Calzaghe was clearly not up for Hopkins

[Kris Silver]

No one is up for Hopkins. Pavlik looked bad against him so did , Taylor(even though he won), Tito, Oscar, Winky, and Tarver. I think it might be a trend...

On Pavlik Tarver and I think Winky, you have a point in that they say they just performed badly on the night and just couldn't get off.

That wasn't the case for Calzaghe however. He did not train, spar or prepare himself enough BEFORE the fight, and managed to pull of a win, IN the fight.

[pinpointsman]

surely he felt more pressure against Jones. I think he considered Hopkins old and well past it. In the fight he was there for a bit of a surprise...hopkins was still very competitive. Thats why against jones he took it more seriously...and it showed in the preparation.

Calzaghe could have sat at home all day eating healthy for 4 years without any training at all and he still would have beat up a washed up Jones.


Calzaghe will be remember as a enigma in boxing history because nobody will ever know how good he was because he never has faced a good-great prime fighter.

[savorduhflavor]

On Pavlik Tarver and I think Winky, you have a point in that they say they just performed badly on the night and just couldn't get off.

That wasn't the case for Calzaghe however. He did not train, spar or prepare himself enough BEFORE the fight, and managed to pull of a win, IN the fight.

I meant that when so many world class fighters look bad against one guy, than maybe it's something that guy is doing. No one looks good against Hopkins, to say Calzaghe was just not prepared is not fair. I don't know too much about his training so maybe your right, but even then....thats grossly unfair to Hopkins. I know it's difficult to see exactly what it is that freezes guys up, but he does it on a consistent basis so he deserves a lot of credit.

[Gatti9783]

_Ricky_ you make wayyyyyy too many Calzaghe threads bro. You should just start an official Calzaghe thread or something.

[Kris Silver]

I meant that when so many world class fighters look bad against one guy, than maybe it's something that guy is doing. No one looks good against Hopkins, to say Calzaghe was just not prepared is not fair. I don't know too much about his training so maybe your right, but even then....thats grossly unfair to Hopkins. I know it's difficult to see exactly what it is that freezes guys up, but he does it on a consistent basis so he deserves a lot of credit.

With respect, you've missed my point and kinda contradicted yourself in saying you don't know much about his training camp.

I've not said strongly Calzaghe was completely un prepared or anything like that, nor has he or anyone. However, in a boxing forum discussing boxing, it's fine to at least note quote from the boxer and info about the fight leading up to it.

Calzaghe was going up in weight, did not do it well, did not train as hard or for as long as he did for Jones (2 weeks less) he didn't spar much in the 2 weeks leading up to it due to a slight hand injury and not wanting to make it worse (though he only admitted this once because people give him so much grief over it). One of his main sparring partners didn't make it out to the US, Bradley Pryce, and they didn't really get the sparring camp in a good shape.

He wasn't as motivated and has said all of this and a little more since. Not however, as much as Pavlik, Tarver and Winky have said. I agree Hopkins makes everyone looks bad and there's something to be said about that, totally. But Calzaghes issues though not very serious, were about training and motivation PRE fight. The excuses that Winky, Tarver and Pavlik used to way more of an extent, were more of an in fight complaint of just not being able to get off. Well that genuinely is a case of Hopkins work IN the ring, so their less legit. That's all I'm pointing out.

Not wanting to go on about it though, Calzaghe was a fool to not raise in weight better, train as hard, get better sparring partners in, motivate himself, think about what Hopkins tactically, and style wise brings.

[TRANSWARP]

I guess this is a good way to discredit hopkins win against zaghe..

[Shadow boxer 3]

calzaghe is just using that as an excuse. hopkins makes everyone look bad against him, even when he loses. If they had a rematch calazghe would look no better, but hopkins would.

[RichCCFC]

I guess this is a good way to discredit hopkins loss against zaghe..

How could we do that?

[andujar]

the other way around brother. if The Hop of the Pavlik fight showed up, then Calz would of been tko'd.

[Fenom]

I really doubt he underestimated Hopkins, and if he did, it would have been pretty ******. His lack of definition can be attributed to him moving up for the first time, his body may not have been used to 175 yet, he looked more filled out against Jones.

right.. plus after fighting Hopkins at 175 he probably stayed there or around there up until the Jones fight