Though we now know that Allan Green is taking over for Jermain Taylor in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, one of the more fanciful yet intriguing suggestions I heard from other boxing fans was getting Joe Calzaghe to come out of retirement and join the tournament.
That certainly would have been a blast, and it would have made the Super Six an even bigger deal in Europe (where it's already more significant than it is here in the U.S.). There's virtually zero chance it would have happened, but hey, it's always fun to dream.
Anyway, since this is boxing we're talking about, quite a few fans seem to be skeptical that Calazghe will actually stay retired. But from all indications, he seems to be enjoying his life outside the ring.
What's he been up to since beating Roy Jones in November of 2008? Glad you asked.
In what may have been his most visible activity, Calzaghe was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, the U.K.'s version of (and indeed, the inspiration behind) Dancing With the Stars. That didn't end so well for JoeCal, but it may not have been a total loss, either, as reports have it that he ended up with a pretty nice consolation prize.
He also got more seriously involved with the business side of the sweet science, starting Calzaghe Promotions to help mold the next wave of U.K. boxing talent. Joe's venture promoted two cards in 2009, with more said to be on the way soon.
Last and certainly not least, Calazghe has been donating time and money toward several worthy causes. He's thrown his weight behind both Latch, and organization devoted to researching ways to defeat childhood cancer, and Beatbullying. And no, the latter doesn't involve Joe administering physical beatings to bullies... though that would be a fun twist.
Joking aside, our European readers may be interested in Calzaghe's next endeavor. That would be his Undefeated Dinner, a gala event to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on March 22.
Promising a night of entertainment from world class performers, all of the proceeds from the dinner will go to support Help for Heroes, a charity that aids British military personnel wounded in the world's current conflicts.
It's a cause that clearly means a lot to Calzaghe.
"I will always be proud of my record of having retired as the undefeated world champion after 18 years as a professional," Calzaghe said in a press release announcing the event. "But it was only when I met some of our servicemen and saw their sacrifices that I truly understood the meaning of undefeated.
"They are an inspiration to us all. I can think of no better use of money raised from my testimonial dinner than for it to make a contribution towards the better futures of those who have made such unimaginable sacrifices for their country."
Tickets for the gala aren't cheap (£550 plus VAT per person, or tables of ten for £5,000), but the price includes a champagne reception, a three-course dinner, complimentary drinks and the live entertainment. Full details are available at Calzaghe's official website.
Whether you cheered him on or rooted against him, you have to admit that Calzaghe's relatively brief time on top of the sport of boxing wasn't boring. We may never see him in action again, but he's applying his fighting spirit in other areas, and smart money wouldn't bet against him continuing to make an impact.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label joe calzaghe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joe calzaghe. Show all posts
5.2.09
Reports: Calzaghe Calls It a Career, Mayorga Backs Out of Angulo Fight
It looks like the gaudiest undefeated record in boxing will be staying that way.
Citing a lack of further career goals to shoot for, Joe Calzaghe told the media today that he was retiring from boxing. The longtime super middleweight champion from Wales hangs up his gloves with a 46-0 record that includes victories over Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins.
Keeping in mind that boxer retirements often last about as long as a 2009 stock market rally, the announcement was hardly surprising. Calzaghe was short on big money fights to pursue, with only a rematch with Hopkins a real possibility - and their first fight didn't exactly set turnstiles ablaze.
Potential fights with younger champions like Chad Dawson offer a lot for Calzaghe to lose and very little to gain, at least financially. His snarky recent comments about the state of boxing suggest that his heart isn't really in it going forward, and he'll get to keep that '0' in the loss column, which always appeared very important to him.
I enjoyed watching JoeCal fight during the brief portion of his career he spent in the United States, and I definitely admired his ability to make mid-fight adjustments. It's a shame he didn't decide to come over a little sooner, because I'll always wonder if he could have made the leap from someone who was really good for his time to a potential all-time great.
Switching gears from boxers who are retiring to boxers who should be retiring, Dan Rafael of ESPN says that Ricardo Mayorga has pulled out of his Feb. 14 fight with Alfredo Angulo. Nothing like waiting until ten days before your fight to decide you aren't happy with your purse, right?
Not that this kind of thing is new to El Matador, as Rafael points out he tried to hold up Oscar De La Hoya for a bigger piece of the pie three years ago. As tempting as it may be to jump in on the Mayorga bashing though, I think I actually understand what he's doing here, even if I don't condone it.
It's pretty clear that Mayorga is on the downside of his time as a main event-caliber fighter (some would argue he's already past it), and he was likely headed for something akin to My Bloody Valentine 3-D on the 14th. Why not try to make one more grab for as much dough as you can get before you get your head knocked in?
As distasteful as it is, it makes sense to me. Only all parties involved seem pretty content to move on without Mayorga, so unless he sees his gambit has backfired and pulls an abrupt about-face, he's likely to end up with nothing.
Citing a lack of further career goals to shoot for, Joe Calzaghe told the media today that he was retiring from boxing. The longtime super middleweight champion from Wales hangs up his gloves with a 46-0 record that includes victories over Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins.
Keeping in mind that boxer retirements often last about as long as a 2009 stock market rally, the announcement was hardly surprising. Calzaghe was short on big money fights to pursue, with only a rematch with Hopkins a real possibility - and their first fight didn't exactly set turnstiles ablaze.
Potential fights with younger champions like Chad Dawson offer a lot for Calzaghe to lose and very little to gain, at least financially. His snarky recent comments about the state of boxing suggest that his heart isn't really in it going forward, and he'll get to keep that '0' in the loss column, which always appeared very important to him.
I enjoyed watching JoeCal fight during the brief portion of his career he spent in the United States, and I definitely admired his ability to make mid-fight adjustments. It's a shame he didn't decide to come over a little sooner, because I'll always wonder if he could have made the leap from someone who was really good for his time to a potential all-time great.
Switching gears from boxers who are retiring to boxers who should be retiring, Dan Rafael of ESPN says that Ricardo Mayorga has pulled out of his Feb. 14 fight with Alfredo Angulo. Nothing like waiting until ten days before your fight to decide you aren't happy with your purse, right?
Not that this kind of thing is new to El Matador, as Rafael points out he tried to hold up Oscar De La Hoya for a bigger piece of the pie three years ago. As tempting as it may be to jump in on the Mayorga bashing though, I think I actually understand what he's doing here, even if I don't condone it.
It's pretty clear that Mayorga is on the downside of his time as a main event-caliber fighter (some would argue he's already past it), and he was likely headed for something akin to My Bloody Valentine 3-D on the 14th. Why not try to make one more grab for as much dough as you can get before you get your head knocked in?
As distasteful as it is, it makes sense to me. Only all parties involved seem pretty content to move on without Mayorga, so unless he sees his gambit has backfired and pulls an abrupt about-face, he's likely to end up with nothing.
31.12.08
BoxingWatchers.com 2008 Fighter of the Year: Manny Pacquiao
If you've been reading this site for any length of time, you know that the BoxingWatchers are all part Filipino. Normally, that would make picking Manny Pacquiao for Fighter of the Year smack of being a homer pick, but he had such a phenomenal 2008 that there are simply no worries.
The numbers alone were pretty impressive: three fights, three wins in three different weight classes. He won titles in the first two fights and won by knockout in the last two.
Pac Man's opponents covered the whole spectrum, from one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world (Juan Manuel Marquez) to a game but outgunned lightweight (David Diaz) to a Hall of Famer in the twilight of his career (Oscar De La Hoya). It's worth mentioning one final time that many mainstream sports pundits considered his fight with De La Hoya a joke, that the expected size difference would make it impossible for Pacquiao to win. It only took one round to erase that notion.
