Calzaghe Outworks Hopkins for Win
The judges who watched the fight scored it 116-111 and 115-112 for Calzaghe; Judge Adalaide Byrd inexplicably scored the bout 114-113 for Hopkins. Hopkins did well for a 43-year-old ... but he most definitely did not win this fight. HBO's Harold Lederman had the fight right at 116-111.
Punch stats: Total Punches: Calzaghe - 232 of 707 (33%); Hopkins - 127 of 468 (27%). Jabs: Calzaghe - 45 of 224 (20%); Hopkins - 11 of 93 (12%). Power Punches: Calzaghe - 187 but of 483 (39%); Hopkins - 116 of 375 (31%).
After the fight, Calzaghe didn't call out anyone in particular but sounded partial to a big money fight with Roy Jones Jr.. Hopkins, as expected, claimed he won the fight easily but would not to commit to anything in terms of future plans. Hopkins has had a Hall of Fame career, but it's time to retire. His brawling style allows him to continue to compete at the elite level ... but his diminished work rate - throwing less than 40 punches per round - prevents him from looking good or doing anything to add to his legacy. He's no longer a fighter looking to win fights, but rather a cagey veteran looking to go 12 rounds without embarrassing himself (and then blame the judges).
Comments
It was an O K fight but it was Father Time / The Grim Reaper that beat the Executioner.
yeah calzaghe won fair and square hopkins was a dirty fighter.
great review Andrew..very well documented..
The “White Boy” won at least nine rounds. Fight was not close. Hopkins best shots were with his purposeful head butts. Only constant holding and dramitized low-blow theatrics kept the old convict in the match. This fight was very easy to judge and was certainly not close. The split decision verdict was way off. Nice work “White Boy”
yeah, calzaghe won, but he’s dirty fighter too.. he always hit bernard with his low blow .. but it’s ok. a wised fighter counter measure.. for head butter.. a 43 years old can with that kind of speed and talent. its very impressived you know?…
Another mugging in Vegas. Hopkins knew that fighting a dirty fight, holding and hitting, butts, rabbit punches and his own low blows (Calzaghe was no angel, either) was his only chance. He didn’t get hurt, but he didn’t deserve to whine about the decision-I had him winning only three rounds and the judge that gave him the decision was blind. Calzaghe is the best 168 or 175 guy, and I’d like to see him fight someone who isn’t past his prime. How about a Kessler rematch? Now that was a fight.
I’d like to see Hopkins fight Glen Johnson; Two very tough old guys with lots left. My money would be on Johnson. I still think Calzaghe is the greatesty super middie ever. His standing amoung the top light heavies is still a question. I do think he can probably beat Tarver or Jones on a good night. A Calzaghe Pavlik fight would be a blast;two tough White boys.
welll, I figured Bhop would Drop That Dragon but dint have in mind only that just once inthe first round!
good on you, Calzaghe and here’s cheers to your many thousands of British fans whom I look forward to seeing again and again as UK fighters Bring The Ring to USA talent O_o in the coming years
Andrew, I like your comments generally but I think your parting shot at Hopkins is unfair. He did a very credible job against an incredibly difficult opponent–heck, I think he did better by some measures than Mikkel Kessler did. Hopkins can retire with pride now if he wants, but he’s a far better boxer than your comments suggest.
no real suprises here. hopkins’ speed and reflexes are astonishing given his age. problem now is that he’s always in a position to get outhustled, and he wasn’t able to intimidate joe despite knocking him down early. he had the right idea. joe just wasn’t going to be outdone.
Hopkins needs to retire? The biggest load of BS I ever heard. he can still fight for another 4 years. That fight was mad close and I had it 114-113 for B-Hop and so did a lot of other respected boxing experts so I don’t know who that could be “inexplicably”. Hopkins threw barely half of what Je threw and still almost landed the same amount of punches. I’m sick of Joe getting by with slapping, Hopkins landed the more meaningful punches. B-Hop is right, he was robbed. Even the senior columnist for yahoo sports scored it for Hopkins. REMATCH!!!! Hopkins would own him in a rematch.
i dont know what fight rashad was watching or thinking but bhop got beat all that trash talking didnt help him at all calzaghe beat him easly .as for roy jones fighting he should stay retired hes a bum and always has been hes a shot fighter
It was not a pretty sight, any of it. To say Hopkins was outworked is an understatement. Hopkins would usually throw a right, clinch and try to bag heads of hit low on the side opposite the ref. Hopkins faked getting hurt by low blows, and on and on. Hopkins is no longer interesting as a fighter, because he really doesn’t fight: throw a right, hold, move a way, leap in with a right and hold. There were not many “meaninful” punches from Hopkins except if you want to call one right and hold, meaningful. Most of the rest of the time Hopkins wanted to hold or back-up, what he called “old-style” fighting. Hmmmm, what old-style; maybe old as in Hopkins, but not much style. I am still not convinved of the quality of Calzaghe. His punches were more taps or slaps with a once in a while solid hook. I clearly won, but not against a really good opponent. I don’t think he would stand up well with Pavlik over 12 hard rounds. But Calzaghe won and I am not sure I would be interested in another Hopkins fight.
i felt it was a draw personally both of them was a bit lack luster with B-Hops knocking down the younger fighter show credibilty to him as stilla threat and Cal work rate was impressive but both hampered each other both fought dirty with B-Hops going for an oscar the last 3 rounds but it is what it is…ya dig..B-Hops legacy is still intact..i say take a fight against a B+ fighter secure a win and leave out on a good win…Cal has to fight roy..and roy is still faster in the sense of burst of combo 3-4 maybe even with the 4 hooks straight left..but Cal is a work horse with good speed himself just a step behind Roy..and Chad Dawson needs to rematch Johnson because he lost and was given the descision
I agree completely that Dawson owes Johnson a rematch. The call was completely unfair and there is no way Dawson won that fight. I am not so sure a Calzaghe-Jones fight would be more than mildly interesting. Jones is good at reinventing himself and he has mellowed. But Calzaghe-Pavlik would be very interesting.
Adalaide Byrd has no place in boxing anymore. she is a bit long in the tooth to be a ring girl and she really never had the stems or the hooters for that job. I doubt that she has the speed or the punch to be a lady boxer at her age and after her scores for the Calzaghe v Hopkins match, it appears that either her eye-sight or her thinking capacity has slipped. She is obviously no longer fit to judge serious fights. Anyone that really observed the fight closely has to know that Hopkins did little but grab,hold,attempt head-butts and fake the effects of not-so-low blows. Sorry Addie, time for the nursing home for you. We really don’t need a blind over-the-hill old bag judging important fights.
Hopkins is the biggest disappointment ever. His big mouth dont match his skills. I dont know whether he came to fight or to run away. The white boy certainly made him look amateurish and scared. He needs to retire.
the white boy kicked the black boys ass but had the class not to say so unlike the no class hopkins (racist=racist.)i’m tired ofall this race b.s., but if its put out there then put it all out there both sides. then get back to what boxing really is a mano e mano duel.
Joe fought a great fight and is arguably Britain’s greatest ever boxer. Bernard deserves Hall of Fame but I bet there is life in the old dog yet!