Hopkins ready for Calzaghe

[hugh grant]

Yeah, Hopkins was champ at 160 for 10 years straight, with 20 successful title defences, well actually 19 since one was declared a no contest.

Man, i thought JC's record stood alone, but the old man Hopkins is truly identical. Sorry BH....you are a living legend.

[Unseen]

No its not, let me ask you this, in New York that night, an american from america fought against a puerto rican (even though puerto rico is an american territory) and there were nothing but puerto rican flags decorating that place. Very few if ANY hopkins fans were in that building, booing him, he might as well have been IN puerto rico.

When have you EVER seen a fight in england where foreign flags like russia, Germany, and turkey dominated in a fight where an englishman was fighting in england? Tell the truth. You and i both know damn well that doesnt happen.

When paul williams fought antonio margarito here in the west coast, that place was dominated by mexicans waving the mexican flag and cheering on margarito, when has that ever happened in england?

Again, i honestly think you guys just dont understand how it is here.

Like i said in another thread, majority of the best fighters in the world are fighting here, you say hopkins has never fought outside of america, but who should he have fought outside of america during his middlweight run?

Heavyweight is dominated by eastern europeans right now, so you had brewster take 2 fights overseas, byrd took one, holyfield took one, etc. American fighters who have a reason to leave will do it if there is a reason to. Thats why youre seeing heavyweights from here travel abroad, because right now the best heavyweights are out overseas and the money for heavyweights is overseas right now.

Pacman fights here, Marquez fights here, Vasquez fights here, Mayweather fights here, Cotto fights here, Hopkins fights here, Juan Diaz fights here, Casamayor fights here, Pavlik fights here, i basically named off the fighters who are at the top of their division, and low and behold HATTON fights here now as well.

I think you people just dont understand that most of the best fighters in the world while not always being american, fight here because they know this is where the best fighters come to make something of themselves. Everyone is within arms reach of each other. Julio Cesar Chavez was the best fighter to come out of mexico, yet almost all his most memorable fights took place in the united states. Manny Pacman is the best fighter ever out of the phillipines, yet all his best fights are here. Vasquez and Marquez are 2 of the best 122lbers in the world, yet they came here and had 2 memorable wars.

Get it through youre heads that its not just americans who have this standard, the world for the most part has made this place the boxing capitol of the world, fighters from every country and cultural background have come here to try to make a name for themselves and if you guys cant understand that people need a reason to leave a country that has all the best fighters from all over the world within arms reach of each other than i dont know what to tell you.

they are there ebcause of the money just like the immigrants you have. if these fighters can make the same money then theres a big chance they would stay in their own country.

hbo is americana nd with 300 million people theres a nice chance that of making money. i dont want to emphasise on the money isssue but for most boxers thats the case.

also witht he fact that you have lots of immigrants means that tyou will get soem home crowds.

in the uk there are plenty of ethinicties here. america is not alone in terms of ethnic diversity. unfortunately in the uk there arent many people who box.

in other sprotsl iekc ricket you will get all sorts fo flags around.