You have to take into account the fact that De La Hoya, Trinidad, and Wright had no business at the weight the fights were at. Those wins look much better on paper than they actually are.
Also i think Veit, Reid, Woodhall, and Sheika are far more worthy of a mention than Manfredo.
How do we know Mac has a good defence? He hasn't fought anyone anywhere near as fast or powerful as Haye, his opponents so far have all been soft touches. The reality is that Mac is massive unknown at this level, and to pick him to win is a bit crazy IMO.
What a cock Brenden Ingle is, it's not a trainers place to get involved in a problem between 2 fighters. He didn't even say anything interesting, he was just shouting twisted bitter vitriol.
I have to back Calzaghe in this one, and i think speed will be the main factor on fight night. There's alot of talk of Hopkins counter punching, but i don't think he will be fast enough to hit JC on a regular basis - certainly not enough to win the fight. Another area i think B-Hop is banking on is his inside game, fighting Joe in the clinch, but i see this as one of Joe's strongest areas so i don't think Bernard will have much of an advantage there - if at all.
I may aswell copy my reply from the other thread.
I have to back Calzaghe in this one, and i think speed will be the main factor on fight night. There's alot of talk of Hopkins counter punching, but i don't think he will be fast enough to hit JC on a regular basis - certainly not enough to win the fight. Another area i think B-Hop is banking on is his inside game, fighting Joe in the clinch, but i see this as one of Joe's strongest areas so i don't think Bernard will have much of an advantage there - if at all.
Calzaghe UD.:usa2:
So let me fill you in!
First of all old man Hopkins is a smart as they come! He wins fights before fight night!
Like the Taylor fights? Calzaghe is hardly green, he is a wily veteran aswell.
He tricked Trinidad, DLH and Wright into blowin up to face him! Sounds familiar? Joe will be a blown up Joe come April 19th! His work rate will go on strike when he realizes he doesnt have the game that Bernard has!
7 extra pounds on a big SMW? Get a grip.
Calz's fans is banking on Hop's birth certificate and Calz's punch rate! Bernard has slowed down some of the most active hand throwers n the game, and none of Bernard's last 5 opponents feel like they were in the ring against a old man! Its a shame Joe's people are not fore-warning him with the facts!
And his speed, his excellent inside game, his footwork, his boxing brain etc etc etc.
In reality, Joe Calzaghe is customed made for a counter punchin Bernard Hopkins!
Hopkins does Calz like he did Tito!
You realise Calzaghe isn't a welterweight?
It seems to me like alot of Hopkins fans have picked who they WANT to win and are now trying to rationalise their choice, until they actually end up believing that he will win.
I think everyone here has over-rated Kessler due to propaganda from the Calzaghe camp. I realize this isn't the most rational or popular of arguments, but I do believe this. The reality is Kessler is merely a good competent fighter, so all this "perfect" stuff came as a way of building Kessler up. Taylor easy UD.
He impressed in the Calzaghe fight. He went up against an elite fighter and showed a good chin, very good speed, good strength, and good technique.
I didnt even know who these guys were till 3 days ago.
Well that's just embarrassing tbh.
It's a disgrace that the fight is on at 3am, we all know only a handful of people will watch in America. It'll be a fraction of the amount that watched Kessler/Calzaghe, which apparently got very low figures over there. If it ain't Yank they don't care, so why bother.
Because Hopkins has never been injured in the gym before (atleast to my knowledge) causing him to pull out.
Joe on the other hand has had injuries in the past so it's something to worry about.
I'm not talking about injury.
1. Joe Calzaghe
2. Ricky Hatton
3. David Haye
4. Junior Witter
5. Clinton Woods
6. Alex Arthur
7. Enzo Maccarinelli
8. Carl Froch
9. Amir Khan
10. Kevin Mitchell
Not a Gavin Rees to be seen. :banana:
Why don't we talk about whether Hopkins will welch on the deal? I know he is leaving it late, he was very quick last time, but i certainly wouldn't rule it out.
