight talk. He did a good job in the fight, but I think if this was a few years ago, he would have had the stamina to take Joe out. Maybe that's why he was bitter.