Calzaghe: "I wont repeat Hatton mistakes! "

[leftylee]

I actually want Hopkins to win coz I wanna see Slappers "0" go but I see him beating Hopkins. I hope I'm wrong even with a shit ass sig from VD I want Hopkins to win and I'll be rooting for Bernard on the night.

[Spicoli]

I actually want Hopkins to win coz I wanna see Slappers "0" go but I see him beating Hopkins. I hope I'm wrong even with a shit ass sig from VD I want Hopkins to win and I'll be rooting for Bernard on the night.

Better make room for Two of those Sig's Lefty, Remember ..... Guess I need to come up with a more potent Sig......Hmmmm

[Gandalf]

Im still surprised that Hopkins signed up for this. I can only assume its for the final paycheck. Calzaghe is gonna make him look old, lazy and slow. Hopkins was faded against Winky IMO and looked less than stellar in his final fights at MW. Calzaghe is still throwing 1000 punches at 36 and not looking too bad for it...

[p4pking]

Im still surprised that Hopkins signed up for this. I can only assume its for the final paycheck. Calzaghe is gonna make him look old, lazy and slow. Hopkins was faded against Winky IMO and looked less than stellar in his final fights at MW. Calzaghe is still throwing 1000 punches at 36 and not looking too bad for it...

There is no way Hopkins took this fight for the paycheck. Absolutely NO way, he'd never take a fight he didn't believe he could win. Calzaghe also doesn't represent some mega payday, plus Hopkins could have fought far lesser fighters for a good one. I think Hopkins has to see something in Calzaghe he can exploit big time. The fact is he already has no problem with southpaws, and his right hand should serve as if nothing else an equalizer to Calzaghe's workrate. It doesn't matter if Joe throws 1000 punches against Jeff Lacy or Sakio Bika, he's not going to be that active against Hopkins, I'd bet my life on it. You can't be, Hopkins is too smart to get hit with so many flurries or intimidated by workrate alone. I do agree Hop is hard pressed to win this fight, but I think no matter what happens he is going to land some great right hands that will slow Calzaghe down. I expect Bernard to adopt the role of the puncher, moreso than he has done in almost any of his fights. Hopkin's has looked to have been slipping lately, but Calzaghe has still never fought anyone nearly as crafty, and I think he is really vulnerable to straight right's, especially counter's.

[Gandalf]

Im still surprised that Hopkins signed up for this. I can only assume its for the final paycheck. Calzaghe is gonna make him look old, lazy and slow. Hopkins was faded against Winky IMO and looked less than stellar in his final fights at MW. Calzaghe is still throwing 1000 punches at 36 and not looking too bad for it...

There is no way Hopkins took this fight for the paycheck. Absolutely NO way, he'd never take a fight he didn't believe he could win. Calzaghe also doesn't represent some mega payday, plus Hopkins could have fought far lesser fighters for a good one. I think Hopkins has to see something in Calzaghe he can exploit big time. The fact is he already has no problem with southpaws, and his right hand should serve as if nothing else an equalizer to Calzaghe's workrate. It doesn't matter if Joe throws 1000 punches against Jeff Lacy or Sakio Bika, he's not going to be that active against Hopkins, I'd bet my life on it. You can't be, Hopkins is too smart to get hit with so many flurries or intimidated by workrate alone. I do agree Hop is hard pressed to win this fight, but I think no matter what happens he is going to land some great right hands that will slow Calzaghe down. I expect Bernard to adopt the role of the puncher, moreso than he has done in almost any of his fights. Hopkin's has looked to have been slipping lately, but Calzaghe has still never fought anyone nearly as crafty, and I think he is really vulnerable to straight right's, especially counter's.

An interesting post. I agree that Calzaghes workrate will be less than what we have seen in recent fights. Hopkins is cagey and difficult to land on cleanly. Calzaghe knows he needs to make it convincing with it being a fight against an old man though and will most definitely try to impress with his workrate. True, the Hopkins lead right is always a threat. Calzaghe got sloppy a couple of times against Kessler but pretty much walked on through and kept on doing his thing. I find it hard to envision Hopkins stopping Calzaghe with his right and harder to to see him being busy enough to have any chance on the cards. You say that Calzaghe has never fought anyone like Hopkins. That is true. But Hopkins has never fought someone with the attributes Calzaghe has. Calzaghe is a darn sight better than anyone on the Hopkins resume and in recent times lets not forget that Hopkins was matched for workrate by Taylor twice and we all question Taylors stamina now. Nobody can question that Joe will push Hopkins to the limits in terms of work. And at 43 there is no way he can take it at the pace Calzaghe will set.

