Prime Calzaghe beats Prime Hopkins convincingly

[TheGreatA]

I'm European and I think a prime Hopkins would beat a prime Calzaghe.

I can see how someone would think otherwise though, they are both very evenly matched.

[RichCCFC]

A more active Hopkins would have beaten Calzaghe that night. He made Joe look like ****. Joe won a split decision. Hopkins landed the cleaner blows. Had he threw more he would've won.

Hopkins in his prime didn't fight the way he does now and doesn't have the knowledge he does on southpaws.

Calzaghe is faster, harder hitting and straighter punching in his prime.

[Dynamite Kid]

Really? So what about you saying Calzaghe beats Hopkins convincingly? Doesn't that class as national bias?

u cant do fantasy match up with Ricky he thinks Calzaghe wins by wide UD against anybody in history

Hopkin is a more intelligent fighter than Calzaghe better defensively & he knows how to fight Southpaws

lets for arguement sake say Hopkins won 4 rounds he had a knockdown aswell that gives him 5 rounds u only need 6 for a draw , he visibly tired towards then end of the fight and started to look all his 43 years thus conceeding many of the latter rounds as he started to tire due to age, imagine the same scenario but Hopkins makes them last 3/4 rounds more competitive just by the sheer fact he is younger and able to sustain his workrate he would have beaten Calzaghe handedly IMO

[Dirt E Gomez]

Thanks for reminding me Joe has a better chin too.

No seriously... Hopkins in his PHYSICAL prime didn't wasn't in his MENTAL prime.

Prime is when they're at they're best; regardless of age. I wouldn't say that B-Hop's physical prime was when he was at his best. On the contrary, several years later after he'd further developed his style and got even more ring savvy. He was still well close enough to his physical prime as well.

Also, how does Joe have a better chin? I'm not suggesting it is bad; but Hopkins' is phenomenal and given his balance isn't subject to quick/flash knockdowns.

[RichCCFC]

Calzaghe was the 3rd southpaw in a row Hopkins fought.

Hopkins wouldn't of had the experience of fighting southpaws during his physical prime.

[Dynamite Kid]

Calzaghe was the 3rd southpaw in a row Hopkins fought.

Hopkins wouldn't of had the experience of fighting southpaws during his physical prime.

Hopkins prime was probably when he beat Trinidad when he had all his ring smarts but was still young enough to sustain his workrate to a degree

[GTL]

ricky, i find it laughable how you think prime calz would be a prime hopkins..

the only reason that hopkins lost is because the ****er didnt throw anything

a prime bhop threw in volume (echols, glen johnson)

he wasnt the boring fighter he is now..

calzaghe is a sloppy fighter.. and will never be a good BOXER in my eyes..

prime bhop decisions maybe tkos a prime calzaghe.. thats my opinion..

look at your posts doode, JC in the sig, JC in the Avy, JC in the posts.. you rarely post about other things besides JC (from what ive seen).. this doesnt make me take your opinion seriusly b/c u seem to be more of a cheerleader than anything else..

[ИATAS]

Hopkins in his prime didn't fight the way he does now and doesn't have the knowledge he does on southpaws.

Calzaghe is faster, harder hitting and straighter punching in his prime.

the hell you talkin bout? Post 40 year old Hopkins fought 3 Southpaws, he's beaten a total of about 12 in his career. He always did great against southpaws.

I think even the version of hopkins that destroyed glen johnson, which was pre-prime hopkins imo, would beat calzaghe, possibly even by KO or TKO.

[RichCCFC]

the hell you talkin bout? Post 40 year old Hopkins fought 3 Southpaws, he's beaten a total of about 12 in his career. He always did great against southpaws.

I think even the version of hopkins that destroyed glen johnson, which was pre-prime hopkins imo, would beat calzaghe, possibly even by KO or TKO.

It was only until recently that he started beating elite southpaws.

Tell me what a prime Hopkins has over a prime Calzaghe?

[Dynamite Kid]

Prime is when they're at they're best; regardless of age. I wouldn't say that B-Hop's physical prime was when he was at his best. On the contrary, several years later after he'd further developed his style and got even more ring savvy. He was still well close enough to his physical prime as well.

Also, how does Joe have a better chin? I'm not suggesting it is bad; but Hopkins' is phenomenal and given his balance isn't subject to quick/flash knockdowns.

i agree with this Calzaghe aint chinny but its like Freddie Roach said his defence is his offence the fact that he smoothers his oponents with workrate & does'nt give them the room to load up with power he keeps them backed up which also helps its obviously easier to deliver power when u are on the front foot than when u are on the backfoot

i think that hight workrate has kept him relatively at arms length when it comes to defending himself