Calzaghe Turns Down Hopkins Fight Offer

[GunStar]

If Calzaghe turned down the 8 or 10 mil that was reported then he clearly does not ever want to fight in America. 8 or 10 mil is way more then the Kessler fight.

[Super_Lightweight]

A fight between Calzaghe and Hopkins should generate considerably more money for Calzaghe than a fight with Kessler. If it doesn't then there is no real reason to fight in the US at all.

Yes there is. It would be silly to only fight for money. Sometimes, you may have to take less money than what you are used to. Joe was the hometown fighter vs Kessler, with over 35,000 ppl buying. That is different.

When you are a challenger a guy above you, you are obligated to go to his turf. Maybe Joe was offered a low amount by GBP, but we don't know. Just because it was lower than vs Kessler means nothing. The European market is smaller and is less competitive, therefore single hometown fighters can make bigger money. It's a bigger sea over here. The situation is different. Calzaghe can stay in Wales if he wants, but then he should not say he wants to come to the U.S. if his terms are silly...not saying they are silly, but we do not know because no one will say what he was actually offered.

[Johnny Rebel]

JOE Calzaghe last night revealed why he turned down a dream date with Bernard Hopkins.

The Welsh hero has received a firm offer to make his American debut against boxing superstar Hopkins – but Calzaghe has rejected the bid from Golden Boy Promotions, owned by boxing icon Oscar De La Hoya, as it didn’t make ‘business sense’.

Calzaghe claims Hopkins’ offer was less than his £2m career-high payday from defeating Mikkel Kessler to become undisputed super-middleweight king in Cardiff last month.

Hopkins’ offer to the world’s longest reigning world champion was for a summer showdown, probably in July, at light-heavyweight but Calzaghe’s promoter Frank Warren is still locked in talks with Golden Boy hoping to negotiate a ‘fair deal’ for his client.

“I am negotiating very hard and I believe the fight will happen,” said Warren, who will step aside to enable Golden Boy solely to promote any Hopkins v Calzaghe show.

“The price must be right. Boxing is a business as well as a sport.”

Calzaghe is understandably confident that mega-rich American TV giants will back such a super-fight as his two unification scraps in this country against Jeff Lacy last year and Kessler have been screened live in the United States.

“Hopkins and I are two of the biggest names in boxing at the moment,” says Welsh-Italian Calzaghe.

“Hopkins is my No 1 target but the numbers must add up before I agree anything.

“I’m very optimistic it’ll happen because while Hopkins is a big name, he has nowhere else to go but fight me.

“Frank said he’s more than happy to pay Hopkins the same as he offered me to come fight over here, but he’s a home-boy and won’t leave America, so that’s a non-starter.

“I’d love to fight Hopkins in New York, at the Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Gardens, and with the number of British ex-pats and Italian Americans in New York I’d attract more fans than Hopkins – he’ll be the enemy in his own country.”

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/sport...1466-20193175/

[Mozza]

Yes there is. It would be silly to only fight for money. Sometimes, you may have to take less money than what you are used to. Joe was the hometown fighter vs Kessler, with over 35,000 ppl buying. That is different.

When you are a challenger a guy above you, you are obligated to go to his turf. Maybe Joe was offered a low amount by GBP, but we don't know. Just because it was lower than vs Kessler means nothing. The European market is smaller and is less competitive, therefore single hometown fighters can make bigger money. It's a bigger sea over here. The situation is different. Calzaghe can stay in Wales if he wants, but then he should not say he wants to come to the U.S. if his terms are silly...not saying they are silly, but we do not know because no one will say what he was actually offered.

The fact is most fighters go to America to make more money. Calzaghe is no different.

[Super_Lightweight]

Cal made money in Europe. If his demands are that he must absolutely get more money in the U.S., then he will just have to live with the criticism that comes as a result. Casual fans do not know or care much about either Joe or Hops. They care about DLH. Being a 'big name in boxing' only means hardcore boxing fans know who you are and respect you, but just being a top fighter in skill (example Wright) does not mean you get big name status or 'deserve' big money.

I will give Calz the benefit of the doubt for now and assume he was offered something less then 3 mill. But over that, he should shut his pie hole and come over. Otherwise, I'd have to say he is not that willing to challenge Bernard.

[c_low_tx]

I don't think that Benard deserves more than JC. I don't even think he won the fight against Winky. When he fights JC he will get murdered and finally get put into retirement where he belongs.

[Jim Jeffries]

The fact is most fighters go to America to make more money. Calzaghe is no different.

No kidding, if Calzaghe made 4 million dollars (2 million pounds) to fight Kessler, why should he accept LESS to travel to the U.S. to fight Hopkins?

[ironmt]

No kidding, if Calzaghe made 4 million dollars (2 million pounds) to fight Kessler, why should he accept LESS to travel to the U.S. to fight Hopkins?

Here we go with the Joe Is a smart buisness man and should not take the fight because he Is not being offered enough money excuse.(If Calzage wanted this fight as bad as he has stated well then the offers been put on the table,take It or leave It)Now flip the coin and say Calzaghe and Frank Warren made an offer to Hopkins and he turned It down,you would be hearing different responses much much different.

[Jim Jeffries]

Here we go with the Joe Is a smart buisness man and should not take the fight because he Is not being offered enough money excuse.(If Calzage wanted this fight as bad as he has stated well then the offers been put on the table,take It or leave It)Now flip the coin and say Calzaghe and Frank Warren made an offer to Hopkins and he turned It down,you would be hearing different responses much much different.

Do you know what a negotiation is? This fight will be made, trust me. And Joe would be plain ****** to accept the first offer that is made to him. He has to give up his 3 world titles at 168 to fight Hopkins anyway. He's fighting at Hop's weight, in Hop's country and now you want him to fight for chicken scraps? Just to fight a guy that when he beats him, everyone will just say Hop was washed up anyway.

[Boxingwizard]

Cal made money in Europe. If his demands are that he must absolutely get more money in the U.S., then he will just have to live with the criticism that comes as a result. Casual fans do not know or care much about either Joe or Hops. They care about DLH. Being a 'big name in boxing' only means hardcore boxing fans know who you are and respect you, but just being a top fighter in skill (example Wright) does not mean you get big name status or 'deserve' big money.

I will give Calz the benefit of the doubt for now and assume he was offered something less then 3 mill. But over that, he should shut his pie hole and come over. Otherwise, I'd have to say he is not that willing to challenge Bernard.

Good post. You're right, if Calzaghe wants to fight Hopkins he needs to come over to the U.S, despite him not being a big draw here, and accept that. It would make more sense if the fight was in the U.K, but Hopkins has stated he will absolutely not travel to the U.K.