Joe's status if he wins?

[Dirt E Gomez]

It's not quite a matter of "a little too little too late," but it almost is. Hopkins is old and Zag's resume even w/ Hopkins is lacking. He's proven he's a good fighter plenty of times, but he still has to step it up in his few years left if he wants the recognition many on this board feel he deserves.

[RichCCFC]

P4p #2, Best SMW ever and one of the best in the past decade.

[Cadey]

If he wins, people will just day hes beaten a washed-up 43 year-old. So really, hes not achieving anything unless he knocks out Hopkins out impressively or absolutely ****ing batters him over the twelve rounds.

Then if he loses, his career is down the toilet.

[frankpaganini]

when tyson beat holmes......... they said it was old holmes

when norris beat leonard....they said sugar man was old

when lewis, and the rest after that beat tyson......tyson was old

when barkley beat hearns......they said hearns was a shell of himself

the list goes on.......just saying

very true and i dont doubt that being said for the near future but overtime it wont be seen like that if hopkins doesnt look 43 during the fight.

win or lose someone will get slack for it.

If hopkins wins they will say calzaghe was just "unproven" and "untested" against the american fighters and was never that good to begin with (arguing the U.S. competition is tougher than what calzaghe is use to) and if calzaghe wins they will say hopkins was old.

However I think if calzaghe wins with hopkins looking the best he's looked in 5 years and gives calzaghe a tough close fight that overtime (not immediately) the hopkins win will be notable.

Hopkins will be the deciding factor in this fight...does he look 43 in the fight or 33?

[Dirt E Gomez]

P4p #2, Best SMW ever and one of the best in the past decade.

Claiming you're the best SMW ever isn't exactly saying too much though. It's not exactly the most loaded division in the history of boxing. Worth something, sure, but not as impressive as it sounds.

[thegreatone1]

Goes from number 3 P4P to number 1 easy.

Mayweather has no argument do i need to name his last 5 opponents? and Pac-Man lost to Marques.

[abadger]

very true and i dont doubt that being said for the near future but overtime it wont be seen like that if hopkins doesnt look 43 during the fight.

win or lose someone will get slack for it.

If hopkins wins they will say calzaghe was just "unproven" and "untested" against the american fighters and was never that good to begin with (arguing the U.S. competition is tougher than what calzaghe is use to) and if calzaghe wins they will say hopkins was old.

However I think if calzaghe wins with hopkins looking the best he's looked in 5 years and gives calzaghe a tough close fight that overtime (not immediately) the hopkins win will be notable.

Hopkins will be the deciding factor in this fight...does he look 43 in the fight or 33?

Another very nice post. I agree with everything you say, but I hadn't thought of it in quite such detailed terms. If Joe wins how Hopkins looks will be critical.
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Indica Strains

[abadger]

Claiming you're the best SMW ever isn't exactly saying too much though. It's not exactly the most loaded division in the history of boxing. Worth something, sure, but not as impressive as it sounds.

It's as good as it gets for a super middleweight!
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Full Melt Hash

[Boogie Nights]

i think if he beat hopkins without any doubts, then takes on someone like Pavlik at a catchweight, beats him, and then has one last defining career win over a big name, then it will seal the deal

making a hall of fame career with guys like lacy and kessler is good but not good enough when you consider what other great fighters had to go through to get to the Fame. Joe is good make no mistake, but he needs more names.

[Kilrain]

I really would happily bow at the feet of Joe if he wins. I've never said Joe was a bad fighter despite picking Hop, I think he's a wonderful fighter with amazing handspeed and workrate. He's a bonafide pound for pound elite, though I prefer punchers who punch with the knuckle part of the glove as opposed to the inside of it, whatever I respect him. I just think Hopkins knows too much for him.

if Joe wins there should be no talk of Hopkins age, he's 2-0 in his last two against quality opposition, particularly against Winky, and he's in great shape. If Calzaghe wins he has nothing more to prove, though who can deny a fight with Pavlik is mouthwatering should he come through this?