Even though Manny turned 30 just a few weeks ago, he continues to improve. The version of Pacquiao from, say, five years ago would not have been able to fight the style that he utilized against the Golden Boy, darting in and out and perplexing his foe with his footwork. Much of the credit for that should go to trainer Freddie Roach, but give Manny some too for realizing that continuing to evolve from one-dimensional (though devastating) attacker to well-rounded boxer would serve him well.
On top of all of that, he remains humble even as he reaches the point where he is going to regularly be involved in the most high profile fights in the sport. He's already lined up Ricky Hatton and the buzz about a fight with a returning Floyd Mayweather won't go away.
Could he repeat as Fighter of the Year in 2009? After this year, you can't count him out.
Reader Picks: The readers also backed Pacquiao by a wide margin, giving him 77 percent of the vote. The only other boxer to gather double-digit support was Arthur Abraham, who knocked out all three of his 2008 opponents and now has to be taken seriously by all but the harshest Euro-critics.
Emerging star Chad Dawson received several votes and was name-dropped by Money Mayweather himself as the finest in the game. Last but not least, one reader (maybe the fighter himself!) was impressed enough by Joe Calzaghe in his decision victories over certain Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones to give him the nod.
The numbers alone were pretty impressive: three fights, three wins in three different weight classes. He won titles in the first two fights and won by knockout in the last two.
Pac Man's opponents covered the whole spectrum, from one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world (Juan Manuel Marquez) to a game but outgunned lightweight (David Diaz) to a Hall of Famer in the twilight of his career (Oscar De La Hoya). It's worth mentioning one final time that many mainstream sports pundits considered his fight with De La Hoya a joke, that the expected size difference would make it impossible for Pacquiao to win. It only took one round to erase that notion.
Even though Manny turned 30 just a few weeks ago, he continues to improve. The version of Pacquiao from, say, five years ago would not have been able to fight the style that he utilized against the Golden Boy, darting in and out and perplexing his foe with his footwork. Much of the credit for that should go to trainer Freddie Roach, but give Manny some too for realizing that continuing to evolve from one-dimensional (though devastating) attacker to well-rounded boxer would serve him well.
On top of all of that, he remains humble even as he reaches the point where he is going to regularly be involved in the most high profile fights in the sport. He's already lined up Ricky Hatton and the buzz about a fight with a returning Floyd Mayweather won't go away.
Could he repeat as Fighter of the Year in 2009? After this year, you can't count him out.
Reader Picks: The readers also backed Pacquiao by a wide margin, giving him 77 percent of the vote. The only other boxer to gather double-digit support was Arthur Abraham, who knocked out all three of his 2008 opponents and now has to be taken seriously by all but the harshest Euro-critics.
Emerging star Chad Dawson received several votes and was name-dropped by Money Mayweather himself as the finest in the game. Last but not least, one reader (maybe the fighter himself!) was impressed enough by Joe Calzaghe in his decision victories over certain Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones to give him the nod.
12.12.08
Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers: BoxingWatchers.com End of 2008 List
Thus far, we've resisted doing a pound-for-pound list, simply because everyone does them, and it seems unnecessary to do them as often as some people do. Monthly updates? I don't think so, because it's a really good (and rare) month when more than two boxers in the top 10 are in action.
Still, it doesn't seem ridiculous to do one at the end of the year. So when asked recently by a writer at another site to come up with a top 10, we put our heads together and came up with the following list. Voting was simple, with 10 points for first, nine for second, etc.
The year's not quite over, as there are quite a few notable fights this weekend. None of the men on this list are in action before the end of 2008 though.
Feel free to tell us how wrong we are. Or how right, though that probably won't be as much fun.
Here goes nothing...
BoxingWatchers.com Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers - End of 2008
Spartan117's 10 is not enough honorable mentions: Chris John, Ricky Hatton, Vic Darchinyan
Still, it doesn't seem ridiculous to do one at the end of the year. So when asked recently by a writer at another site to come up with a top 10, we put our heads together and came up with the following list. Voting was simple, with 10 points for first, nine for second, etc.
The year's not quite over, as there are quite a few notable fights this weekend. None of the men on this list are in action before the end of 2008 though.
Feel free to tell us how wrong we are. Or how right, though that probably won't be as much fun.
Here goes nothing...
BoxingWatchers.com Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers - End of 2008
- Manny Pacquiao (30 pts.)
- Joe Calzaghe (25)
- Bernard Hopkins (24)
- Juan Manuel Marquez (23)
- Israel Vazquez (15)
- Paul Williams (14)
- Antonio Margarito (13)
- Kelly Pavlik (9)
- Ivan Calderon (5)
- Rafael Marquez (3)
Spartan117's 10 is not enough honorable mentions: Chris John, Ricky Hatton, Vic Darchinyan
11.12.08
Franchise Thoughts: We Love You Joe Calzaghe, But Please STFU!
I've really enjoyed watching Joe Calzaghe fight over the past few years. I actually think he's slightly underrated as a boxer, and his victories over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. were impressive despite his opponents' ages. Unlike the HBO announcing crew, I even thought it was amusing when he gave Jones a taste of his own medicine by dancing during their fight.
That's why it was so distressing to see JoeCal bite the hand that fed him yesterday, telling reporters in London that boxing was dying. Considering that he's supposedly on his way out of the game, you have to question his motivation for taking a shot at the sport that's been so good to him.
One quote stood out as especially bitter:
He's not completely off base, as boxing definitely has its share of problems. But if he's upset about not becoming a bigger star during his career, he needs to look in the mirror first. Calzaghe chose not to fight in the United States for most of his career, so it's hardly surprising that even matched up against Hopkins and Jones, he wasn't a huge draw.
Meanwhile, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao just did over a million buys despite the fact that:
It's also pretty sad to see Calzaghe drag the (extremely) tired "MMA is killing boxing" theory back into the light again. Yes, MMA is more popular among young American fans. Yes, there's a lot that boxing could learn (undercards anyone?) from the way Dana White and company do business.
But there's little evidence that MMA is having much of an impact on boxing. It's becoming clear that there isn't as much of a crossover audience between the two sports as people once assumed - ask Golden Boy and Affliction about the backlash when they considered combining them on one card - and no reason to think MMA fans would magically become boxing fans if MMA were to whither away. The troubles that boxing does have are of its own making.
So yes, this isn't the golden age of the sport. Boxing is likely to experience some pain over the next few years as the global economy tries to pick itself up off the canvas. Unless Pacquiao's stock continues to climb, no one looks ready to step into De La Hoya's role as the top dog among casual fans.
The negatives can't be ignored, but there are positives too. There is a great crop of young talent on its way up. There are plenty of boxing fans in Europe, Asia and Australia, even if things are soft in the U.S.
And in any case, Calzaghe isn't doing anything to help with his comments, nor is he really offering any solutions. He's earned the right to speak his mind, and that's fine.
Now please Joe, just shut up and retire gracefully.
That's why it was so distressing to see JoeCal bite the hand that fed him yesterday, telling reporters in London that boxing was dying. Considering that he's supposedly on his way out of the game, you have to question his motivation for taking a shot at the sport that's been so good to him.
One quote stood out as especially bitter:
“There is too much politics in boxing, too many belts and too many champions, which dilutes real champions like myself,” he said.
He's not completely off base, as boxing definitely has its share of problems. But if he's upset about not becoming a bigger star during his career, he needs to look in the mirror first. Calzaghe chose not to fight in the United States for most of his career, so it's hardly surprising that even matched up against Hopkins and Jones, he wasn't a huge draw.