Hopkins has made a mistake and I truly believe this will be his last pay day. He will have no option but to retire after this.

[p4pking]

Im still surprised that Hopkins signed up for this. I can only assume its for the final paycheck. Calzaghe is gonna make him look old, lazy and slow. Hopkins was faded against Winky IMO and looked less than stellar in his final fights at MW. Calzaghe is still throwing 1000 punches at 36 and not looking too bad for it...

There is no way Hopkins took this fight for the paycheck. Absolutely NO way, he'd never take a fight he didn't believe he could win. Calzaghe also doesn't represent some mega payday, plus Hopkins could have fought far lesser fighters for a good one. I think Hopkins has to see something in Calzaghe he can exploit big time. The fact is he already has no problem with southpaws, and his right hand should serve as if nothing else an equalizer to Calzaghe's workrate. It doesn't matter if Joe throws 1000 punches against Jeff Lacy or Sakio Bika, he's not going to be that active against Hopkins, I'd bet my life on it. You can't be, Hopkins is too smart to get hit with so many flurries or intimidated by workrate alone. I do agree Hop is hard pressed to win this fight, but I think no matter what happens he is going to land some great right hands that will slow Calzaghe down. I expect Bernard to adopt the role of the puncher, moreso than he has done in almost any of his fights. Hopkin's has looked to have been slipping lately, but Calzaghe has still never fought anyone nearly as crafty, and I think he is really vulnerable to straight right's, especially counter's.

An interesting post. I agree that Calzaghes workrate will be less than what we have seen in recent fights. Hopkins is cagey and difficult to land on cleanly. Calzaghe knows he needs to make it convincing with it being a fight against an old man though and will most definitely try to impress with his workrate. True, the Hopkins lead right is always a threat. Calzaghe got sloppy a couple of times against Kessler but pretty much walked on through and kept on doing his thing. I find it hard to envision Hopkins stopping Calzaghe with his right and harder to to see him being busy enough to have any chance on the cards. You say that Calzaghe has never fought anyone like Hopkins. That is true. But Hopkins has never fought someone with the attributes Calzaghe has. Calzaghe is a darn sight better than anyone on the Hopkins resume and in recent times lets not forget that Hopkins was matched for workrate by Taylor twice and we all question Taylors stamina now. Nobody can question that Joe will push Hopkins to the limits in terms of work. And at 43 there is no way he can take it at the pace Calzaghe will set.

Hopkins has made a mistake and I truly believe this will be his last pay day. He will have no option but to retire after this.

Calzaghe is a darn sight better than Roy Jones? Wow, I can't agree with that whatsoever. If you meant in recent years then it's probably a given, at least that Calzaghe will be in better form that any recent Hopkins opponent. Trinidad, Winky, and Tarver are still great names mind you, that have achieved more in the sport than Calzaghe excepting for Tarver, who was still a hot commodity when Hop fought him. You say Hopkins will have no option to retire.. Well sure, but not because of the punishment he'll take from Calzaghe alone Because he's FORTY THREE. I can't understand how all these Calzaghe fans are calling it a pre packaged excuse that when Hopkins loses people will point to his age... Well, DUH. It's not like anyone has come out and said that his age won't matter beforehand... It's not as though you have to factor in the chance that Hopkins will suddenly get old overnight, we've seen him get older and older over the last five years... However, I don't think this being Hopkins last fight should be seen as less reason to pick him to win, I mean Hopkins is absolutely too proud to take a payday just because he's too old to stick around longer.. If anything it will drive him to be better, knowing this is his last hurrah. I think combining that with the fact that Joe is probably a style that Hopkins is well suited to, makes it extremely interesting, if nothing else to see what tricks Hopkins has up his sleeve. I'm not denying for one second he can't fight at Calzaghe's pace, but if you think Hopkins plans too your being naive.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Same mistakes as Hatton? He fighting Floyd too?

[Violent Demise]

I actually want Hopkins to win coz I wanna see Slappers "0" go but I see him beating Hopkins. I hope I'm wrong even with a shit ass sig from VD I want Hopkins to win and I'll be rooting for Bernard on the night.

I'm still waiting for you live up to your bet, boy.

[cockey cockney]

Joe as much as i hope you do not go out there and make stupid mistakes....a 42 year old Bernard Hopkins is far from a prime and at his physical peak PBF. However, you cannot get careless and get wound up by certain aspects of BH game. Good luck out there....i sense youll need it!