Calzaghe - next fight could be my last. It has to be Hopinks - agree ?

Just read this on BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7160198.stm


At least Joe is being realistic - knows it is too risky to go for the Marciano record (why can't he do a bum a month tour to bump up record ;D)

Anyway if there is only one more fight then it has to be Hopkins in USA - he can then say he fought out of his backyard and beat a top 10 p4p legend who though aged was still in his prime ;) I do agree with others saying it could be a bit of a boring fight though - can't see it finishing inside the distance. But it has to happen - for them and for boxing. The fans deserve it


Fighting Woods, Froch or Taylor proves nothing


Everone agree ?

Well if Taylor beat Pavlik in a rematch then a fight with Taylor wouldn't be bad. But i do agree with Calzaghe and im glad he is smart enough to know his time is almost up and he has to retire soon. Father time catches up with everyone and i would hate to Calzaghe to lose based on getting too old, most boxers stay in boxing too long and start to lose to fighters that they wouldn't even have to broken a sweat with in there prime. All i can say is lets get it on i would have liked Calzaghe to have 2 more fights but if his last fight is with Hopkins im not complaining.

Although the fight itself won't be a good fight stylistic fight, it will be a messy affair with Hopkins trying to off set Calzaghe's rhythm with clinches and dirty tactics making it an ugly rough tough fight. Calzaghe has struggled in rough tough fights before. But i also believe that he struggled in those kind of fights because he fought down to his opponent's level aka Bika aka Salem. Calzaghe just needs to use angles keep his cool and not get off set by Hopkins dirty fighting, i see Calzaghe winning a tough decision, based on his work rate. I honestly believe old Hopkins won't be able to keep up with Calzaghe's pace.

1 last fight? If that is the case then it is going to be against Clinton Woods as Joe has stated many times that he wants to be the 1st Welshman to be a two division champion.

Joe hasn't the power he once had due to the constant hand trouble and he is slowing down so I wouldn't blame him if he retired now. The trouble with boxing at the top is that there is always one more opponent who needs to be beaten and like Lennox Lewis realised - you have to draw a line and stop before it's too late.

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Originally Posted by Ice Cold Boxing

Well if Taylor beat Pavlik in a rematch then a fight with Taylor wouldn't be bad. But i do agree with Calzaghe and im glad he is smart enough to know his time is almost up and he has to retire soon. Father time catches up with everyone and i would hate to Calzaghe to lose based on getting too old, most boxers stay in boxing too long and start to lose to fighters that they wouldn't even have to broken a sweat with in there prime. All i can say is lets get it on i would have liked Calzaghe to have 2 more fights but if his last fight is with Hopkins im not complaining.

Although the fight itself won't be a good fight stylistic fight, it will be a messy affair with Hopkins trying to off set Calzaghe's rhythm with clinches and dirty tactics making it an ugly rough tough fight. Calzaghe has struggled in rough tough fights before. But i also believe that he struggled in those kind of fights because he fought down to his opponent's level aka Bika aka Salem. Calzaghe just needs to use angles keep his cool and not get off set by Hopkins dirty fighting, i see Calzaghe winning a tough decision, based on his work rate. I honestly believe old Hopkins won't be able to keep up with Calzaghe's pace.

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What he said ;) Where you been ICE? not seen you around much (not been on much myself actually)

Woods is not in Joe's league - thats not a fight for Joe to go out on


ICB - if Taylor beats Pavlik then don't you think an immediate rubber match is only fair for Kelly this time ??

i really think he needs two more big names on his record before he retires, if you look back there just is the names there for a decent legacy..

Fight Hopkins, then the winner of Pavlik/Taylor and then a send off against Clinton Woods at the millinium!

Woods has beaten a couple of decent fighters now, its not like Lacy was in Joe's league either, i bet you woods would put up a better fight than him.

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Originally Posted by Kel

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Originally Posted by Ice Cold Boxing

Well if Taylor beat Pavlik in a rematch then a fight with Taylor wouldn't be bad. But i do agree with Calzaghe and im glad he is smart enough to know his time is almost up and he has to retire soon. Father time catches up with everyone and i would hate to Calzaghe to lose based on getting too old, most boxers stay in boxing too long and start to lose to fighters that they wouldn't even have to broken a sweat with in there prime. All i can say is lets get it on i would have liked Calzaghe to have 2 more fights but if his last fight is with Hopkins im not complaining.

