Hopkins - Does he have any TRUE fans?

[Gandalf]

i'm a hopkins fan but i have to admit hopkins has not got much of a fanbase. but i don't feel the numbers are all hopkins fault. calzaghe isn't really popular in the states so thats also to blame

That's true

But.. Calzaghe is a foreigner. He's bringing 5-10 thousand of his own fans.

Where are Hopkins fans?

Exactly. Calzaghe is bringing over a healthy sized contingent. Not as many as for Hatton because a lot of punters cannot affort to jet set to Las Vegas twice a year. Hopkins doesnt appear to have many interested in him outside of the media.

[NUCLEAR BULL]

bernard hopkins will be missed by true boxing fans, he's defencive but not a runner like other boxer are in the same style, along with james toney i love watching them box and winky to. 3 great defencive boxer all leaving the sport in a short period of time having been around forever...........you dont last as long as these guys if your not good

[Deanrw]

It is a shame isn't it. The UK has so many who love boxing. Over here it is so watered down now.

To be perfectly honest though, even if I was near where the fight is taking place, I would have to take a very close look at the under card before going to this event. I respect Hopkins and what he has accomplished, but I cannot equate him with exciting fights any more. When he was younger, he was far more exciting to watch as far as I am concerned.

It is not fair as Hopkins deserves more respect from myself and others. He is a true champion and any fan of the sport should want to jump at the opportunity to watch him perform his craft. I see it as I just don't want to spend my hard earned money, on a fight that in all probability will put me to sleep. When you see fights like Cotto vs. Margarito on the horizon, you see fights that you want to throw money at.

[OumaFan]

Boxing's just not that big here. There aren't many Oscar de La Hoya's, it even took Roy a long time and Floyd too, I mean we know who carried the Gatti and DLH pay per views with Floyd.

But its not just that. Hopkins when he was an exciting fighter wasn't very well known. He became well known late in his career when he was fighting in a way that most fans think is boring.

I said from the beginning that the magnitude of this fight among non-hardcore fans was being a bit overrated. Hopkins isn't a huge star and look at the Calzaghe/Kessler ratings, American's weren't paying attention for the most part.

[:::PSL:::]

I'm sure he's got some true fans in PA state prison.

[Fenster]

Hopkins clearly isn't a big star. So they must have been banking on Calzaghe bringing even more support - but he's clearly not Hatton-level.

Bet the fight wouldn't have happened if they knew the interest would be so poor.

Wonder if Calzaghe would have done better against Roy, Tito or Tarver in the States? Probably

[Lance Uppercut]

Hopkins fans are on the east cost, staging the fight on the west cost is essentially placing it in neutral territory. If you wanted B-hops fans to come out, they should have had the fight at the Garden or Boardwalk Hall.

[OumaFan]

Hopkins fans are on the east cost, staging the fight on the west cost is essentially placing it in neutral territory. If you wanted B-hops fans to come out, they should have had the fight at the Garden or Boardwalk Hall.

yeah I didn't think about that but that's true, he was the clear crowd favorite against Tarver (maybe not saying much) when the fight was in Atlantic City I think.

[Fenster]

Remember originally Hopkins wanted the fight in Yankee Stadium.. but that idea was quicky killed.. I guess we now know why

[JLAQ]

Hopkins does have his share of fans. That's why we had all this controversy with the Nard-Taylor decisions when in fact there shouldn't be any as Nard ran the whole two nights long.

[Beanflicker]

Although I am a big Hopkins fan, I can see why he has such a small fan base. His style, as masterful as it is, just isn't crowd pleasing. Plus, I think he has hurt himself with the dispicable ways he choses to hype a fight. I think people can easily see through these acts and it just makes him look foolish.

Although I don't think he deserves all the blame. Maybe Joe Calzaghe isn't generating as much interest in the states as they figured he would.

Either way, this fight should have happened in Europe. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20

[CutMeMick]

Hopkins has fans but their are not hardcore fans that are willing to travel and pay the money to see him.

Add that to Joes super stardome here in the states and you've got the results...

[BoomBoom]

Im a huge B-Hop fan and if I could afford to go i would. But I think people know that they arent likely gonna see a war. Hop relies on his smarts and craftiness, even more now that hes older. Hes rarely in a fight of the year type fight, though i like to watch him .

[Mar]

Hopkins is mayweather-esqe in the way that you either hate him or love him as he constantly plays the role of the bad guy, difference is people pay to see mayweather loose since it's such a slim slim possibility, for hopkins it isn't. Also calzaghe is popular among boxing fans here in the u.s. but that's about it, at least going by my own personal experience, i'm hyped as hell for this fight while most of the people i know are much more interested in the nba playoffs. 8 out of 10 people i know don't even know who the hell joe is, and that's something he's done to himself being a sheltered fighter overseas. They were counting on more people showing up to see calzaghe and it just isn't happening.

[Fenster]

Hopkins is mayweather-esqe in the way that you either hate him or love him as he constantly plays the role of the bad guy, difference is people pay to see mayweather loose since it's such a slim slim possibility, for hopkins it isn't. Also calzaghe is popular among boxing fans here in the u.s. but that's about it, at least going by my own personal experience, i'm hyped as hell for this fight while most of the people i know are much more interested in the nba playoffs. 8 out of 10 people i know don't even know who the hell joe is, and that's something he's done to himself being a sheltered fighter overseas. They were counting on more people showing up to see calzaghe and it just isn't happening.

What exactly do you mean by that?

Judging by the "failure" of this fight in Vegas was there any reason for Calzaghe to have ever fought in the States?

He did just beat his main Supermiddle rival, right? In front of 50,000 odd people to boot....