Hopkins vs Kessler

[Dorian]

I see no way hopkins can win at this stage, prime he would have a huge shot but now...

[Jim Jeffries]

By the looks of the poll, people are giving Kessler a better chance of beating Hopkins that Calzaghe does.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Calzaghe at his peak which is now, is a better fighter than Hopkins at his peak.

Calzaghe is one of the most under rated fighters in the history of the sport.

I disagree, Prime Hopkins was of the most craftiest, most skilled, best defensive, toughest fighters in the history of the MW division. Calzaghe is good but he has not proved his greatness against top level opposition while Bernard has beaten plenty of hall of famers. The best fighter that Calzaghe has beaten was a green Mikkel Kessler.[vBTube]Ozw7bu0yiWc[/vBTube]

[Lucky13]

I disagree, Prime Hopkins was of the most craftiest, most skilled, best defensive, toughest fighters in the history of the MW division. Calzaghe is good but he has not proved his greatness against top level opposition while Bernard has beaten plenty of hall of famers. The best fighter that Calzaghe has beaten was a green Mikkel Kessler.[vBTube]Ozw7bu0yiWc[/vBTube]

How is Mikkel Kessler green?
That's a first...

[warp1432]

A green mikkel Kessler lol.

As for this fight, I think Hopkins takes it. I see Hopkins getting on the inside and fighting dirty so much that he for once gets points deducted and wins at either 114-113 or 115-112 decision in a close fight. I don't think Kessler could handle Bernard's dirtyness. Kessler would need to try and stay away and jab all night, but Bernard has a great right hand.

It would be a close fight, but I think Bernard takes it. For that person that said "Bernard got knocked down by segundo mercado twice so kessler by a KO" is ridicioulous. Bernard's style was a lot different back then and his defense wasn't as nearly as good as it was when he switched to his technical style.

To be honest, I can see Hopkins beating Calzaghe better then I can Kessler. Then again I know a lot more about Calzaghe then I do Kessler. Though what I've seen from Kessler I'm still sticking with Hopkins in a close fight.

edit: By the way, peoople who picked Kessler. How do you see this fight going down? I'm just curious. Did you pick him to win because Hopkins is older, but a lot of people are saying "Kessler easy UD" Why? Hopkins maybe past it, but he's still one of the best fighters in the world today. I just don't see how it's "Kessler easy UD" even if Hopkins would lose.

[slicksouthpaw16]

How is Mikkel Kessler green?
That's a first...

Because he has not had that experience of being in with a great champion. You could tell that he was confused and discouraged in the later rounds because he was in a place that he had never been before and he did not know to react. Now he has that experience and is not green anymore.

[Lucky13]

Because he has not had that experience of being in with a great champion. You could tell that he was confused and discouraged in the later rounds because he was in a place that he had never been before and he did not know to react. Now he has that experience and is not green anymore.

I have to disagree.
Kessler gave Calzaghe a hell of a fight, he had strong belief in himself I don't see that as being green.

[warp1432]

Not to mention he fought Beyer, Mundline, and others. You could even argue that Kessler's resume by the time of the Joe fight was better then Joe's.

No way in hell was he green.

[slicksouthpaw16]

I have to disagree.
Kessler gave Calzaghe a hell of a fight, he had strong belief in himself I don't see that as being green.

Of course he gave Calzaghe a good fight because he was a young champion that had all of the confidence in the world until the later rounds. Calzaghe was the first fighter that actually tested Kessler and took him into deep waters. Now with that experience, Kessler will grow from it and become an even better fighter than he was before. He will be a dominate super middleweight as long as he does not run into Mr. Calzaghe again.....


Look at how discourged he was. It got to the point where he was just staring at Calzaghe and taking a pounding.
[vBTube]qzFW8bH90UQ[/vBTube]

[Lucky13]

Kessler tried to knock him out.
Did you see Chambers-Povetkin?
Chambers was at times just staring at Povetkin and taking a pounding at the same time, it doesn't necessarily mean discouragement, it could mean fatigue as well, it depends how you look at it.