Am I the only one excited for Bernard-Wright?

[amat]

It's nothing more than a safe easy pay day for BOTH of them

Exactly, the fight has little real relevance. Hopkins doesnt deserve P4P status IMO, and Winky is way beyond a normal fighting weight.

They should both fight Calzaghe, I love the way they both bypass SMW with no consideration!!

It takes 2. And with Warren promoting Calzaghe...I can see how neither of those fights got made. Because both said they were interested in fighting Calzaghe.

[Gandalf]

It's nothing more than a safe easy pay day for BOTH of them

Exactly, the fight has little real relevance. Hopkins doesnt deserve P4P status IMO, and Winky is way beyond a normal fighting weight.

They should both fight Calzaghe, I love the way they both bypass SMW with no consideration!!

It takes 2. And with Warren promoting Calzaghe...I can see how neither of those fights got made. Because both said they were interested in fighting Calzaghe.

Winky has never fought at 168 and Hopkins already priced himself out of a Calzaghe fight. Fenster is on the ball as usual, its an easy payday without any fighter losing too much face....

[amat]

It's nothing more than a safe easy pay day for BOTH of them

Exactly, the fight has little real relevance. Hopkins doesnt deserve P4P status IMO, and Winky is way beyond a normal fighting weight.

They should both fight Calzaghe, I love the way they both bypass SMW with no consideration!!

It takes 2. And with Warren promoting Calzaghe...I can see how neither of those fights got made. Because both said they were interested in fighting Calzaghe.

Winky has never fought at 168 and Hopkins already priced himself out of a Calzaghe fight. Fenster is on the ball as usual, its an easy payday without any fighter losing too much face....

Wait a minute. Winky might not have fought at 168 but he couldn't find anything at 160 and he expressed desire to fight Calzaghe before. And I don't buy Hopkins pricing himself out. If Calzaghe really wanted the fight it would have happened. I don't buy that for a second. If anything, Calzaghe saw the Manfredo fight as the easiest fight out there with a purse comparable to what he would get fighting Winky or Bernard so he took that one.

Hopkins is the champ at 175, and I haven't heard anything about the belts not being on the line. Hopkins stands to lose a lot and Wright stands a lot to gain. Maybe neither guy is going to have their star ruined but both stand to lose a bit.

[Gandalf]

It's nothing more than a safe easy pay day for BOTH of them

Exactly, the fight has little real relevance. Hopkins doesnt deserve P4P status IMO, and Winky is way beyond a normal fighting weight.

They should both fight Calzaghe, I love the way they both bypass SMW with no consideration!!

It takes 2. And with Warren promoting Calzaghe...I can see how neither of those fights got made. Because both said they were interested in fighting Calzaghe.

Winky has never fought at 168 and Hopkins already priced himself out of a Calzaghe fight. Fenster is on the ball as usual, its an easy payday without any fighter losing too much face....

Wait a minute. Winky might not have fought at 168 but he couldn't find anything at 160 and he expressed desire to fight Calzaghe before. And I don't buy Hopkins pricing himself out. If Calzaghe really wanted the fight it would have happened. I don't buy that for a second. If anything, Calzaghe saw the Manfredo fight as the easiest fight out there with a purse comparable to what he would get fighting Winky or Bernard so he took that one.

Hopkins is the champ at 175, and I haven't heard anything about the belts not being on the line. Hopkins stands to lose a lot and Wright stands a lot to gain. Maybe neither guy is going to have their star ruined but both stand to lose a bit.

Hopkins priced himself out at the last minute of negotiations with Calzaghe. Its common knowledge. Wasnt Hopkins supposed to be fighting Jones Jr again?! Two notably difficult contract negotiators. There were many other fights Winky could have pushed for at 168. None seem to have been probed into. Hopkins is the best money and its been taken. I understand the financial incentive. But to say there were no fights at 160 and to assume there are no fights at 168 is silly. Hopkins is easy cash. Win and its good. Lose and excuses are a plenty.As for Hopkins he is prolonging his career for a reason that is escaping me. He could be fighting for belts in his own weight or move up and challenge some more. Face it he is an old man scrapping for more paychecks against opponents he still thinks he has it in him to beat.