Meanwhile, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao just did over a million buys despite the fact that:
- Many mainstream media outlets derided the fight as a joke because of De La Hoya's size advantage.
- None of the belts Calzaghe whines about were on the line.
- The U.S. is a year into a pretty serious recession.
It's also pretty sad to see Calzaghe drag the (extremely) tired "MMA is killing boxing" theory back into the light again. Yes, MMA is more popular among young American fans. Yes, there's a lot that boxing could learn (undercards anyone?) from the way Dana White and company do business.
But there's little evidence that MMA is having much of an impact on boxing. It's becoming clear that there isn't as much of a crossover audience between the two sports as people once assumed - ask Golden Boy and Affliction about the backlash when they considered combining them on one card - and no reason to think MMA fans would magically become boxing fans if MMA were to whither away. The troubles that boxing does have are of its own making.
So yes, this isn't the golden age of the sport. Boxing is likely to experience some pain over the next few years as the global economy tries to pick itself up off the canvas. Unless Pacquiao's stock continues to climb, no one looks ready to step into De La Hoya's role as the top dog among casual fans.
The negatives can't be ignored, but there are positives too. There is a great crop of young talent on its way up. There are plenty of boxing fans in Europe, Asia and Australia, even if things are soft in the U.S.
And in any case, Calzaghe isn't doing anything to help with his comments, nor is he really offering any solutions. He's earned the right to speak his mind, and that's fine.
Now please Joe, just shut up and retire gracefully.
8.11.08
Round by Round: Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.
The undercard is over and Joe Calzaghe and Roy Jones Jr. are getting ready to head to the ring. The tale of the tape has them basically even in height, weight and reach. Calzaghe is three years younger than Jones.
Jones comes to the ring first. He promised to come out to a song he recorded himself, but it is hard to hear over the crowd. Calzaghe is up second. His current period of inactivity is the longest of his career.
We've got two national anthems to do, of course. Michelle Cleary handles the "Star-Spangled Banner." Michael Buffer is handling the introductions. Jones is in black and orange, Calzaghe is wearing blue and white.
And we're ready to go!
Round One
Calzaghe tries a quick jab and a lunging left. Both men jabbing but not landing. Joe backs Roy into the corner and Jones covers up. Soft left by Calzaghe. Jones finally tries a power shot but has to back away. Joe throws a flurry to the body and head in the corner. Counter right to the body by Roy. Jones is able to duck some shots back in the center of the ring. Jones lands a right hand and Calzaghe goes down! The announcers think he's hurt but he's standing in there.
Franchise: 10-8 Jones
Spartan117: 9-9
Round Two
Blood is coming from Joe's nose. Calzaghe tries some roughhousing as they tie up. Joe goes back to the jab. Both men swinging and missing right now. Calzaghe flurries to the body but Roy shakes his head. Joe still attempting to push the pace. Sharp right by Jones as he backs up. Another big flurry by Joe in the corner; a few landed but many were blocked.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Jones
Round Three
Calzaghe backs up Jones and lands a left upstairs that is quickly answered. Back in the corner again, Jones laughs but he is getting hit. Nice straight right by Jones. Joe landing some clean shots to the body even though Jones acts like they don't hurt. Roy is doing a lot of covering up and not throwing too many punches. Both men doing a lot of showboating as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Four
Joe goes right back to the body to begin this frame. Both men land jabs as they jockey for position. Good right by Calzaghe. Big flurry by Joe in the corner. Quick snapping right hand by Jones. They tie up with nothing landing. Body-head combo by Calzaghe. Roy landing some counter but eating a lot more coming back. Right-left combo to the head by Roy but Joe shakes it off.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Five
Lots of dancing to start this frame. Roy looks a little more active now. A straight left sets up a flurry by Calzaghe. Thudding body shot by Joe answered upstairs by Roy. The ref breaks them up as they wrestle. Hard right by Jones but Calzaghe slips away from the follow-up. Nice exchange both ways along the ropes and Jones' left eye is starting to swell. That was an entertaining round with Calzaghe landing quantity and Jones answering with power.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Six
Left hands back up Jones right away. He covers up and picks his spots. Roy flicks a jab and they tie up. Calzaghe resumes his body attack. Lots of feinting in the center of the ring. Good counter right by Jones. Shots land both ways in the corner. Now they work out into the center where Roy has had more success. Jones is still trying to counter but Calzaghe not giving him much. There's a nice uppercut by Roy that was the best punch of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Jones
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Seven
Roy tries to dig in and stand his ground in the opening seconds here. They wrestle in the corner to no avail. Goob jabs by Roy. Calzaghe hasn't done much so far this round. Now he scores with a left and flurries away. The announcers think Roy is hurt as he backs into the corner. Jones' left eye is bloody and his counter shots aren't bothering Calzaghe as much. Joe mocks Roy's dancing as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Eight
It didn't look like Roy's corner could get the cut completely stopped. Both men look like they want to showboat again. Joe whacks him with a right upstairs. Calzaghe stalking as Jones backs away. Joe flurries in the corner and Roy's eye is a mess. Nice shots in close by Jones. Calzaghe scores with the straight left. The final 30 seconds see more flashy combos by Joe while Roy looks for one big shot that isn't coming right now.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Nine
There's an extended look at Jones' eye but they are letting him continue. Joe comes in and Roy counters. Jones almost needs a KO because of the condition of that cut. He turns a little more aggressive now. Roy digs to the body as they wrestle in the center of the ring. The grappling continues in the corner and Roy is having trouble with the volume flying at him. Joe is taking part of this round off though. Nice exchange with both men landing. They both shake their heads at each other as the bell rings.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 10
Calzaghe throws an immediate combo to the body as the announcers criticize Jones' corner for their handling of his cut. Jones comes forward but doesn't throw. Roy still has some snap on his short shots but they aren't coming frequently. Joe isn't doing as much but still probably enough to win the round. The ref has turned very busy keeping them apart. Roy covering up because he is having trouble seeing the punches coming.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 11
More dancing than boxing right now. Calzaghe attacks the body and head effectively. Jabs keep coming at Roy's left eye. Not sure it's smart for Joe to taunt Roy so much, but it's not hurting him. Calzghe lands to the body and ducks away. The crowd is booing a little as that round sort of petered out.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 12
Unless the ringside judges saw a much different fight, Jones needs a KO to win. He's looking for the home run shot but doesn't have an opening right now. Calzaghe not taking too many risks and landing the occasional punch. Roy is backing with his hands down. He covers and Calzaghe flurries; the crowd tries to spur Jones on. Calzaghe dances again and Jones tries to load up the right. Body shots both ways. Nothing big lands at the bell and we'll head to the cards.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
The judges score the fight 118-109, 118-109 and 118-109, all for the winner... and still undefeated Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion of the world... Joe Calzaghe.
Max Kellerman asks Calzaghe about the first-round knockdown, and Joe admits he was stunned by a good shot. He says he always comes back harder when he's on the canvas, and he says it was an honor to fight Jones. Calzaghe thanks his fans for their support too. Kellerman asks why he'd fight with with his hands down, but Joe says he can fight many styles and it's hard for his opponents to deal with that.
What's the future? Calzaghe says he'll have to sit down and think about it instead of making a final decision tonight. Kellerman asks about Chad Dawson, but Joe kind of deflects the question.
Now it's Roy's turn. He says he could have gone two different ways after the knockdown, and by throwing big punches, he got out of his game a bit. Jones says it was a good right hand that caused the cut over his eye.