Look out Joe C you know its true..hes coming for you! Bring your chin.
:beerchug:
... because Hopkins is a powerful knockout artist? Give me a break ffs.
I'm goin against the grain.
You gotta understand that Hopkins is the kinda fighter who hasn't eaten a donut in YEARS. You don't wanna fuck with that. He'll wait until the later rounds and unleash his vicious counter right on Calzaghe when he least expects it.
Calzaghe's been on his ass alot more than Hopkins has.
Is this true? Calzaghe has been down twice, against Mitchell and Salem. Hopkins has been down twice, both against Mercado. I see no reason to predict a knockout for Bernard here.
Say what you will 'bout Rees but fact is he deserved to win that belt. He out boxed that geezer.
That geezer was half asleep. He looked to me bigger, faster, strong, and a better boxer - but he just couldn't be arsed to go for Rees.
Rees HAS to lose this year, it makes me vomit to see him with a belt.
It's a sad state of affairs when the WBC champ can't get a good fight. I understand that Witters style might not be to everyones taste, i like him personally, but he's not that boring. He's a good technical fighter with good physical attributes, if you put him in there against an offensive fighter it is guaranteed to be entertaining IMO. So he wasn't great against Judah, big deal, it was ages ago and he was very green - i don't see why this is held against him so much.
You do realize that when I say that, I said it in order to be economical.
"Europe is a continent of 50 countries and 800 million people"
Well, if I'm not mistaken, he has fought once in Germany, and once in Denmark. Then all of his fights in the United Kingdom.
He was the champ, so he was able to make the challengers go to him - and why not i ask?
In the last 10 years he's beaten all of the best fighters in his division, european AND american, i don't see why it matters where he has done it.
I don't see the big deal tbh, this happens alot in international sport, especially football. The US football team should try playing in Macedonia or Turkey and show you what real hostility is, they were burning English flags and in Turkey they had a banner saying "WELCOME TO HELL". Also i think you have to be a bit sensitive to get worked up over the booing of a song.
Arthur Williams was a former world champ aswell, but like Braithwaite, he wasn't a threat in the fight. To old, too inactive, too out of shape, and not hungry enough.
Apart from the Mormeck fight, neither have fought anyone of note really, mainly because it's a shit division. I've always been rather confused by a few people saying how Haye's level of competition is much higher than Enzo's when it plainly isn't.
I would say his wins over Mormeck, Bonin, Fragomeni, and Gurov are better than anything Enzo has beaten.
What???? I don't think this thread had anything to do with whether or not Chris Eubank or Nigel Benn belong in the World Boxing Hall of Fame..This was about the G-man and what he is still facing everyday in his battle to stay alive.. The G-man wasn't only a Hall of Fame Boxer, but he was a Hall of Fame human being.. Thank you, G-man!!!
I thought it was about the credibility of him being inducted.
Maybe, maybe not. Care to elaborate? I do think that the fact that the guy has never fought outside of Europe, and rarely out of UK, hurts your point.
That's why I compare him, to an extent, with Campas, who had fought almost exclusively in Mexico (he had a couple of USA fights) before he stepped up and fought Trinidad in the USA.
In no way I am trying to say that Calzaghe is a bad fighter, it's just that I can't see how he's been put in the top 3 P4P by some people where I don't think he should be even considered for top 10 because of the points I already covered.
Europe is a continent of 50 countries and 800 million people, it's quite conceivable that a man could be a good champion without ever leaving, while fighting good opposition - he fought the best in his division, just because he didn't do it in America we shouldn't take anything away from him.
And better than Abdoul, Johansen etc. Both have enough fodder on their resumes.
I've never understood why anyone tries to compare someone's best wins with another's lesser names. It's just a poor argument. You're better off saying nothing.
What wins does Enzo have that are as good as the 4 i've mentioned, Hobson? No. Braithewaite? Maybe, although he was old, out of shape, and inactive - so i would say no.
To me it is plain to see that Haye has fought the better opposition, i don't know how anyone could think it is even close.