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Hopkins' defences are better than Calzaghe's. I wont argue with that. Bigger names, better competition. Just dont kid yourself into thinking that there are leagues of distance between the two because there isnt. Hopkins fought better guys, but outside of their comfort zone, that is better than Calzaghe but not by a great deal.
Hopkins has fought very few people who had a legitimate chance of beating him too. Maybe 4 or 5 people. And two of them did. So again, there isnt a vast amount of difference then. Also, dont discredit Kessler too early, he is unproven somewhat at the moment, it only takes one big victory to go from relatively unproven and into the P4P top 10.
That simply does not take away from the fact that a win at Heavyweight against ****e opposition would be less impressive for Hopkins than a win over a genuine Top 10 P4P, dominant, World Champion Super-Middle Weight like Calzaghe at his correct weight. It would be an easier fight and in the grand scheme of things would only mean more to Hopkins on paper and in terms of records, not in terms of legacy.
You misunderstand completely. I'm not talking about the manner of Hopkins' victory in many of the matches we have discussed (namely Tito and DLH in particular). What I am saying is that those fights can not be touted around as spectacular victories as though he had beat them at their natural weight. I could probably beat Vlad Klitchko if we fought at Lightweight...cos he wouldnt be able to make the ****ing weight (neither would I, but this is an analogy to try and get you to understand what I mean) and if he did, he'd be so out of his comfort zone that I could hardly herald me as a great fighter for beating him. Tito and DLH were not proven at the weight that they were defeated by Hopkins at. The legitimacy of the victory diminishes because of this when it comes to a legacy. They are big names on paper, but the circumstances of the victory needs to be taken into account (namely that they were overstretched at the weight).
Who is ****ing arguing about this? You are making a long and detailed reply to me...stating the same thing as I have stated. That Hopkins' record and legacy is better than Calzaghe's. If Calzaghe beats Kessler he DOES move a little closer. If he beats Hopkins after that you could make a legitimate argument that he may move level to or even beyond Hopkins...dunno...depends what he does after that. The VAST majority of people will agree with what we have both said there about the current comparison to Hopkins and Calzaghe's records, and their records if Calzaghe beats Kessler. If you are arguing with a slim minority...why bother?
You're just being silly now. I dont for one second imagine that Hopkins feared Calzaghe punching and hurting him. I would not at all be surprised if someone who has become accustomed to a life of affluence and having anything he wanted, all of a sudden realised that if he lost a fight to a very game fighter (who, lets be honest, has the potential to give Hopkins quite an humiliating loss at that stage in his career. Note I say only POTENTIAL to do so), he hadnt been suitably financially rewarded for the possibility that such a loss might all but end his career. In realising such, he priced himself out of the fight and lived to fight another day. That isnt fear of Calzaghe, its fear of getting beat and losing his capacity to earn which is a genuine concern to overcome. Trying to compare that to an 18 year old NOBODY who gets locked up and for all we know may well have cried himself to sleep every night in his cell, but who frankly had nothing to lose, is not just pointless, its also insulting to your argument.
Calzaghe doesn't have losses. Correct. He's fought.. maybe 3 people who had an actual shot at beating him.. Whereas Kessler has fought virtually, nobody. It's easy to have no losses under those circumstances. Not discrediting their skills, just their opponents.
As far as a shot Roy Jones.. Jones looked decent in his last two, and another quality win, possibly looking decent against Trinidad, would make Hopkins/Jones a good money fight. For where they are in their careers. When it comes to the heavyweight thing. He's a 175 fighter, he needs a heavyweight with a style he can beat. Just like Jones did. Not exactly a skill thing, it's a style thing. He's even acknowledged, he couldn't beat Wlad. He's just too big.
You say Hopkins only has impressive, not spectacular wins. (I assume you're not talking about the Tarver win, and I hope you're not trying to make the argument that the SM division is tougher than the Middleweight division. )
Only impressive wins. OKay... Calzaghe only has one PRETTY spectacular win, against Lacy. otherwise, he beat a faded champion and a reality TV star. Trust me, ask someone on the HOF voting panel. If Calzaghe beats Kessler, ask them if he would be voted in BEFORE Hopkins if they retired on the same day. The answer is..... No. No disrespect to any people mentioned. And you make a valid argument. I just don't see him getting in OVER Hopkins. Even with the Kessler win. Not with his legacy as is. Maybe if he beat another two or three top guys (including Kessler)... Otherwise.. Not seeing it.
You're just being silly now. I dont for one second imagine that Hopkins feared Calzaghe punching and hurting him. I would not at all be surprised if someone who has become accustomed to a life of affluence and having anything he wanted, all of a sudden realised that if he lost a fight to a very game fighter (who, lets be honest, has the potential to give Hopkins quite an humiliating loss at that stage in his career. Note I say only POTENTIAL to do so), he hadnt been suitably financially rewarded for the possibility that such a loss might all but end his career. In realising such, he priced himself out of the fight and lived to fight another day. That isnt fear of Calzaghe, its fear of getting beat and losing his capacity to earn which is a genuine concern to overcome. Trying to compare that to an 18 year old NOBODY who gets locked up and for all we know may well have cried himself to sleep every night in his cell, but who frankly had nothing to lose, is not just pointless, its also insulting to your argument.
If Calzaghe is fortunate enough to get past a fighter of the caliber of Kessler, it will be as big or bigger an accomplishment as any, in that of Hopkins' career.
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