Calzaghe Questions Bernard's Resume

Joe Calzaghe showed the first signs of winning the psychological war against Bernard Hopkins as the two squared up in LA on Wednesday.

Calzaghe repeatedly taunted Hopkins about twice losing to Jermain Taylor at middleweight, and promised to repeat the trick on April 19 at the Planet Hollywood Ring, The Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas, when the pair clash at 175 pounds.

http://fightbeat.com/news_details.php?NW=21204

 

Good i hope he beats him.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPpacU-WGto

 

slappy's head is actually empty. "obviously...", "at the end of the day...", ... he's always been verbally-challenged, and it's getting further highlighted in this high-profile build-up.

 

I'm hyped to see this fight. Any word on the undercard??

 

Calzaghe shows signs of winning the psychological warfar? Based on what? LMAO. Give me a break. Calzaghe seems so far out of his element in all of this it is laughable.

who has Calzaghe fought that grants him the freedom to question Hopkins? Joe Calzaghe has fought NOBODY! NOBODY! How many fights Jeff Lacy have going into bout w Joe Cal? How many P4P guys, OR Hall of Famers, has Joe fought/beaten. The closest Joe came is Charles Brewer and the hatchet almost KO'd him in the 7th round of their fight.

Calzaghe's gonna lose this one.

 

Calzaghe pointed out that Hopkins has lost recently twice to a guy who isn't that highly rated right now.

Again, it is just crap talk from both sides, don't try to over-analyze it

 

joe questioning someone's resume? :laughing: i don't even need to read the article to know it's bull-shit. that's one of the biggest thing i hate about sloppy - he's such a spin-machine lying bitch. plus, his style is about as stinky as a week old meat loaf.

 

I am in no way a fan of Hop. But Calzaghe is the second to last man on the planet who should question Hop's resume. The first being Sven Ottke

 

It's not quite as bad, but it reminds me of Tarver accusing Nard of making money off his name.

 

I think Hopkins' middleweight resume and Calzaghe's super middleweight resumes are actually pretty similar, and pretty close.

 

Like I said, how many P4P or HOF guys has Joe fought?

 

nah. Hopkins fought RJJ at 160, he fought an undefeated Trinidad, ODH and an undefeated Echols who was supposed to win their first fight (the only reason it was on FSN since Echol's promoter had relationship with FSN and Hopkins, due to his stubborness, had toiled in obscurity despite his not having lost since facing RJJ). Plus, he fought Taylor twice.

Echols is at least as good as Lacy. And Tito, RJJ and ODH completely nullify Kessler. Can't agree with you.

Plus, what's the point of piaring down their resumes to one weight class when one of the fighters has fought in just one and the other has fought in two? Why should Hopkins' willngness to fight Wright and Tarver be discounted? Just so you can spin it like Joe has anything close to the resume that Hopkins does?

 

We're counting a loss to Jones as something that sways this argument one way or the other?

The reason I weighted the comparison is because Hopkins is 8 years older and because Calzaghe, like Hopkins, didn't really move up until late in their careeers.

If you're comparing the totality of their careers, Hopkins has it. But let's not denigrate Calzaghe's resume up to this point while doing the opposite with Hopkins'.

Hopkins didn't fight DLH at middleweight...they fought at a made-up catch-weight...and what exactly did DLH accomplish at the weight other than losing to Felix Sturm?

I think Kessler at 168 and Trinidad 160 are pretty close on the scale.

Hopkins is several years older than Calzaghe, so you can't compare them exactly, but I think Calzaghe's 44-0 matches up pretty well to Hopkins 46-3-1 (if you take out his pro debut loss at light heavy) prior to his move up in weight.

If Calzaghe beats Hopkins, and remains undefeated, I think his resume should be considered better than Hopkins'.

If Calzaghe loses, he's still below Hopkins, IMO.

 

Please. If Calzaghe or anybody who favors him isn't allowed to question Hopkins' legacy, I don't think any Hopkins' fan can blame Joe for "stinky" style.

I am a big fan of both of them and I rewatch their fights often. Calzaghe is an awesome talent whereas Hopkins has brilliant skill and ring smart. Two great champs

 

They fought at a lighter catch weight, even more impressive that the old man could weigh in at 156 1/2 (or whatever it was, 157)? The dude (Hopkins) was walking around at 154 the week leading up to the weigh in.

Based on what? At 160, the undefeated Puerto Rican was among the top P4P, and already a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. Kessler? Nothing. A top prospect that can punch, but has shitty balance, footwork and defense.

 

Trinidad's "undefeated"ness is a bit exagerrated, given the DLH fight, and Kessler classified as a top "prospect" is interesting given that he'd already partially unified the division.

If you compare what Kessler did at 168 and what Trinidad did at 160, they're not far apart.

Trinidad's p4p status was based primrily on what he'd done at 147 and 154...with one win at middleweight over Joppy (and subsequent wins over Cherifi and Mayorga...and he ws dominated by Hopkins and Wright).

Kessler may not have a ton of names on his resume, but his overall body of work at the weight certainly qualifies him as more than a prospect...he was on the fringes of the top 10-12 p4p...and he was more competitive against Calzaghe than Trinidad was against Hopkins or Wright.

 

dsimon writes:

Hopkins is one of my favorite fighters and i do think he will win, but you are understating Kessler. Kessler was a little more than a prospect, He was a champ, his balance and technical skills are damn good and his defense is good as well.