Roy sneaks in a shout-out to Obama and claims he was game to the end of the fight. He's not ready to say this is his last fight, as he'll regroup and talk to his team.
Jones comes to the ring first. He promised to come out to a song he recorded himself, but it is hard to hear over the crowd. Calzaghe is up second. His current period of inactivity is the longest of his career.
We've got two national anthems to do, of course. Michelle Cleary handles the "Star-Spangled Banner." Michael Buffer is handling the introductions. Jones is in black and orange, Calzaghe is wearing blue and white.
And we're ready to go!
Round One
Calzaghe tries a quick jab and a lunging left. Both men jabbing but not landing. Joe backs Roy into the corner and Jones covers up. Soft left by Calzaghe. Jones finally tries a power shot but has to back away. Joe throws a flurry to the body and head in the corner. Counter right to the body by Roy. Jones is able to duck some shots back in the center of the ring. Jones lands a right hand and Calzaghe goes down! The announcers think he's hurt but he's standing in there.
Franchise: 10-8 Jones
Spartan117: 9-9
Round Two
Blood is coming from Joe's nose. Calzaghe tries some roughhousing as they tie up. Joe goes back to the jab. Both men swinging and missing right now. Calzaghe flurries to the body but Roy shakes his head. Joe still attempting to push the pace. Sharp right by Jones as he backs up. Another big flurry by Joe in the corner; a few landed but many were blocked.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Jones
Round Three
Calzaghe backs up Jones and lands a left upstairs that is quickly answered. Back in the corner again, Jones laughs but he is getting hit. Nice straight right by Jones. Joe landing some clean shots to the body even though Jones acts like they don't hurt. Roy is doing a lot of covering up and not throwing too many punches. Both men doing a lot of showboating as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Four
Joe goes right back to the body to begin this frame. Both men land jabs as they jockey for position. Good right by Calzaghe. Big flurry by Joe in the corner. Quick snapping right hand by Jones. They tie up with nothing landing. Body-head combo by Calzaghe. Roy landing some counter but eating a lot more coming back. Right-left combo to the head by Roy but Joe shakes it off.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Five
Lots of dancing to start this frame. Roy looks a little more active now. A straight left sets up a flurry by Calzaghe. Thudding body shot by Joe answered upstairs by Roy. The ref breaks them up as they wrestle. Hard right by Jones but Calzaghe slips away from the follow-up. Nice exchange both ways along the ropes and Jones' left eye is starting to swell. That was an entertaining round with Calzaghe landing quantity and Jones answering with power.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Six
Left hands back up Jones right away. He covers up and picks his spots. Roy flicks a jab and they tie up. Calzaghe resumes his body attack. Lots of feinting in the center of the ring. Good counter right by Jones. Shots land both ways in the corner. Now they work out into the center where Roy has had more success. Jones is still trying to counter but Calzaghe not giving him much. There's a nice uppercut by Roy that was the best punch of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Jones
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Seven
Roy tries to dig in and stand his ground in the opening seconds here. They wrestle in the corner to no avail. Goob jabs by Roy. Calzaghe hasn't done much so far this round. Now he scores with a left and flurries away. The announcers think Roy is hurt as he backs into the corner. Jones' left eye is bloody and his counter shots aren't bothering Calzaghe as much. Joe mocks Roy's dancing as the round ends.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Eight
It didn't look like Roy's corner could get the cut completely stopped. Both men look like they want to showboat again. Joe whacks him with a right upstairs. Calzaghe stalking as Jones backs away. Joe flurries in the corner and Roy's eye is a mess. Nice shots in close by Jones. Calzaghe scores with the straight left. The final 30 seconds see more flashy combos by Joe while Roy looks for one big shot that isn't coming right now.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round Nine
There's an extended look at Jones' eye but they are letting him continue. Joe comes in and Roy counters. Jones almost needs a KO because of the condition of that cut. He turns a little more aggressive now. Roy digs to the body as they wrestle in the center of the ring. The grappling continues in the corner and Roy is having trouble with the volume flying at him. Joe is taking part of this round off though. Nice exchange with both men landing. They both shake their heads at each other as the bell rings.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 10
Calzaghe throws an immediate combo to the body as the announcers criticize Jones' corner for their handling of his cut. Jones comes forward but doesn't throw. Roy still has some snap on his short shots but they aren't coming frequently. Joe isn't doing as much but still probably enough to win the round. The ref has turned very busy keeping them apart. Roy covering up because he is having trouble seeing the punches coming.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 11
More dancing than boxing right now. Calzaghe attacks the body and head effectively. Jabs keep coming at Roy's left eye. Not sure it's smart for Joe to taunt Roy so much, but it's not hurting him. Calzghe lands to the body and ducks away. The crowd is booing a little as that round sort of petered out.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 12
Unless the ringside judges saw a much different fight, Jones needs a KO to win. He's looking for the home run shot but doesn't have an opening right now. Calzaghe not taking too many risks and landing the occasional punch. Roy is backing with his hands down. He covers and Calzaghe flurries; the crowd tries to spur Jones on. Calzaghe dances again and Jones tries to load up the right. Body shots both ways. Nothing big lands at the bell and we'll head to the cards.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
The judges score the fight 118-109, 118-109 and 118-109, all for the winner... and still undefeated Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion of the world... Joe Calzaghe.
Max Kellerman asks Calzaghe about the first-round knockdown, and Joe admits he was stunned by a good shot. He says he always comes back harder when he's on the canvas, and he says it was an honor to fight Jones. Calzaghe thanks his fans for their support too. Kellerman asks why he'd fight with with his hands down, but Joe says he can fight many styles and it's hard for his opponents to deal with that.
What's the future? Calzaghe says he'll have to sit down and think about it instead of making a final decision tonight. Kellerman asks about Chad Dawson, but Joe kind of deflects the question.
Now it's Roy's turn. He says he could have gone two different ways after the knockdown, and by throwing big punches, he got out of his game a bit. Jones says it was a good right hand that caused the cut over his eye.
Roy sneaks in a shout-out to Obama and claims he was game to the end of the fight. He's not ready to say this is his last fight, as he'll regroup and talk to his team.
Calzaghe-Jones Live Round By Round Updates Tonight
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We know that as a boxing fan, you'd love to be at Madison Square Garden tonight to watch the fight that's billed as the Battle of the Superpowers, Joe Calzaghe versus Roy Jones Jr. Failing that, you'd prefer to be watching the fight on pay-per-view, ideally in HD.
But we also know life, and yes, money, sometimes get in the way. So if those first two options don't work for you tonight, bookmark our main page at www.boxingwatchers.com and enjoy live round by round updates for Calzaghe-Jones. The fun starts at 9 pm EST, when we'll at least try to feign interest in the undercard.
We know that as a boxing fan, you'd love to be at Madison Square Garden tonight to watch the fight that's billed as the Battle of the Superpowers, Joe Calzaghe versus Roy Jones Jr. Failing that, you'd prefer to be watching the fight on pay-per-view, ideally in HD.
But we also know life, and yes, money, sometimes get in the way. So if those first two options don't work for you tonight, bookmark our main page at www.boxingwatchers.com and enjoy live round by round updates for Calzaghe-Jones. The fun starts at 9 pm EST, when we'll at least try to feign interest in the undercard.
Predictions: Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.
The Franchise says...
As my brother Uatu noted during his weigh-in report, these two look just about even from a physical standpoint. One suspects Jones will be the harder puncher, as he's shown more KO power in the past and he's been at or above this weight for some time now.
