Why Joe Calzaghe Should Fear Bernard Hopkins

[Mozza]

I have to say that criticising Kessler and Lacy while talking up a win over Trinidad is a little odd to me. At least Calzaghe's opponents were all the same size as him.

[kayjay]

I have to say that criticising Kessler and Lacy while talking up a win over Trinidad is a little odd to me. At least Calzaghe's opponents were all the same size as him.

It's insane.


Is there anyone who actually thinks Oscar or Tito would stand a chance against Kessler or a pre-Joe Lacy?

[Addison]

Hello guys, thanks for reading the article, even though some felt it was Hopkins heavy. Let me explain.

I live and am based in the UK. For nearly 10-years I watched Joe Calzaghe, who I have briefly met in the past and found to bre a very nice guy with a lot of good things to say. With that said he bored me near to tears for nearly a decade. For every Sheika, the highpoint of his career at one point, we had Tocker Pudwell's and 'Rapid Fire' McIntyre. Even guys like Brewer and Mitchell were Ottke retreads.

Finally Joe beats two guys of note and he is up there with the likes of Jimmy Wilde and Lennox Lewis? Lacy and Kesser were a good start, but they were just that. They were the types of guys he should have faced years ago. You may say that he was not in a position to take those type of guys on but he did not put himself into position to take better names. For all the pros and cons Joe has just got his biggest fight to date, and did so by going to America, do the math, he does it earlier in his career he has a lot of big fights. Lacy was a novice pro and Kessler is 1-2 and throws few lefts hooks off the 1-2, Kessler was a predictable win for Joe.
I wrote the piece highlighting Hopkins because here on the UK side of things all we hear is Calzaghe, I thought it would be good to combine a potted history of Hopkins with a second part giving a styles breakdown, again focussed on Hopkins.

If Joe wins great, it will be tinged with the question of: "Why not have done this sooner Joe? Why start your career with only a few fights left to go and no one left to fight at LH?" If Hopkins wins, well Joe will have been defeated by a 43 year old man, and the first real challenge met.

This is not a case of either/or, as stated Joe's biggest worry early in his career was his mortgage, at least he had that luxury. It is hardly fighting to survive is it?

Sorry if any Joe fans felt slighted by the piece, I've done positive stuff on Joe before, pre-Lacy (although I picked Jeff I wrote on what a gentleman Joe had been in the gym interviews pre-fight). Pre-Kessler I went for Joe. I'd say that makes me as objective as possible as the one side negates the other.

I also went for Taylor over Hopkins, twice, although I went for Hopkins over Tito, Tarver and Wright. So I think I can say that I've had a mixed time following these two guys. I just feel Joe is in for a surprise and wrote that from the British end.

Cheers guys.

Ps LOL I'm no lawyer I know a few barristers but I've not passed the bar myself. The British piece was a knockabout head-to-head with myself and another British writer. This Boxingscene piece was a longer and more considered article on the fight. If it was a forum post it would take up more than a few strands!

Enjoy the fight guys, have a good one

Not to mention Kessler's D.. Talk about moving straight back. Somebody should have checked the soles of his feet to make sure he wasn't wearing those Keds with the rolllers on them. Mikkel's idea of defense is to rock his head back about 2 inches and raise his gloves slightly.

[Neckodeemus]

Mentioning Oscar and Tito in relation to Lacy and Kessler is a good shout. Also to hold in mind is that Hopkins absolutely dominated Tarver (people say Tarver was weight drained, I thought he had been poisoned by a steak? I also heard it was because he had made a film. It actually came about because Hopkins figured him out and dominated him).

Hopkins also defeated Johnson (Glen is on a list Calzaghe keeps of guys he was going to fight but decided not to: The list includes Roy Jones, Clinton Woods, Antonio Tarver, Johnson, Robin Reid (in a rematch that Joe never felt inclined to take), Marcus Beyer, Sven Ottke, Michael Nunn and others, Winky Wright, Jermain Taylor, now Kelly Pavlik). People say Johnson was green when Hopkins defeated him, in truth, to those who have watched the fight in full, Glen was hammered by greater technique, same result would apply now.

