
Originally Posted by
tuckwopat
Hmm,
Hopkins defended against...
De La Hoya
Trinidad
Eastman
Joppy
Vanderpool
Echols
Holmes
Brown
Johnson
Not all greats, but very good fighters.
I'm not going to bother posting all of Joe's no name defenses, but feel free to compare.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=005364
I'm sorry tuckwopat but I have to take some serious issue with your comparison of the record. Both fighters have taken gimmie fights which fill the time between the bigger bouts. The only problem for Americans is that for the past decade or so, the best fighters in that division have not been American....so you think it doesn't exist.
Have another look at Hopkins' record, and remind me of the great exploits of Robert Allen, Morrade Hakkar and Carl Daniels. And as for Antwun Echols, he hadn't done too much before going twelve against Hopkins, and then getting stopped late on. Hving been beaten so comprehensively, by 8 points on two cards and 10 on the other, why did he warrant a rematch? And Syd Vanderpool, he outpointed Glen Johnson, who came into the fight outpointed by Sven Ottke, one fight doesn't make a career.
I'm not dissing Bernard, he fought a lot of great fighters, but he's fought bums of an equal standing to those Calzaghe has fought. And now for my defence of Calzaghe's record:
Byron Mitchell was a champion twice before trying to beat Calzaghe for his third title.
Mario Veit brought in a top record and was the interim champ when he was schooled by JC.
Charles Brewer was a former champion.
Ashira had challenged for world title honours at Middleweight.
Salem had won a number of regional American titles before coming in.
Woodhall was a former champion with a number of defences under his belt.
Then there's Sheika and Lacy, who came in hyped as America's great hope at SMW, by the American boxing media.
All schooled by Calzaghe.
He has fought bums...the biggest of whom was Tocker Pudwill, Mger Mrktchian who was a mandatory, Will McIntyre and Rick Thornberry. But so has Hopkins.
My argument, now that I've finally reached it, is that Calzaghe has fought the best in his division over 10 years, as has Hopkins. But also Calzaghe has fought some who didn't warrant a title shot, but so has Hopkins. And I will now rest my aching fingers!
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