Calzaghe can beat both, but doesnt bring the same money to the fighters these two will be playing to, and he is much more of a risk!

[amat]

I'm not denying that Hopkins is looking for paychecks, but I doubt he asked anymore money to face Calzaghe then he did for Wright. And who else is Winky going to face at 168? Kessler? That would be cool, but I can count the number of people on my hands who even know who Mikkell Kessler is in America. Wright would stand nothing to gain from that.

And if anyone needs to be finding fights at 168, it's Calzaghe not Wright. He's probably only making a little bit less then what Winky or Nard is making, and he is fighting someone who poses absolutely no threat at all. Calzaghe doesn't belong in the discussion until he can show a willingness to make big fights on a consistent basis, something Hopkins and Winky have been doing for years.

[Gandalf]

I'm not denying that Hopkins is looking for paychecks, but I doubt he asked anymore money to face Calzaghe then he did for Wright. And who else is Winky going to face at 168? Kessler? That would be cool, but I can count the number of people on my hands who even know who Mikkell Kessler is in America. Wright would stand nothing to gain from that.

And if anyone needs to be finding fights at 168, it's Calzaghe not Wright. He's probably only making a little bit less then what Winky or Nard is making, and he is fighting someone who poses absolutely no threat at all. Calzaghe doesn't belong in the discussion until he can show a willingness to make big fights on a consistent basis, something Hopkins and Winky have been doing for years.

Your first sentence showed up all that you suggested afterwards.

[p4pking]

I'm not denying that Hopkins is looking for paychecks, but I doubt he asked anymore money to face Calzaghe then he did for Wright. And who else is Winky going to face at 168? Kessler? That would be cool, but I can count the number of people on my hands who even know who Mikkell Kessler is in America. Wright would stand nothing to gain from that.

And if anyone needs to be finding fights at 168, it's Calzaghe not Wright. He's probably only making a little bit less then what Winky or Nard is making, and he is fighting someone who poses absolutely no threat at all. Calzaghe doesn't belong in the discussion until he can show a willingness to make big fights on a consistent basis, something Hopkins and Winky have been doing for years.

CC, exactly what I was going to post. At the end of the day, Hopkins and Wright are fighting each other, and they are both big stars and top 10 p4p guys. Calzaghe is fighting Manfredo. Really enough said, regardless what you think of the Hopkins Wright matchup, to say its a safe easy payday and then go on to talk about Calzaghe without mentioning his next fight is silly. Hopkins "priced himself out" against Calzaghe years ago, but the fact is if Calzaghe was confident that he could have won he should have taken the pay cut, he'd be making the big money now had he won back then. Now all he could hope for in terms of a mega payday is either Taylor(who may just as likely stay at MW and defend against Miranda, Pavlik, etc. after Mora)... OR..... The winner of Hopkins vs Wright. So to criticize Bernard or Winky for making this matchup is dumb I think. Personally I'm excited to see it, will certainly be a chess match but they are two great fighters. Can understand how ppl don't think it will be a thrilling fight, but I don't see any reason to criticize the matchup itself..

[p4pking]

I'm not denying that Hopkins is looking for paychecks, but I doubt he asked anymore money to face Calzaghe then he did for Wright. And who else is Winky going to face at 168? Kessler? That would be cool, but I can count the number of people on my hands who even know who Mikkell Kessler is in America. Wright would stand nothing to gain from that.

And if anyone needs to be finding fights at 168, it's Calzaghe not Wright. He's probably only making a little bit less then what Winky or Nard is making, and he is fighting someone who poses absolutely no threat at all. Calzaghe doesn't belong in the discussion until he can show a willingness to make big fights on a consistent basis, something Hopkins and Winky have been doing for years.

