Hopkins not interested in fighting Calzaghe

[uppercut_84]

This past Saturday, super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe after defeating Sakio Bika said a Hopkins bout is the one fight he wants most. In a recent interview conducted by popular Boxing Scribe Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Hopkins made it clear he is not interested in Calzaghe, but instead is focused on fighting Heavyweight Champion, Oleg Maskaev. To face Maskaev, Hopkins is willing to come out of retirement.

Hopkins complimented Calzaghe, telling ESPN: "It's not that Calzaghe is not worthy of the fight. He is. He has become a major player in boxing."

The dissing came however when Hopkins said fighting Calzaghe would be a step backwards and no satisfaction or gratification would come of it for Hopkins.

Hopkins further tells ESPN in regards to fighting Cazaghe: "But to me, it's going backwards. That's not a bigger fight than me beating the heavyweight champ of the world. I cannot get the satisfaction or gratification fighting Calzaghe. I would be the underdog against Maskaev, but not necessarily against Calzaghe. I just don't see that fight being as big as a Maskaev fight."

Source of Quotes: Dan Rafael, ESPN

[kayjay]

That's no "dissing."

[SHB]

That's no "dissing."

Nothing wrong with that, and I can quite understand BHop's views - it should be something special to drag somebody out of retirement, not just "another" big fight against a P4P fighter and title holder.

It's a shame for Joe though. Although pretty much makes the Kessler fight look the favourite unless HBO pull a big money fight against Winky or Taylor (or even, god forbid, Trinidad) out of the hat - should Palle's demands not get too big or decide to fight a meaningless mandatory like Andrade instead.

[kayjay]

What do you expect will happen, SHB, Kessler to drop the WBA belt and fight Joe for what will be only a three belt unification?

[SHB]

Not sure - Calzaghe seems to be swaying towards fighting some "names" at the end of his career. Kessler might hold two belts, but he isn't a name, and when Joe looks back on his career will the name of Kessler be favourable on his resume when he could have the likes of Wright, Taylor, Hopkins (well, not now) and god forbid, Trinidad?

It's ironic really - the same people who have castigated him for not going to the States earlier in his career and fighting the big names are now going to be the ones criticising him for not fighting Kessler instead. He's not going to win either way.

My prediction - fight Kessler in March (hopefully for all the belts, but I just have a feeling one of the corrupt organisations will withhold their belt), before going to the States. That's my hunch, and is based on the assumption that Kessler will be prepared to drop one of the belts if necessary and be realistic in his purse demands. In fairness, that's a big assumption for anyone, but you have to ask just who is out there for Kessler without Calzaghe.

[Abe Attell]

Light-Heavyweight Champions sounds better than
Super Middle-Weight Champion...so what sounds better than LH Champion?

Heavyweight Champion


but, its a ***** move in my opinion if it is only for one fight, and fighting Oleg isn't the same as fighting Wlad


Just like when Roy beat Ruiz, so what, it was Lennox

[Xcel]

I really with Hopkins would stay retired.

[dumdane]

What do you expect will happen, SHB, Kessler to drop the WBA belt and fight Joe for what will be only a three belt unification?

What's the point of dropping the WBA belt?
Andrade is first in line - and he's WBC mandatory.

Anyway the WBC pressident said they'd have talks about making Kessler a superchamp. Sounded like the WBC would be in on it rather than just the WBA. That could change the whole mandatory situation.
If not there's the possibility of paying the mandatories to sit back. That already happened for the Beyer fight. (both Mundine and Andrade). Andrade said with a big grin he was paid more NOT to fight than he ever got fighting and that he'd be quite happy to do it again.

What about Calzaghe, doesn't he ever have any mandatories to take care of? Forgot, WBO don't believe in mandatories - prefer to let their champ pick whoever he likes to beat up on. But what about IBF? are they the same?

[TheEvilSaint]

hopkins would spank calzone. you dont showboat with hopkins.

why should hopkins face calzone? hopkins has nothing else to prove. its not like hopkins needs calzone, but calzone needs hopkins.

[warp1432]

How times change...