Although the fight itself won't be a good fight stylistic fight, it will be a messy affair with Hopkins trying to off set Calzaghe's rhythm with clinches and dirty tactics making it an ugly rough tough fight. Calzaghe has struggled in rough tough fights before. But i also believe that he struggled in those kind of fights because he fought down to his opponent's level aka Bika aka Salem. Calzaghe just needs to use angles keep his cool and not get off set by Hopkins dirty fighting, i see Calzaghe winning a tough decision, based on his work rate. I honestly believe old Hopkins won't be able to keep up with Calzaghe's pace.

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What he said ;) Where you been ICE? not seen you around much (not been on much myself actually)

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I was Ricardo Finito Lopez ;)

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Originally Posted by Mark TKO

Woods is not in Joe's league - thats not a fight for Joe to go out on


ICB - if Taylor beats Pavlik then don't you think an immediate rubber match is only fair for Kelly this time ??

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Possibly but i also heard Calzaghe vs Pavlik could be possibility as well. So if Hopkins vs Calzaghe fight doesn't go through because of location/money etc. And if Taylor wins rematch with Pavlik don't be surprised to see Taylor vs Calzaghe.

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Originally Posted by gudnite vienna

i really think he needs two more big names on his record before he retires, if you look back there just is the names there for a decent legacy..

Fight Hopkins, then the winner of Pavlik/Taylor and then a send off against Clinton Woods at the millinium!

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But if you look back in history mostly fighters who dominate 1 division don't have loads of great names on there record. But they still deserve credit for how long they have been champion, plus how many defenses they made ETC.

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Originally Posted by gudnite vienna

Woods has beaten a couple of decent fighters now, its not like Lacy was in Joe's league either, i bet you woods would put up a better fight than him.

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Woods has got a lot better since Jones Jr fight, Woods vs Calzaghe reminds me of Woodhall vs Calzaghe, Woodhall and Woods aren't exactly alike but they both are tall and rangy plus both men have good boxing skills. I expect Woods to give Calzaghe some problems like Woodhall did, but i think Woods is a step below Calzaghe and would get TKO late or lose pretty convincing UD.

If you look at hopkins his reign has been very much the same as Calzaghe's in many ways, but towars the end of his career he has managed to pull off all the big fights, why didnt Joe do the same but earlier..

big difference between saying you will retire and actually doing it...so time will tell.

but rest assured, once he does retire he will start to get the plaudits he really deserves, as with so many boxers, there stock only ever really goes up once they retire

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Originally Posted by fishlock4ever

big difference between saying you will retire and actually doing it...so time will tell.

but rest assured, once he does retire he will start to get the plaudits he really deserves, as with so many boxers, there stock only ever really goes up once they retire

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CC#2 very true, welcome man ;)

Fight Chad Dawson. He's been aching to fight a name and Joe could take a belt, fight a guy on the rise and give fans a really good fight. Joe by MD or UD.

Joe shouldn't go to America. Hopkins should fight in Wales.

Then Hopkins can say his second fight outside America was against the best boxer in the world.

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Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob

1 last fight? If that is the case then it is going to be against Clinton Woods as Joe has stated many times that he wants to be the 1st Welshman to be a two division champion.

Joe hasn't the power he once had due to the constant hand trouble and he is slowing down so I wouldn't blame him if he retired now. The trouble with boxing at the top is that there is always one more opponent who needs to be beaten and like Lennox Lewis realised - you have to draw a line and stop before it's too late.

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Hopkins is also a 175 lb champ and by far the bigger name so he'll take that fight.

I'm not so sure it will be his last though.

Ig he beats Hopkins and Pavlik gets another win over Taylor then a collision between the two would be huge. The undisputed middleweight champ verus the former undisputed super middleweight champ and reigning 175 lb champion, both undefeated.

Unless Floyd fights Cotto a Pavlik vs Calzaghe fight could be the biggest fight in 2008.

I say Pavlik doesn't fight Calzaghe. Medium reward and extremely HIGH risk. Joe is problematic for anybody and what he did to Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor guaranteed won't work on Calzaghe. You don't back Joe up; you chase him down eating punches from every angle in the hopes of finally landing something that hurts him rather than just pissing him off and making him beat on you worse.