Also you can pull down the Tito and Oscar wins but those guys are HOF bound and mixed in great company before and after the Hopkins fight. Lacy looked poor against Peter Manfredo and Kessler is off the scene right now, neither man is HOF bound at this point, I'm sure we can agree on that fact.

Plus the size of opponent is bound to be an issue, they fought at different weights, a middleweight is going to take on welters moving up. Tito and Oscar being the best possible examples. Joe fought a light-middle coming up, Evans Ashira I believe his name was, I think Evans, all respect intended, is slightly lesser than Tito and Oscar. Chris Evans would have been a better opponent.

Tito and Oscar may be small in size but Lacy and Kessler are diminutive in stature and achievement. I'm sorry but wins over Tito, Oscar, Tarver, Johnson and Wright tower over the win over Lacy, who may never hold a position again, and Kessler, who is tecnically inferior once figured out.

Sure Lacy was a good win but come on, the guy was poor. Calzaghe boasts about hitting the guy with near a 1,000 shots, fails to stop him, then shouts about his own poooower? How does he work that one out?

As stated one guy has had a better career than the other. Joe's title reign was largely 2nd rate, the likes of Jackson and Echols are better than the guys Joe faced.

One thing guys, I'm all for banter and that but fan writer? A Hopkins fan? Give me credit, bear in mind I've waited up until 4am for many a dull Hopkins fight, I've watched every one of Joe's title fights. I'm more like a sadist!

[Neckodeemus]

Another fanboy article.

This is not serious journalism. There's no analysis of boxing. It's just a long statement of "Calzaghe is scurred 'cause he's from Europe and Hopkins is from the hood."

I did go into the styles aspect but you cannot go crazily into 5-6 pages and cover all bases, here is my take on the styles:

Writing about Hopkins' life and mindset is almost enough to tip one into melodramatic expression: you can almost imagine Bernard spending the winter secreted away in his subterranean lair, working on a plan to derail Calzaghe's strengths, a plan to be brought to light like dark flowers blooming in the dazed mind. Although Hopkins recently bristled at suggestions he is merely a tactician. He feels that his craft is his gameplan.

Joe repeats his “thousand punches a fight” mantra in the hope that it may ward off the fact that Hopkins, on past form, can make his opponent miss many shots. Every one of those thousand shots will present a chance for Hopkins to slip, block, cover distance, hold, smother, foul, before slipping in the eye-catching shots.

Calzaghe cuts also; it is out there in the public domain. Butts have caused some of the cuts; but given that Hopkins butts there is clear scope for Joe cutting in this fight. We could see Joe fighting with blood in his eyes and, as we saw in his fight with Sakio Bika, Joe fighting with blood in his eyes spells rich pickings for a guy good enough to land right hands.

Calzaghe sets for a flurry, lifts his chin and trusts in his reflexes, which let him down in the Bika and Kessler fights, Hopkins may be a forty something but Joe himself carries the hands of a 90 year-old typist, when he has to crack they break, he will have to crack to keep Hopkins honest, therefore we can expect either his weak hands or his cut-prone skin to conspire against him, this means that all bets are off.

Calzaghe's biggest boon is also a massive foe for him. Hopkins loves fighting southpaws. Calzaghe prides himself on a unique style. Hopkins has the antidote for that, in taking in a plethora of southpaw styles he can quickly sift through their differing make-ups and find the exemplar of Joe's style.

Hopkins was taught to fight southpaws by a southpaw in John David Jackson. Hopkins repaid this help in the only way he knows how; he beat the hell out of Jackson in defence of his IBF middleweight title. Hopkins does what anyone should do against a southpaw, make the action messy then pick your shots; even Kabary Salem did this against Calzaghe, flooring Joe to boot.

Hopkins will sometimes line himself asymmetrically before his southpaw foe, and then close the space and landing his shots, before negating until the break. That ability to beat southpaws is not a gift of youthful reflexes; it is down to having knack of fighting a southpaw.

