How confident are you on your pick?

[RisAri0]

Bernard has never made me think he'll lose in all his fights, he's good at selling himself in every fight..he talks the talk and walks the walk even when he loses...Hopkins is like the ugly version of Floyd Mayweather..he make not look pretty & flashy, but he's also a smart, defensive wizard, a great counter puncher, knows how to get into his opponents head psychologically, he's mentally tough & very versatile in the boxing game. Everything Bernard does is with tactical brilliance. He knows what it takes to win fights.... and thats y I'm confident in The Executioner.

all that sometimes makes me forget about his age because he makes it up with smart physics in the ring...

[oldgringo]

Anybody who has an extreme amount of confidence on either side is delusional. This the closest big name fight that I can think of the last few years.

I understand how/why Calzaghe is favored and don't think it's unjust to have him as the favorite, although I would say the odds might be a little too high in his favor.

I agree with ya Dirty Gomes.

[adrsan84]

Anybody who has an extreme amount of confidence on either side is delusional. This the closest big name fight that I can think of the last few years.

I understand how/why Calzaghe is favored and don't think it's unjust to have him as the favorite, although I would say the odds might be a little too high in his favor.

I haven't been able to make a prediction, there are too many variable in this fight for me. I'm rooting for Calzaghe, but I understand that he does not meet the requirement for the darkness of skin to beat Hopkins so it's a thricky pick. Nahy bt seriously, too close to call for me. I've actually rooted against both of these fighters and picked against them and they always prove me wrong, so I'm just going to sit back and watch.

[robjr]

hard to be really confident. This is a tough fight to pick. Joe will be the busier guy. But Nard is very crafty seasoned vet. He is a guy that would be hard for anyone to really dominate. Im picking Hopkins by UD 115-113

[KingTito]

I have a feeling about Hopkins. He may pull it off.

[Silencers]

Calzaghe by decision. Pretty confident, not as confident as I was 2 months ago though, Hopkins looked like he got under Calzaghe's skin a bit at the press conference.

[Addison]

I agree with everything you say regarding Hopkins/Tarver/Woods Addison. But Joe Calzaghe is three levels up from these fighters and he actualy throws punches.

Calzaghe Will be faster than Hopkins (thats a given) he'll be able to outbox him, he'll be just as strong and is just as happy in the trenches. i give Nard a a slight edge in power but that wont be enough to beat Calzaghe because his chin and heart are first class.

Im thinking - 117-111 for Calzaghe, it'll be competirive for 6 rounds then Joe will clean up the last 6 rounds because of his much better condition.

Also, i see Calzaghe looking very strong just now, usualy when he's making 168 he's very gray and his face looks drawn because he struggles to make the weight. I think we're just about to see the best version of Joe Calzaghe we have ever seen.

Good post, but within proper context; I'm just answering the question posed by the thread, not lumping Calzaghe in with Tarver or Woods.

In regards to something you've mentioned; we will all be seeing exactly what class Joe Calzaghe is in. Most definately.

Whooping on straight ahead, conventional fighters like Lacy - and to a lesser extent Kessler, is fine and dandy, but Calzaghe's bag of tricks might not work on everyone, in every situation.

Understand something - anyone who is being truly honest with themselves shouldn't be able to say exactly what sort of class Calzaghe is in. That's the same sort of ignorance that had people thinking Jeff Lacy had a chance against Joe. If Calzaghe loses this fight it will be because, and only because, his class isn't, and never was, as high as we thought.

We can all be sure Hopkins has had to contend with opposition far more slick, dangerous, and unpredictable than anything Calzaghe has ever been in the same room with. Don't be surpised to see Calzaghe desperate, lost in space, or on the downside of advantage. I know I won't.

Personally, I like Calzaghe for many reasons, some of them cultural even - but I won't get ahead of myself. This, all of this, is still an unknown..

[TommyGunn.]

Both Woodhall and Eubank are fighters who dont stand and trade and Calzaghe dealt fairly easily IMO with both fighters. They were tricky for different reasons, Woodhall was a great boxer who liked to move, he was a stellar amature and carried his natural ability into the pro ranks having great success at british, european and world level.

Eubank, he was just a nightmare to fight for anyone, he had great reflexes he had power in his legs which helped him move like a welterweight too. I wouldn't say Eubank was was primed when he fought Calzaghe but id say he was still around 90% of his best.

I see this fight going like the Kessler fight to be quite honest, i think Calzaghe is very smart in the way that he'll engage a fighter for the first 4/5/6 rounds then when he see's them tire a little he'll go on the outside and switch up those other gears we know he has.

Ive never been one to gauge fighters on who they have fought in the past i like to judge them on what they look like in the ring. At this moment in time i see Nobody who comes close to either Floyd Mayweather Jr and Joe Calzaghe on a P4P sense.

What seperates floyd and joe from the rest for me is both guys have the skill and speed but its that other gear they go up when the other fighters slow down.

[FRKO]

Understand something - anyone who is being truly honest with themselves shouldn't be able to say exactly what sort of class Calzaghe is in. That's the same sort of ignorance that had people thinking Jeff Lacy had a chance against Joe. If Calzaghe loses this fight it will be because, and only because, his class isn't, and never was, as high as we thought.

We can all be sure Hopkins has had to contend with opposition far more slick, dangerous, and unpredictable than anything Calzaghe has ever been in the same room with. Don't be surpised to see Calzaghe desperate, lost in space, or on the downside of advantage. I know I won't.

I disagree strongly with your first point in the quote. What's I feel is important is the way in which the opponent is defeated. Controversial decision? Robbery? KO? Tight split decision? ... You appear to have jumped the gun and rushed to the conclusion that, should he lose, Calzaghe never had the right to be considered elite.

Second point is more of a question, really. Which of Bernard's opponents do you consider far more slick, dangerous, and unpredictable than Joe Calzaghe, apart from the obvious Roy Jones Jr. back in 1993?

[Dirt E Gomez]

Anybody also mentioning stamina is crazy. Hopkins stamina isn't an issue, merely the volume of punches he puts out. The question is, will his limited punches be effective enough to keep Calzaghe at bay and land good counters or will Joe simply throw more, land more, and score an easy decision.

That is the only thing that matters in this fight. Which is also why I favor Calzaghe.