Bernard Hopkins recently went on record saying he felt Jones would have the faster hands, but loathe as I am to disagree with a master boxer like The Executioner, I wonder if that will be the case. While Roy still possesses gifts other fighters will never have, unless he's as close to his peak as he claims, I think Calzaghe will be able to beat him to the punch when they exchange.
The other thing Hopkins provided was a blueprint to beating Calzaghe - and many people felt The Executioner won their fight. The trouble is, Jones has admitted he can't fight the same fight. When asked how he'd deal with his opponent's style, he's pretty much just said he'll come up with something. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Calzaghe has no such problems. Once Jones started looking mortal a few years ago, he had some trouble with volume punching (against Antonio Tarver) and relentless pressure (facing Glen Johnson). Joe can do both of those things, which may be why he feels like Roy's style sets up well for his own.
There are plenty of reasons for both men to be highly motivated, so I expect the fight to be spirited and competitive. I give Jones a definite chance to win, especially if he can recapture enough of his old magic to turn back the clock a few years. As Hopkins showed, it's certainly possible.
I just don't think it's likely. By consistently throwing and landing more punches, I like Calzaghe to win by decision and (probably) ride off into the proverbial sunset with an unblemished professional record.
Spartan117 says...
I wanted to go with Jones a few months ago. I thought he would see this fight as a must win to help solidify his legacy, but after seeing some of his training camp and interviews leading up to this fight it doesn't seem like he's taking Calzaghe as seriously as he should if he wants the victory.
As Franchise recalled Jones doesn't really seem to have a solution ready to put into play for Calzaghe's massive punch output. So if Calzaghe brings his normal game plan of smothering his opponent with a high volume of punches, and we've never seen him not bring that game plan, he'll be able to score points on the judges' cards.
Calzaghe surely wants to retire with an undefeated record and he will be ready to fight tonight which is why I'm predicting Calzaghe by decision.
3.11.08
In-Depth Preview: Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.
Joe Calzaghe
Birthplace: Hammersmith, England
Height: 5' 11"Reach: 73"
Current Titles Held: Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight (175 lbs.)
Former Titles Held: WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO Super Middleweight (168 lbs.)
Professional Record: 45-0, 32 KO's.
Record in World Title Fights: 23-0, 11 KO's
Record at 175 lbs.: 1-0
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 12-0
Notable Wins: SD12 Bernard Hopkins, UD12 Mikkel Kessler, UD12 Jeff Lacy
Notable Losses: None
Roy Jones Jr.
Birthplace: Pensacola, Florida
Height: 5' 11"
Reach: 74"
Current Ttiles Held: None
Former Titles Held: IBF Middleweight (160 lbs.), IBF Super Middleweight (168 lbs.), WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO Light Heavyweight (175 lbs.), WBA Heavyweight
Professional Record: 52-4, 38 KO's
Record in World Title Fights: 23-4, 14 KO's
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 12-1
Notable Wins: UD12 John Ruiz, KO1 Montell Griffin, UD12 Bernard Hopkins
Notable Losses: KO9 Glen Johnson, TKO2 Antonio Tarver, DQ9 Montell Griffin
Analysis:
Add this to the list of "dream fights" for boxing fans which would be just a little bit more interesting if both participants were in their respective primes.
The undefeated Calzaghe seems closer to his, coming off a razor thin yet no less impressive decision over Bernard Hopkins. He got up off the canvas in that bout and also shook off some difficult moments in his previous fight against Mikkel Kessler, both times showing a rare ability to adapt on the fly.
Jones clearly isn't the same boxer in 2008 as he was prior to 2004, when his air of invincibility was shattered by consecutive starchings at the hands of Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. His last three outings have been better though, and he's sporting a new, more carefree attitude that could serve him well.
If Jones can summon up enough of his old magic at age 39, there's no reason this couldn't be a barnburner. Despite his obvious skill, Calzaghe has really only stepped up his level of competition in the last two or three years, and Saturday will be just his second fight in the United States. Neither man should be short on motivation, with Calzaghe wishing to leave the sport with an unblemished record and Jones eyeing a very lucrative rematch with old rival Hopkins.
The hand speed of both boxers allows for fast flurries that dazzle even if they don't land clean. And since neither fighter has shown an abundance of KO power as of late - Calzaghe, especially, has been derided as a slapper - this has the look of a crowd-pleasing contest with an excellent chance to go the distance.
Calzaghe's Winning Strategy: Keep Up the Pressure
Anyone who saw Calzaghe fight Jeff Lacy probably remembers that it looked like a really solid shot from his opponent that night might destroy him. Lacy never got a chance though, as Calzaghe pummeled him by continually getting off first and keeping the volume of punches flowing for 12 rounds.
The Pride of Wales has since shown that he doesn't necessarily have to fight that way to win, but it still might be his best bet against Jones. Roy's difficulties with Antonio Tarver and, to a lesser extent, Glen Johnson showed that at this stage of the game, he doesn't deal well with boxers who will keep leather in his face all night.
Calzaghe got caught and dropped by Hopkins early on, and Jones is more than capable of doing the same. The best way to avoid that is to beat Jones to the punch whenever possible.
If constant pressure isn't the way to go, Calzaghe should know within three or four rounds. Fortunately for him, few current fighters are better at identifying what's not working and coming up with a Plan B should the need arise.
Jones' Winning Strategy: Don't Live in the Past
Once upon a time, Jones was so physically gifted that he didn't need to fight with solid fundamentals to win. Some of his most spectacular KO's have come from sequences you'd never find taught at a gym.
If Jones forgets that he's no longer that fighter, he's in for a long night. Calzaghe has very fast hands, and inconceivable as it may have seemed back in the day, Roy's probably slower to the punch than his opponent.
What Jones does have is a lot more experience against championship-caliber foes. He has to have learned a lot from all of those rounds, and while he's not going to suddenly morph into a master technician, he'll need to employ all the lessons he's learned to hang the first 'L' on Calzaghe.
Also, while the stats say both men are built about the same, Jones' extended time at light heavyweight and above suggests he will be bigger and stronger than Calzaghe and may get the best of things in close.
Roy the bully? Now that would be something different than we're used to seeing from him, and in this case, different is better.
Anyone who saw Calzaghe fight Jeff Lacy probably remembers that it looked like a really solid shot from his opponent that night might destroy him. Lacy never got a chance though, as Calzaghe pummeled him by continually getting off first and keeping the volume of punches flowing for 12 rounds.
The Pride of Wales has since shown that he doesn't necessarily have to fight that way to win, but it still might be his best bet against Jones. Roy's difficulties with Antonio Tarver and, to a lesser extent, Glen Johnson showed that at this stage of the game, he doesn't deal well with boxers who will keep leather in his face all night.
Calzaghe got caught and dropped by Hopkins early on, and Jones is more than capable of doing the same. The best way to avoid that is to beat Jones to the punch whenever possible.
If constant pressure isn't the way to go, Calzaghe should know within three or four rounds. Fortunately for him, few current fighters are better at identifying what's not working and coming up with a Plan B should the need arise.
Jones' Winning Strategy: Don't Live in the Past
Once upon a time, Jones was so physically gifted that he didn't need to fight with solid fundamentals to win. Some of his most spectacular KO's have come from sequences you'd never find taught at a gym.
If Jones forgets that he's no longer that fighter, he's in for a long night. Calzaghe has very fast hands, and inconceivable as it may have seemed back in the day, Roy's probably slower to the punch than his opponent.
What Jones does have is a lot more experience against championship-caliber foes. He has to have learned a lot from all of those rounds, and while he's not going to suddenly morph into a master technician, he'll need to employ all the lessons he's learned to hang the first 'L' on Calzaghe.