I will say that the European fighters have very basic footwork and when people shoot a load in their pants about how busy a fighter is (punchcount) it is silly and Kessler does rely to some extent on punches thrown. But that was a good win for Joe.

 

Well, if you compare Trinidad's body of work to Kessler's body of work, they are not even in the same f*cking ballpark. Suddenly we're supposed to micro analyze 2 Trinidad fights at middleweight and compare them to Kessler's ENTIRE CAREER at supermiddleweight, like I said, at that point in Trinidad's career, he was undefeated, had just knocked off Joppy, was arguably top P4P, AND a 1st ballot hall of famer. You are right, Kessler is def more than a prospect, but I don not give a whole lot of credence to the belt he had, when we ALL KNOW Joe is the guy to beat at Super Middle. Kessler is basically a Holmes or a Joppy. Held the belt but wasn't the man..and when he stepped up to take his shot, he was exposed. All offense...TERRIBLE footwork and defense.

Hopkins footwork/movement, coupled with his counterpunching ability and his superior infighting/mauling skills, are gonna give Joe fits...especially the footwork/movement/counterpunching and D. Joe has never seen anything like it. Never.

 

In terms of quality of competition, Hopkins has a big edge. Wright, Trinidad, Tarver, Jones...


As far as this fight goes, I just think that Calzaghe will be too fast and awkward. He'll decisively outpoint Hopkins.

 

But Awkward how? Because he's loosey goosey with his hands? Throwing wide, loopey hooks? That might be a problem...a problem for Joe when Bernard throws that jailhouse right down the pike. I mean, it's not like Joe is awkward/unorthodox the likes of a young, prime Roy Jones or a Nasim Hamed. Joe's ackwardness is a combination of wide punching, square stance, and herky jerky ness...the balance part of the reason he's been down a few times. He has yet to face anyone who has the complete game to take advantage. It wasn't Lacy, who only had 17 f*cking fights. It wasn't Kessler, who's own footwork and balance problems were an issue unto himself. Bernard will be able to expose that. Straight rights. Short accurate hooks and crosses. Uppercuts. Smothering. Infighting. Headbutting. Joe's in over his head. LOL. At least on paper.... The more I talk about it. LOL.

 

Well Joe's athleticisim is the main thing that makes him awkward. He's got good reflexes. He moves quite well on his feet around the ring. And those slappy shots that he does throw come in from weird angles and I think thats one of the problems that fighters have when trying to hit him. His style is technically all WRONG and not textbook but his athletic talents make it work well for him.


Kessler had success with the straight right hand and the right uppercut and those are 2 punches Hopkins uses well. Question is will he be able to pull the trigger quick and often enough for 12 rounds and dish out enough punishment.

This is gonna be a fight that might not please alot of people. This could get rough and ugly. It could possibly be boring as hell. I just think Joe will be more active(Maybe not exactly EFFECTIVE) and his faster shots even when they don't score cleanly will take him to a W.

 

The point is analyzing the fighters at the weight class where the fights took place.

How much does a "win" (loss) over DLH at 147 prove about Trinidad at 160?

Kessler was a much more established super middleweight than Trinidad was a middleweight and he had two belts, not one...and it is a joke to try to parrallel him with Holmes or Joppy...at least until he loses to someone along the lines of Cherifi or JC Green.

You're talking about footwork and defense in a discussion involving Trinidad?

How did those hold up for him against guys like DLH, Hopkins and Wright?

 

Hes only been down twice as a pro. If you are going to act the authority on a topic, please at least do your homework first.

 

Joe has absolutely no grounds to question Bernard's resume.

Bernard didn't duck anyone. Wasn't his fault that the division was weak, and therefor he accepted big money challengers from down south.

Regardless,...Joe will eat Hopkins up. Not stop him, but outbox, outslug and outpoint him convincingly.

 

Hopkins getting credit for beating Tito and De La Hoya at 160,.. would be like Margarito getting credit for beating Eric Morales at 147,... this p4p shit has become irrational...

 

dsimon writes:

how do you get that Kessler has balance problems? Stop drinking the water dude. :notallthere: Yeah his footwork is... well European, meaning it is basic, but those guys are winning fights. I agree with yu onthe footwork. I also think Hopkins will suprise for all the reasons you say.

 

Is it also like Kostya Tzsyu getting credit for beating Juan LaPorte, Calvin Grove, Hector Lopez, Livingstone Bramble, Rafael Ruelas, Muguel Angel Gonzalez, Ben Tackie, Jesse James Leija?

 

On the other hand, I do apologize for comparing, say, Miguel Angel Gonzalez at 140 to Tito at 160.

Tito at 160 knocked out reigning world champion in 5 rounds.
MAGO never defeated a single fighter of note at 140.

I also apologize for comparing, say, Calvin Grove at 140 to Tito at 160.
Tito at 160 knocked out reigning world champion in 5 rounds.
Calvin Grove never defeated a single fighter of note at 140.

I also apologize for comparing, say, Juan LaPorte at 140 to Tito at 160.
Tito at 160 knocked out reigning world champion in 5 rounds.
Juan LaPorte never defeated a single fighter of note at 140.

I also apologize for comparing, say, Ben Tackie at 140 to Tito at 160.
Tito at 160 knocked out reigning world champion in 5 rounds.
Ben Tackie never defeated a single fighter of note at 140.

I also apologize for comparing, say, Rafael Ruelas at 140 to Tito at 160.
Tito at 160 knocked out reigning world champion in 5 rounds.
Rafael Ruelas never defeated a single fighter of note at 140.

 

He got credit for those wins?