Super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe moved up to light heavyweight and outworked Bernard Hopkins over 12 mostly ugly rounds and was awarded a majority decision. Hopkins scored a flash knock down in the first round when he landed a perfect short right hand but he simply didn't throw enough punches to win rounds the rest of the way - electing to throw one punch at a time and initiate clinches whenever possible. Calzaghe slaps his punches so there was never a chance he would hurt or knock out Hopkins, but his conditioning - as always - was superb. Hopkins, as expected, led with his head and hit Calzaghe with low blows whenever the vision of referee Joe Cortez was obscured. Yet it was Hopkins who acted badly hurt by a couple of marginally low blows late in the fight - a desperate attempt by a tired fighter to get a point deducted from his opponent. Good job by Cortez not to take the point away.

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).