Also, while the stats say both men are built about the same, Jones' extended time at light heavyweight and above suggests he will be bigger and stronger than Calzaghe and may get the best of things in close.
Roy the bully? Now that would be something different than we're used to seeing from him, and in this case, different is better.
22.7.08
Franchise Thoughts: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Quite the mixed bag for us boxing fans this week. First came yet another "WTF?" moment when it was announced that Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz would fight August 30 for the vacant WBA heavyweight title. I do believe in a higher power, and I also feel He has one tremendous sense of humor to give us a world where these two men would fight twice - and for a title both times!
My favorite part of the story is that Don King submitted a purse bid just $10 over the minimum despite having a vested interest in both men. Folks, when Don King doesn't think he can sell your fight, you know you've got a stinker on your hands.
Then my brother Uatu text messaged me a few days later to point me to the least surprising injury news ever. Namely, that Joe Calzaghe had hurt himself training and his September fight with Roy Jones was postponed.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. JoeCal's fight with Bernard Hopkins was pretty boring, and depending on which Jones shows up, this one could be too. Call me a hopeless optimist, but maybe Calzaghe will get tired of being called a slapper and RJJ will realize he's at the end of the road and they'll both lay it all on the line.
It appears the fight may be rescheduled for November, which if nothing else will give HBO more time to put together episodes of 24/7. They might even have cameras rolling the next time Joe hurts his hand!
Fortunately, we the fight fans have the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito fight coming up to wash the bad taste of all this other stuff out of our mouths. Good stuff by ESPN's Kieran Mulvaney as he discusses how this fight could be the one that turns Cotto into a real star. I think the same could also be said for Margarito, whose crowd-pleasing style seems to need only the right high profile win to catapult him to superstardom.
And speaking of pleasing crowds, Eric Raskin isn't exactly going out on a limb when he calls Cotto-Margarito the one fight to watch to attempt to get your non-boxing-fan friends hooked on the sport. Much more interesting is Raskin's lead, where he talks about the need many of us feel to try to recruit others into the fold.
I have to admit I've felt that way on more than one occasion, and I'm not sure why. Part of it, I'm sure, is that I hear the constant refrains of "boxing is in decline, boxing is dead, blah, blah blah," and I want to show people that it's not true. Some of it is also knowing how exciting boxing can be at it's best, and truly feeling that my friends who are fans of other sports would agree if they would only give it a chance.
In any case, I've certainly done my share of trumpeting the merits of Cotto-Margarito to anyone who would listen. They don't have to watch if they don't want to, but if the fight turns out to be even half as good as experts and fans alike think it might be, it will be their loss.
My favorite part of the story is that Don King submitted a purse bid just $10 over the minimum despite having a vested interest in both men. Folks, when Don King doesn't think he can sell your fight, you know you've got a stinker on your hands.
Then my brother Uatu text messaged me a few days later to point me to the least surprising injury news ever. Namely, that Joe Calzaghe had hurt himself training and his September fight with Roy Jones was postponed.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. JoeCal's fight with Bernard Hopkins was pretty boring, and depending on which Jones shows up, this one could be too. Call me a hopeless optimist, but maybe Calzaghe will get tired of being called a slapper and RJJ will realize he's at the end of the road and they'll both lay it all on the line.
It appears the fight may be rescheduled for November, which if nothing else will give HBO more time to put together episodes of 24/7. They might even have cameras rolling the next time Joe hurts his hand!
Fortunately, we the fight fans have the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito fight coming up to wash the bad taste of all this other stuff out of our mouths. Good stuff by ESPN's Kieran Mulvaney as he discusses how this fight could be the one that turns Cotto into a real star. I think the same could also be said for Margarito, whose crowd-pleasing style seems to need only the right high profile win to catapult him to superstardom.
And speaking of pleasing crowds, Eric Raskin isn't exactly going out on a limb when he calls Cotto-Margarito the one fight to watch to attempt to get your non-boxing-fan friends hooked on the sport. Much more interesting is Raskin's lead, where he talks about the need many of us feel to try to recruit others into the fold.
I have to admit I've felt that way on more than one occasion, and I'm not sure why. Part of it, I'm sure, is that I hear the constant refrains of "boxing is in decline, boxing is dead, blah, blah blah," and I want to show people that it's not true. Some of it is also knowing how exciting boxing can be at it's best, and truly feeling that my friends who are fans of other sports would agree if they would only give it a chance.
In any case, I've certainly done my share of trumpeting the merits of Cotto-Margarito to anyone who would listen. They don't have to watch if they don't want to, but if the fight turns out to be even half as good as experts and fans alike think it might be, it will be their loss.
29.4.08
BoxingWatchers.com Boxing Power Rankings - April 2008
We've been doing these rankings for a minute now, but for those new to the party, here's the disclaimer: this is not a pound-for-pound list. Instead, it's a pseudo-scientific measure of who's hot right now, with points earned for activity, winning decisively and facing opponents with good records. For another view, read one of our first posts: How Our Rankings Work.
Now that we've got that out of the way, here's a fresh batch of power rankings that's been shaken up a bit from all of the big fights over the past two months. Even so, there's a familiar name on top...
1. Miguel Cotto - 24.74 - He's probably not the best boxer in the world, but he does put in consistently excellent performances against tough competition. He'll have to do that again to get past Antonio Margarito in July.
2. David Haye - 24.15 - The Hayemaker has knocked out his last four foes and currently rules the cruiserweight division with two iron fists. Time will tell if he's biting off more than he can chew by moving up to heavyweight.
3. Kelly Pavlik - 19.51 - The Ghost should only increase his score in June when he steps in against Gary Lockett. Who? Exactly.
4. Wladimir Klitschko - 19.00 - Tony Thompson is up next for the heavyweight champ. It can't possibly be as dull as the Ibragimov fight... can it?
5. Manny Pacquiao - 16.61 - He got past Juan Manuel Marquez, but just barely. Pacman could flash his KO power of old against David Diaz in June.
6. Joe Calzaghe - 16.00 - A victory over Bernard Hopkins is impressive, no matter how razor-thin the margin. Calzaghe's immediate future seems to hold several lucrative possibilities.
7. Floyd Mayweather - 15.60 - What's the world's best boxer doing all the way down here? Not enough boxing, that's what.
8. Samuel Peter - 15.27 - The Nigerian Nightmare slugged his way past Oleg Maskaev and is all of a sudden looking scary good.
9. Israel Vazquez - 15.16 - This guy really needs to think about fighting someone other than Rafael Marquez. Not because we wouldn't love to see them go for four - we would - but because doing that on a regular basis can't be good for his health.
10. Chris John - 15.05 - Perhaps someday this guy will fight here in the U.S. so we can see if he's really as good as his record makes him appear.
The next 7: Arthur Abraham, Ricky Hatton, Juan Diaz, Nate Campbell, Antonio Margarito, Junior Witter, Shane Mosley
Now that we've got that out of the way, here's a fresh batch of power rankings that's been shaken up a bit from all of the big fights over the past two months. Even so, there's a familiar name on top...
1. Miguel Cotto - 24.74 - He's probably not the best boxer in the world, but he does put in consistently excellent performances against tough competition. He'll have to do that again to get past Antonio Margarito in July.
2. David Haye - 24.15 - The Hayemaker has knocked out his last four foes and currently rules the cruiserweight division with two iron fists. Time will tell if he's biting off more than he can chew by moving up to heavyweight.