Your first sentence showed up all that you suggested afterwards.

Every fighter is looking for paychecks....Why is Calzaghe fighting Manfredo

[The Boxer]

no your not the only one but for some reason i'm more excited about cotto judah.

[Taeth]

I don't think Hopkins will be able to hug... He'll run right into Winky's jab. Winky throws too many punches too well timed for Hopkins to get in all the time IMO. It's hard to hug somebody who is shorter, and carries their hands that high, and throws alot of stiff jabs.

[Kev]

I'm not denying that Hopkins is looking for paychecks, but I doubt he asked anymore money to face Calzaghe then he did for Wright. And who else is Winky going to face at 168? Kessler? That would be cool, but I can count the number of people on my hands who even know who Mikkell Kessler is in America. Wright would stand nothing to gain from that.

And if anyone needs to be finding fights at 168, it's Calzaghe not Wright. He's probably only making a little bit less then what Winky or Nard is making, and he is fighting someone who poses absolutely no threat at all. Calzaghe doesn't belong in the discussion until he can show a willingness to make big fights on a consistent basis, something Hopkins and Winky have been doing for years.

Your first sentence showed up all that you suggested afterwards.

Not sure why you are so hostile to this fight Miles? It's kind of illogical to me.

If Calzaghe fought Hopkins it would be a huge fight. If Calzaghe fought Wright, it would be a huge fight. If Kessler fought Wright, huge fight. Kessler fight B Hop huge fight.
Taylor fought Hop, huge fight, Taylor fought Wright huge fight, and you can see where I'm going with this......

Hopkins and Wright have long been considered the best middleweight fighters out there, both are p4p, both are future Hall of Famers.


The ring currently rates Wright as number 3 p4p with Hopkins at 5 http://www.thering-online.com/ringpages/ratings2.html

Give Hopkins some credit. His last 4 fights have been Taylor twice, Tarver and now Winky. Name me one other fighter who has a better 4 fight resume than that? Plus he'll be 43 by the time of the Winky fight.

The guy is an inspiration. Credit to Winky also for taking a risk and moving up 10 lbs in weight.

I think Hopkins never gets the credit he deserves. For no other middleweight fighter would anyone make the case that Winky is an easy payday yet you think he is for B-Hop?

And then to follow that up by saying Hop doesn't deserve p4p status?

So he's taking Winky, at age 43 and it's an easy payday for him, BUT although Winky is one of the top 3 fighters in the world, an easy win for the Nard doesn't mean anything and he still doesn't deserve p4p status? .......errr..right




I think maybe you are suffering from dog poisoning

[p4pking]

CC bilbo I feel the same way.. Glad someone can appreciate these two getting it on.

[Lords Gym]

No disrespect to these fighters, both are fantastic... however styles make fights.. and I see a snooze fest here ! Hope I am wrong !

[diamonddavestafford]

I guess this isn't a good fight for the KO/blood/guts fans, but I can't wait. To be honest I love the tactical wars.

yeah this will be a scientific and tactical battle for sure, which will be awesome. bernard hopkins is incredible to still be in the game at his age going up against a top level pound for pound fighter like wright. props to wright for going up in weight to 170 to take the fight as well. i expect a great fight and i am totally excited for it. this summer looks to be great for boxing what with the delahoya-mayweather, judah-cotto, and hopkins-wright fights all headlining it. i think the old man's still got something and has always been good against the southpaw style (which bernard may find works slightly different against him. because wright is not a natural southpaw and his right jab is stronger than the southpaws hopkins is accustomed to fighting against). the executioner by unanimous decision.

[Galaxy]

I'm excited about the match up, to pure technicians. But I think the fight itself will not be that exciting... a real tactical battle.

That being said it's 2 current P4P fighters going at it with the Light-heavyweight championship on the line, so theres definitely a lot on the line. Anyone who thinks this fight is just a paycheck needs to realize theres a heap importance to this bout!