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Round 12: The undefeated record is on the line and Calzaghe comes forward like he knows it. But Hopkins ties him up time and again. A frustrating final round for the Welshman and a frustrating fight really. Some experts disagree with me but I think Hopkins has this. Like I said before, I hope I'm wrong.
Round 11: Calzaghe needs to finish very well and Hopkins is not making it easy. The American knows when to tie up and when to punch his way out of a corner - he has even more ring savvy than Calzaghe and it has shown tonight. Explosive end to the round but I think Calzaghe needs a knockout. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think he can win this on points.
Round 10: Enzo Calzaghe is talking about knockouts and his son may yet need one. There is certainly more spring in the younger man's step - he catches Hopkins low and then taunts him which is unpopular among certain sections of the crowd. Sly Stallone at ringside is not impressed. Hopkins takes a couple of minutes to recover and we are off again. No point deduction for Calzaghe by the way.
Calzaghe pours forward on the restart but Hopkins looks more lively after his break. I still have Hopkins ahead.
Round nine: Good left hand from southpaw Calzaghe. Hopkins may have slowed a bit and is blowing quite hard. Age catching up with him? Just maybe. Calzaghe bullies him back to the ropes and Hopkins holds - not for the first time I should add. That should be a Calzaghe round.
Round eight: Hopkins is loving this - his stategy is spot on. Calzaghe just can't stick any big shots on his slippery rival and Hopkins is bound to be impressing the judges with his precise counters. Calzaghe taunts Hopkins at the bell, but he does not have much to joke about right now.
Round seven: A quietish round and that's no good for Calzaghe, who needs to force the pace. He does at the death and is staggered again after landing a few of his own.
Round six: Moment of minor controversy as Hopkins leads with his head and is not pulled up by Cortez. He is a wily old stager is Hopkins. Calzaghe's work rate is good but Hopkins is negating most of his work. If that trend continues, I fear for Calzaghe, who ends the round with his knees on the canvas. That was a stumble though folks. I think Hopkins is two or three rounds ahead at the halfway stage and Enzo Calzaghe gives his son a rollicking.
Round five: A good right followed by a straight left represent the best moment of the fight from Calzaghe. But Hopkins has a lock-tight defence. He's not a middleweight legend for nothing. A little bit of after there as the bell sounds.
Round four: Referee Joe Cortez has to step in as the fight becomes a bit messy. A messy fight is probably to Hopkins' advantage and he is probably the instigator. Fast hands from Calzaghe may have won him that round but Hopkins continues to give as good as he gets.
Round three: Hopkins is playing a waiting game and his counter attacks are precise. Calzaghe, meanwhile, is struggling to find a clean shot as his fans try to galvanise him with Wales chants. Calzaghe is marginally the busier but I'm not sure he is doing enough to win these early rounds. At the bell, father Enzo tells son Joe he is being too cautious.
Round two: Hopkins has always done the dirty things well and he has no problem with locking heads here. He waits for Calzaghe to pour forward lands a decent blow again. Closer round that one, but the American will be the happier at this stage. Make no mistake about that.
Round one: We're off. Calzaghe v Hopkins. Wales v USA. Unbeaten v rarely beaten. Champion v champion. A terrible start for Calzaghe - he walks onto a straight right hand from Hopkins and hits the canvas for only the third time in his career. He is up quickly but that is a huge warning shot and just like that, Calzaghe has a cut on the bridge of his nose. 10-8 round for Hopkins. Massive momentum for Hopkins.
Round 11: Calzaghe needs to finish very well and Hopkins is not making it easy. The American knows when to tie up and when to punch his way out of a corner - he has even more ring savvy than Calzaghe and it has shown tonight. Explosive end to the round but I think Calzaghe needs a knockout. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think he can win this on points.
Round 10: Enzo Calzaghe is talking about knockouts and his son may yet need one. There is certainly more spring in the younger man's step - he catches Hopkins low and then taunts him which is unpopular among certain sections of the crowd. Sly Stallone at ringside is not impressed. Hopkins takes a couple of minutes to recover and we are off again. No point deduction for Calzaghe by the way.
Calzaghe pours forward on the restart but Hopkins looks more lively after his break. I still have Hopkins ahead.
Round nine: Good left hand from southpaw Calzaghe. Hopkins may have slowed a bit and is blowing quite hard. Age catching up with him? Just maybe. Calzaghe bullies him back to the ropes and Hopkins holds - not for the first time I should add. That should be a Calzaghe round.
Round eight: Hopkins is loving this - his stategy is spot on. Calzaghe just can't stick any big shots on his slippery rival and Hopkins is bound to be impressing the judges with his precise counters. Calzaghe taunts Hopkins at the bell, but he does not have much to joke about right now.
Round seven: A quietish round and that's no good for Calzaghe, who needs to force the pace. He does at the death and is staggered again after landing a few of his own.
Round six: Moment of minor controversy as Hopkins leads with his head and is not pulled up by Cortez. He is a wily old stager is Hopkins. Calzaghe's work rate is good but Hopkins is negating most of his work. If that trend continues, I fear for Calzaghe, who ends the round with his knees on the canvas. That was a stumble though folks. I think Hopkins is two or three rounds ahead at the halfway stage and Enzo Calzaghe gives his son a rollicking.
Round five: A good right followed by a straight left represent the best moment of the fight from Calzaghe. But Hopkins has a lock-tight defence. He's not a middleweight legend for nothing. A little bit of after there as the bell sounds.
Round four: Referee Joe Cortez has to step in as the fight becomes a bit messy. A messy fight is probably to Hopkins' advantage and he is probably the instigator. Fast hands from Calzaghe may have won him that round but Hopkins continues to give as good as he gets.
Round three: Hopkins is playing a waiting game and his counter attacks are precise. Calzaghe, meanwhile, is struggling to find a clean shot as his fans try to galvanise him with Wales chants. Calzaghe is marginally the busier but I'm not sure he is doing enough to win these early rounds. At the bell, father Enzo tells son Joe he is being too cautious.
Round two: Hopkins has always done the dirty things well and he has no problem with locking heads here. He waits for Calzaghe to pour forward lands a decent blow again. Closer round that one, but the American will be the happier at this stage. Make no mistake about that.
Round one: We're off. Calzaghe v Hopkins. Wales v USA. Unbeaten v rarely beaten. Champion v champion. A terrible start for Calzaghe - he walks onto a straight right hand from Hopkins and hits the canvas for only the third time in his career. He is up quickly but that is a huge warning shot and just like that, Calzaghe has a cut on the bridge of his nose. 10-8 round for Hopkins. Massive momentum for Hopkins.
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