3. Kelly Pavlik - 19.51 - The Ghost should only increase his score in June when he steps in against Gary Lockett. Who? Exactly.
4. Wladimir Klitschko - 19.00 - Tony Thompson is up next for the heavyweight champ. It can't possibly be as dull as the Ibragimov fight... can it?
5. Manny Pacquiao - 16.61 - He got past Juan Manuel Marquez, but just barely. Pacman could flash his KO power of old against David Diaz in June.
6. Joe Calzaghe - 16.00 - A victory over Bernard Hopkins is impressive, no matter how razor-thin the margin. Calzaghe's immediate future seems to hold several lucrative possibilities.
7. Floyd Mayweather - 15.60 - What's the world's best boxer doing all the way down here? Not enough boxing, that's what.
8. Samuel Peter - 15.27 - The Nigerian Nightmare slugged his way past Oleg Maskaev and is all of a sudden looking scary good.
9. Israel Vazquez - 15.16 - This guy really needs to think about fighting someone other than Rafael Marquez. Not because we wouldn't love to see them go for four - we would - but because doing that on a regular basis can't be good for his health.
10. Chris John - 15.05 - Perhaps someday this guy will fight here in the U.S. so we can see if he's really as good as his record makes him appear.
The next 7: Arthur Abraham, Ricky Hatton, Juan Diaz, Nate Campbell, Antonio Margarito, Junior Witter, Shane Mosley
20.4.08
20-20 Hindsight: What's Next for Calzaghe and Hopkins, Close Doesn't Mean Controversial and More
Even though it was much more of a chess match with boxing gloves than a slugfest, Saturday's fight between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins wasn't totally devoid of drama. From the time that Calzaghe hit the canvas thanks to a quick but powerful right to the moment the split decision was announced, there was definite suspense.
It wasn't the type of fight to show to friends who aren't boxing fans to try to sell the sport though, and that's due in large part to Hopkins' defensive wizardry. Even in his 40's, The Executioner is quite simply the best defensive boxer I've ever seen, adept at not only blocking, slipping and evading punches, but also at controlling tempo and spacing. It's nearly impossible for opponents to line him up for anything significant, and his ability to fire off the ropes at the very last second is remarkable. Add in his timely clinches and his subtle (and not so subtle) tactics at extreme close range and it becomes an intimidating package for any opponent.
Against Calzaghe, Hopkins just didn't have enough offense to go with it. Too much jumping in without scoring, not enough of the jab and a real lack of weapons other than his counter right and body shots in close. You got the feeling that the fight was there for Bernard to win if he had just summoned up a little bit more of an attack, especially in the middle rounds when he admitted to pacing himself.
And lest we get too carried away with what Hopkins didn't do, proper credit needs to be given to Calzaghe for what he did. Joe is a rarity in the fight game in that he's a pressure fighter who can actually make in-fight adjustments. So many guys who come forward with high work rates just don't have a Plan B if things start going wrong - we've seen it recently with Paul Williams and Juan Diaz. Calzaghe's shown that he has a deeper bag of tricks against Mikkel Kessler and now against Hopkins, and that's what makes him the champ that he is.
As for the decision, there are no doubt people who think Hopkins should have won. There's nothing wrong with that, as there were a number of close rounds that were tough to score. But calling the decision controversial is just plain wrong, just as it was when Glen Johnson did it after his loss to Chad Dawson. A true robbery happens when one boxer clearly outclasses the other - say, nine rounds to three - but loses on the scorecards. That didn't happen to Johnson and it didn't happen Saturday either. Close doesn't equal controversial.
Hopkins asserted after the fight that the fans know he won the fight, but I don't expect a public outcry, and I'm sure he knows that deep down inside. He understands so many facets of the boxing game that he must realize his style just isn't fan-friendly, especially at this point in his career. If this is indeed the end of the road, he won't be able to say he never lost, but he will be able to say he couldn't be beaten decisively, and with the competition he's faced, that's saying something.
Calzaghe seems to have plenty of options for his next fight, though my brother Uatu made a good point when he suggested that he should really be thinking about only one or two more big fights before calling it quits. So much was made of Hopkins' age that it was easy to lose sight of the fact that Calzaghe is 36.
A fight with Kelly Pavlik would be appealing but dangerous for Calzaghe because even though he has the skills to befuddle The Ghost, getting caught by a right hand in that one would probably mean lights out. For financial and name recognition reasons, Roy Jones makes even more sense, and offers the Pride of Wales the best chance to put another big-name win on his resume.
It wasn't the type of fight to show to friends who aren't boxing fans to try to sell the sport though, and that's due in large part to Hopkins' defensive wizardry. Even in his 40's, The Executioner is quite simply the best defensive boxer I've ever seen, adept at not only blocking, slipping and evading punches, but also at controlling tempo and spacing. It's nearly impossible for opponents to line him up for anything significant, and his ability to fire off the ropes at the very last second is remarkable. Add in his timely clinches and his subtle (and not so subtle) tactics at extreme close range and it becomes an intimidating package for any opponent.
Against Calzaghe, Hopkins just didn't have enough offense to go with it. Too much jumping in without scoring, not enough of the jab and a real lack of weapons other than his counter right and body shots in close. You got the feeling that the fight was there for Bernard to win if he had just summoned up a little bit more of an attack, especially in the middle rounds when he admitted to pacing himself.
And lest we get too carried away with what Hopkins didn't do, proper credit needs to be given to Calzaghe for what he did. Joe is a rarity in the fight game in that he's a pressure fighter who can actually make in-fight adjustments. So many guys who come forward with high work rates just don't have a Plan B if things start going wrong - we've seen it recently with Paul Williams and Juan Diaz. Calzaghe's shown that he has a deeper bag of tricks against Mikkel Kessler and now against Hopkins, and that's what makes him the champ that he is.
As for the decision, there are no doubt people who think Hopkins should have won. There's nothing wrong with that, as there were a number of close rounds that were tough to score. But calling the decision controversial is just plain wrong, just as it was when Glen Johnson did it after his loss to Chad Dawson. A true robbery happens when one boxer clearly outclasses the other - say, nine rounds to three - but loses on the scorecards. That didn't happen to Johnson and it didn't happen Saturday either. Close doesn't equal controversial.
Hopkins asserted after the fight that the fans know he won the fight, but I don't expect a public outcry, and I'm sure he knows that deep down inside. He understands so many facets of the boxing game that he must realize his style just isn't fan-friendly, especially at this point in his career. If this is indeed the end of the road, he won't be able to say he never lost, but he will be able to say he couldn't be beaten decisively, and with the competition he's faced, that's saying something.
Calzaghe seems to have plenty of options for his next fight, though my brother Uatu made a good point when he suggested that he should really be thinking about only one or two more big fights before calling it quits. So much was made of Hopkins' age that it was easy to lose sight of the fact that Calzaghe is 36.
A fight with Kelly Pavlik would be appealing but dangerous for Calzaghe because even though he has the skills to befuddle The Ghost, getting caught by a right hand in that one would probably mean lights out. For financial and name recognition reasons, Roy Jones makes even more sense, and offers the Pride of Wales the best chance to put another big-name win on his resume.
19.4.08
Round by Round: Joe Calzaghe vs. Bernard Hopkins
The broadcast is off and running with Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman hyping tonight's bout between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins. Max suggests that if Floyd Mayweather is upset by Oscar De La Hoya later this year, the winner of this one will be considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Emanuel Steward ponders whether or not Calzaghe's lack of experience fighting in the U.S. will be a factor, and a video segment takes viewers inside JoeCal's world. Calzaghe says he wants to retire undefeated - no easy feat when you take on the likes of Hopkins, even at his current age.
