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Whatever you think, whoever you believe won is irrelevant. What is relevant is Joe is so bloody underated it's a crime against boxing!
Here's a breakdown of what Calzaghe did that no other boxer has done against Hopkins:
1) Land more punches than any fighter ever has vs Hopkins
2) Control Centre of the ring - everytime (this is soooo oft overlooked!)
3) Display better stamina
4) Adapt mid fight
5) Rotate his body to avoid Hopkins right side pot shots mid grab
6) Tuck his left arm/elbow and head in so Hopkins couldn't liver shot him in close
7) Fight with his hands low so Hopkins couldn't time him as he came in; Hopkins was pawing the left and looking for the 'pipe' shot that both Nassem & Roach came up with pretty much all fight long.
8) Use distance
9) Not allow Hopkins mind games to get to him
10) Not fall for traps multiple times
11) perpetually pressure Bernard
The bottom line is this fight was boring to watch but it was boring to watch because we had two truly amazing fighters in there. People forget Hopkins DID have Richardson in his corner. And Roach. And the conditioning coach Makie Shields. All Calzaghe had was his whining swearing minstrel of a father and the green hills of Wales. The fact Joe - himself - adapted mid fight and came back the way he did showcases his greatness whereas Hopkins himself amazingly had no plan B or C! That at least even to Hopkins fans deserves some credit. Joe had never faced a fighter like Hopkins and gave Hopkins and his lifetime experience all he could handle.
Regardless of whether you think he won or lost no other fighter has done these things against Hopkins. I'm not the biggest Joe fan in the world I think he was an arrogant man who wasted his amazing talents but this is the point I am trying to make:
I can see that hw was truly a once in a lifetime amazing talent!
Khan has the speed. Haye has the mouth. Froch has the heart. Hatton has the pressure but they all excel in one or two things whereas Cazlaghe had all those traits fighters and like him don't come very often it's just a shame he retired before he reached his peak
Here's a breakdown of what Calzaghe did that no other boxer has done against Hopkins:
1) Land more punches than any fighter ever has vs Hopkins
2) Control Centre of the ring - everytime (this is soooo oft overlooked!)
3) Display better stamina
4) Adapt mid fight
5) Rotate his body to avoid Hopkins right side pot shots mid grab
6) Tuck his left arm/elbow and head in so Hopkins couldn't liver shot him in close
7) Fight with his hands low so Hopkins couldn't time him as he came in; Hopkins was pawing the left and looking for the 'pipe' shot that both Nassem & Roach came up with pretty much all fight long.
8) Use distance
9) Not allow Hopkins mind games to get to him
10) Not fall for traps multiple times
11) perpetually pressure Bernard
The bottom line is this fight was boring to watch but it was boring to watch because we had two truly amazing fighters in there. People forget Hopkins DID have Richardson in his corner. And Roach. And the conditioning coach Makie Shields. All Calzaghe had was his whining swearing minstrel of a father and the green hills of Wales. The fact Joe - himself - adapted mid fight and came back the way he did showcases his greatness whereas Hopkins himself amazingly had no plan B or C! That at least even to Hopkins fans deserves some credit. Joe had never faced a fighter like Hopkins and gave Hopkins and his lifetime experience all he could handle.
Regardless of whether you think he won or lost no other fighter has done these things against Hopkins. I'm not the biggest Joe fan in the world I think he was an arrogant man who wasted his amazing talents but this is the point I am trying to make:
I can see that hw was truly a once in a lifetime amazing talent!
Khan has the speed. Haye has the mouth. Froch has the heart. Hatton has the pressure but they all excel in one or two things whereas Cazlaghe had all those traits fighters and like him don't come very often it's just a shame he retired before he reached his peak
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