If Hopkins can beat a southpaw with a tighter defence than Joe in Winky Wright, plus Wright threw 618 shots in their fight, then Hopkins can beat Calzaghe, who has a leaky defence.

Joe must bear in mind that, in every aspect, Bernard will come correct, showing Calzaghe respect whilst negating the Welshman's flurries, and movement, with every understated step.

You can throw a KO win for Joe out of court also. In recent years Joe has had the finishing ability of an anorexic girl sitting before an 18-ounce steak, it is not happening. Hopkins would have to hit 60 before Joe could muster an attack to stop him. Joe could barley get Peter Manfredo out of there and Manfredo's chin presented itself as subtly as Jennifer Lopez's derrière, in a basque. So, no KO for Joe.

Bear in mind that I've posted many a forum post on Joe over time, and a few articles. This is the first time I've written from Hopkins' end of things so I set-up the style of Joe and tried ot see what Hopkins would bring.

Sorry if you disagree about the nature of the article but on this side of the pond there is so much concentration on Joe it has become dull.

Genuinely, may the best man win. I'm a James Toney/Vernon Forrest/Peter Quillan obsessive so I have my own worries fanwise at this point and they mostly focus on the man mountain Toney and Vernon Forrest!

[kayjay]

Writing about 'Nard's mythical childhood was your mistake. Haven't you read my ****? He grew up in a middle-class neighborhood. The personal angle from his side is all PR. And you're repeating it once more.

[Addison]

Mentioning Oscar and Tito in relation to Lacy and Kessler is a good shout. Also to hold in mind is that Hopkins absolutely dominated Tarver (people say Tarver was weight drained, I thought he had been poisoned by a steak? I also heard it was because he had made a film. It actually came about because Hopkins figured him out and dominated him).

Hopkins also defeated Johnson (Glen is on a list Calzaghe keeps of guys he was going to fight but decided not to: The list includes Roy Jones, Clinton Woods, Antonio Tarver, Johnson, Robin Reid (in a rematch that Joe never felt inclined to take), Marcus Beyer, Sven Ottke, Michael Nunn and others, Winky Wright, Jermain Taylor, now Kelly Pavlik). People say Johnson was green when Hopkins defeated him, in truth, to those who have watched the fight in full, Glen was hammered by greater technique, same result would apply now.

Also you can pull down the Tito and Oscar wins but those guys are HOF bound and mixed in great company before and after the Hopkins fight. Lacy looked poor against Peter Manfredo and Kessler is off the scene right now, neither man is HOF bound at this point, I'm sure we can agree on that fact.

Plus the size of opponent is bound to be an issue, they fought at different weights, a middleweight is going to take on welters moving up. Tito and Oscar being the best possible examples. Joe fought a light-middle coming up, Evans Ashira I believe his name was, I think Evans, all respect intended, is slightly lesser than Tito and Oscar. Chris Evans would have been a better opponent.

Tito and Oscar may be small in size but Lacy and Kessler are diminutive in stature and achievement. I'm sorry but wins over Tito, Oscar, Tarver, Johnson and Wright tower over the win over Lacy, who may never hold a position again, and Kessler, who is tecnically inferior once figured out.

Sure Lacy was a good win but come on, the guy was poor. Calzaghe boasts about hitting the guy with near a 1,000 shots, fails to stop him, then shouts about his own poooower? How does he work that one out?

As stated one guy has had a better career than the other. Joe's title reign was largely 2nd rate, the likes of Jackson and Echols are better than the guys Joe faced.

One thing guys, I'm all for banter and that but fan writer? A Hopkins fan? Give me credit, bear in mind I've waited up until 4am for many a dull Hopkins fight, I've watched every one of Joe's title fights. I'm more like a sadist!

I watched the fight myself just yesterday. That's exactly right. Tarver looked as good as he did against Woods just last saturday, as he did in the opening rounds against Hopkins back in 06'. The revisionists twisted that one. Hopkins was busting him up from go. Tarver's spirit was crushed by the 5th when his glove was forced to the canvas by that counter right hand from Popkins.

