Calzaghe CLEARLY won that fight

[Gandalf]

I enjoyed the fight. The first round had me all over the place but once Joe settled he began to take control. Calzaghe outworked Hopkins and took the fight to him. The championship rounds were actually fun to watch because it was obvious that Joe was coming on strong. Im surprised by a number of people who think that this was such a close fight or even a Hopkins win. Absolutely no way. For it even to be a SD is farcical IMO.

If hadnt had been for the flash KD in the first I still think Calzaghe may very well have dominated Hopkins. As it was it was a convincing win albeit with some points squandered in the opening rounds.

Anyway, hats off to Calzaghe. He delivered the goods again.

[:::PSL:::]

No doubt.

[rene69]

Yep, I thought Joe started finding his rythym going into the 5th rd and took over from there.

[amat]

I lost about 5 minutes in the very middle of the fight right when the tide started to turn so I don't have a scorecard. I can see both sides, Calzaghe did turn it around nicely because after the first round, it wasn't just a flash knockdown it was an outclassing.

I just don't think you can call anything BS whether it be a Calzaghe win or a split decision. I don't understand how HBO only gave Hopkins 3 rounds I heard that at the end of the fight I was shocked.

[Gandalf]

Joe had clearly worked out Hopkins by the half way mark. The second half was actually quite enjoyable to watch.

I think referees need to be firmer on fighters who are clearly there to buy time through excessive holding. Take off the damn points. And Hopkins twice took time off for blows that barely glanced. Again be stricter on the drama queen. No need for that nonsense.

[match]

Couldn't believe that one judge actually gave it to Hopkins.

[LondonBB]

I give hopkins credit for his fighting ability.

I was worried when calzaghe went down, it was on his nose and not chin and he got up immeadiately but it was a great test for joe.

Hopkins showed that he is a great counter puncher with probably his best performance in a long time.

However the dirtyness from hopkins was a joke, the claiming of low blows was pathetic when everyone saw it wasnt a low blow. The use of the head was pathetic, immense clinching made for an ugly fight...he really did try everything in the book (or, not allowed in the book, to win). I didnt like this aspect of it AT ALL!

However as a true champ, calzaghes class came through at the end, bar the 9th, the last 6 rounds were all calzaghe, hopkins only took the 9th because of the rest he forced (by cheating) when it clearly was not a low blow.

I dont like cortez' referring though, it was too leanient towards hopkins who constantly broke the rules by use of the head. BUT I MUST SAY that i have respect for cortez in that he saw that hopkins was cheating and did not deduct a point for the 'pretend low blow'.

All in all on my scorecard it was as follows.

1. hop 10,8
2. hop
3. hop
4. calz
5. calz
6. calz
7. draw
8. calz
9. hop
10. calz
11. calz
12. calz

Giving the overall decission to calzaghe by 115, 113

The judges decissions were all over the place, only 1 got it right i thought, 115, 113 to calzaghe.

Dont know how the others gave it 114,113 bhop and 116,11 calzaghe.

In summary calzaghe showed his champ ability to work out hopkins (something very very difficult to do), he went down in first round from some great boxing by bernard but claz forced his way back into the fight by workrate and managing to plant the most punches on bhop that anyone has ever done before.

Of course there will be doubters but any legitimate boxing fan knows that calzaghe is the real deal, he got knocked down in the first only to come back and start dicatating against the great hopkins.

Respect to both fighters, but the champ won on the day. It was in the later rounds where i knew bhop was gone because calzaghe rocked him with a good combo, i thought bhop was gonna go down if joe hit him a few more times, probably stay down, but bhop managed to clinch (suprise suprise lol)...it was clear that whilst his philly style and defense/counter was top class, joe started dicatating the fight and adaopted later on to bring his game in, hopkins trid every dirty trick but calzaghe was just too good for him.

Calzaghe to fight jones next and beat him (either in millenium stadium, madison square or vegas), then in his final fight beat pavlik (in vegas) and then retire totally unbeaten 47, 0 A true cut above the rest