[adthomas2]

I just want to see a good fight without all the racism and discrimination, I feel Joe will win due to handspeed if he throws the 1000 punches and not the 500-600 like he said he was going to, and as far as Hopkins prison life, I don't feel that is something to be proud of but he sure is proud of it (and I know he uses it for intimidation) but still to mention it everytime you see him is a little overboard and for people to write in their articles like he is some kind of hero for it, well it is sad, I'm not a big Hopkins fan or neither am I a Joe C fan I just love boxing and want to see a good fight and I would rather not see a track race, I feel if your in a ring then fight and if your on a track then run not the other way around ......allthough to watch some all out fights on the track is pretty cool.....lol

[Addison]

Mentioning Oscar and Tito in relation to Lacy and Kessler is a good shout. Also to hold in mind is that Hopkins absolutely dominated Tarver (people say Tarver was weight drained, I thought he had been poisoned by a steak? I also heard it was because he had made a film. It actually came about because Hopkins figured him out and dominated him).

Hopkins also defeated Johnson (Glen is on a list Calzaghe keeps of guys he was going to fight but decided not to: The list includes Roy Jones, Clinton Woods, Antonio Tarver, Johnson, Robin Reid (in a rematch that Joe never felt inclined to take), Marcus Beyer, Sven Ottke, Michael Nunn and others, Winky Wright, Jermain Taylor, now Kelly Pavlik). People say Johnson was green when Hopkins defeated him, in truth, to those who have watched the fight in full, Glen was hammered by greater technique, same result would apply now.

Also you can pull down the Tito and Oscar wins but those guys are HOF bound and mixed in great company before and after the Hopkins fight. Lacy looked poor against Peter Manfredo and Kessler is off the scene right now, neither man is HOF bound at this point, I'm sure we can agree on that fact.

Plus the size of opponent is bound to be an issue, they fought at different weights, a middleweight is going to take on welters moving up. Tito and Oscar being the best possible examples. Joe fought a light-middle coming up, Evans Ashira I believe his name was, I think Evans, all respect intended, is slightly lesser than Tito and Oscar. Chris Evans would have been a better opponent.

Tito and Oscar may be small in size but Lacy and Kessler are diminutive in stature and achievement. I'm sorry but wins over Tito, Oscar, Tarver, Johnson and Wright tower over the win over Lacy, who may never hold a position again, and Kessler, who is tecnically inferior once figured out.

Sure Lacy was a good win but come on, the guy was poor. Calzaghe boasts about hitting the guy with near a 1,000 shots, fails to stop him, then shouts about his own poooower? How does he work that one out?

As stated one guy has had a better career than the other. Joe's title reign was largely 2nd rate, the likes of Jackson and Echols are better than the guys Joe faced.

One thing guys, I'm all for banter and that but fan writer? A Hopkins fan? Give me credit, bear in mind I've waited up until 4am for many a dull Hopkins fight, I've watched every one of Joe's title fights. I'm more like a sadist!

[Neckodeemus]

Writing about 'Nard's mythical childhood was your mistake. Haven't you read my ****? He grew up in a middle-class neighborhood. The personal angle from his side is all PR. And you're repeating it once more.

Your stuff on this strand, or in general? Direct me to it.

I checked the stabbing report, plus his place of birth, and it seemed to me that it took place in a part of the city that would not be particularly welcoming. As suggested by the attack itself.

I also double-checked after reading your post. It does appear to me, I may be wrong, that Hopkins spent time in prison from the age 17-21. We don't have middleclass prisons over here so I assumed that the prison in question would have been quite tough. I'm also certain that Hopkins went there for strong-arm robbery, as opposed to insider trading.

I don't know Philly, or jail for that matter, well. I would say in my defence that a 4-year stint inside is not akin to spending your formative adult years in Glossop, Hyde or Marple.

If his PR man faked the stabbing, all of them, faked the jail time, and faked his early career struggle then I want that PR man, he may help me convince you that I am writing in good faith!

Addison, Tarver looked pretty poor last week, I thought he would beat Woods but not with Woods looking so awful. Glen Johnson must be hoping for a 3rd Tarver bout, Hopkins broke Tarver in my opinion.