Steward thinks B-Hop may have trouble with Calzaghe's speed. Now there's some discussion about the mind games Hopkins has been trying to play, and Kellerman states that this fight turns racial stereotypes of boxers on their heads. The next video package explores the mental aspect of Hopkins' game in more detail, including his treatment of the Puerto Rico flag before he fought Felix Trinidad and his "white boy" comment in the build-up to tonight's fight.
Celebrities at ringside include Whitney Houston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jay-Z, Jim Belushi, Pete Sampras, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sir Tom Jones handles the national anthem of Wales, while Ray J. does the same for the U.S.
The tale of the tape shows Hopkins with a slight height advantage and Calzaghe with a slight reach advantage. They both weighed in at 173 pounds.
Calzaghe makes his way to the ring, and the announcers say that while his fans have traveled well, he doesn't have the same fanatical following as Ricky Hatton. Hopkins gets a mixed reaction as he comes in. His robe says "Executioner" but his mask from his early career is definitely missed.
Joe Cortez is tonight's referee. Michael Buffer handles the introductions and we're all set to go.
Round 1
The opening seconds are cautious as the announce team talks about head butts. Calzaghe tries to get inside and they tie up. Joe trying the jab but no dice so far. Hopkins lands a right to the chin and Calzaghe goes down! That didn't look like it hurt him, but it did surprise him. Calzaghe can't figure out how to get in while punching. Joe misses a big left and B-Hop ties him up again. Calzaghe may be bleeding from the nose already. You couldn't script a better start for Hopkins.
Franchise: 10-8 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-8 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-8 Hopkins
Round 2
Calzaghe has to make Hopkins work or this is not going to be close. Lots of roughhousing in close which definitely favors Bernard. Joe lands to the body but nothing significant. Cortez warns Joe for hitting behind the head and Bernard lands a right coming out of the break. Now Hopkins tries to come in and Cortez calls time for a low blow by Calzaghe. This fight may break the record for most clinches broken up by the ref, and Cortez is earning his money tonight.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 3
CompuBox says Calzaghe has landed no jabs so far. Hopkins hit by a lead left but Hopkins gets an uppercut off inside. Hopkins goes to the body and clinches. Now a left by Calzaghe. Back against the ropes, B-Hop fights Joe off of him. Calzaghe flurries but Hopkins stands his ground. Steward thinks Joe will still get back into it. The announcers say it's a distance game right now, and it's hard to disagree. Left hands in the clinch by Joe and body shots; Hopkins scores with a counter right. Another ugly round that probably favors The Executioner.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 4
Joe lands a left coming into the corner but nothing else. Hopkins is just masterful at fighting the way he wants to fight. Bernard pawing with the jab; the crowd roars every time Joe scores whether it does damage or not. Cortez warns both men for rough tactics. Now they finally trade along the ropes. Calzaghe tries to duck in and throw the left but that's not working too well. Joe almost finds the range before the bell but still looks too cautious.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 5
Harold Lederman has this fight much closer than I do. Calzaghe finally finds a home for a few jabs. Hopkins tries to flurry but JoeCal is covered up. Left along the ropes by JoeCal. More clinches. Hopkins comes in to no avail. Bernard not quite as accurate with the counter shots in this round. Big swing and a miss with a JoeCal left. Right to the body by Hopkins but he hasn't done much offensively this round, and Calzaghe lands a left at the end of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 6
The Welsh fans start a little singing in-between rounds. Steward says this fight will be difficult to score. Calzaghe's left is becoming more of a factor, but here's a flurry by B-Hop. Both men trade along the ropes in a roughly even exchange. Right by Hopkins answered by a Calzaghe left. Hopkins counters effectively now with a left. Straight left and right to the body by Joe. Calzaghe tries to steal the round with a late flurry and he may have won it anyway.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 7
Left coming in by Calzaghe again. He looks much more relaxed now. Hopkins throwing one punch every time. He comes charging off the ropes but can't find much. The announcers are talking again about how tough the scoring will be. Jab by Joe and right to the body by Bernard. Good counter shots by Hopkins backed against the ropes. Calzaghe tries to surprise Hopkins quickly off the clinch. Both men flurry and come up mostly empty. Big exchange before the bell and Calzaghe almost stumbles down.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 8
Now Joe opens up with a flurry. Welshmen starting to get into it again. Jabs landing by Joe as Bernard ties up. Nice left upstairs by Calzaghe. Good counter by Hopkins, then both men land clean. Another left by Joe is answered by a right. Nice combo by Joe and he escapes the return fire. Nice dancing by Hopkins, and it looks like he landed a punch after the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 9
Nice right to the body by Bernard. Enzo Calzaghe really laid into his son between rounds. Good left to the head by Joe, then a jab. Flurry both ways along the ropes. Hopkins jumps forward and gets whacked in the side of the head. Plenty more wrestling if you like that sort of thing. Quick combo by Joe, then a hard right by Bernard. Left hand gets Hopkins' attention. Twin lefts by Calzaghe and counter right by Hopkins.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 10
CompuBox is having things go more and more Calzaghe's way, not that that means anything. Hopkins goes down but it looks like it was a low blow. Cortez gives Bernard five minutes to recover, but no point deduction seems to be coming. On replay, it's apparent Bernard pulled Joe's head down. It's quite possible Bernard is stalling for time. Calzaghe is loving it, playing to the crowd. It didn't slow Joe down, that's for sure. Hopkins lands a straight right coming in, then another jumping into the body. He's become more aggressive but it may be for naught. Calzaghe tags him coming in this time. Slapping punches both ways. Good lefts but Hopkins stands his ground. Both men let it fly at the bell, mostly for show. Ugly round.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 11
A rare exchange in the center of the ring. Hopkins needs these last two rounds to be comfortable. Calzaghe finds the range coming in. Three clinches in a row. Hopkins pleading about getting hit in the back of the head. JoeCal backs Hopkins up a step. More grappling in the corner and B-Hop tries to plead for another low blow. Cortez says fight on. B-Hop is fired up now. Nice theatrics there by both guys.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 12
Left stuns Hopkins as they flurry. I think this one might be up for grabs. Enzo Calzaghe was still spurring his son on. Both men miss as they tie up. Good left by Joe and Bernard tries to counter. Hopkins looking a little more aggressive but it's not all effective. Exchanges along the ropes are mostly for show. Steward seems to think JoeCal's style will play with the Nevada judges. Ten seconds left and Bernard holds on. We'll go to the scorecards now and I wouldn't be surprised by anything.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Both men play to the crowd as we await the scores. That was more of a chess match than a brawl, but it was not without some drama.
Franchise scores it 114-113 Calzaghe, Uatu scores it 115-112 Calzaghe, Spartan117 scores it 114-113 Hopkins.
The judges score it 114-113 Hopkins, 115-112 Calzaghe and 116-111 Calzaghe. Your winner by split decision and new linear light heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Calzaghe.
Hopkins has a look of disbelief on his face, but that's to be expected. CompuBox had Calzaghe landing more punches against Hopkins than any opponent in his illustrious career. It also had Joe throwing more, landing more and connecting at a higher percentage. Take that for what you will.
Calzaghe says he was not really hurt by the first-round knockdown. He gives due credit to Hopkins for how tough a fight it was, and he admits he was wary of B-Hop's right hand. Joe doesn't think he was hurt at any time in the fight, and he makes a wry comment about the supposed low blow that had Hopkins complaining in the 10th round. He also says he doesn't know who he'll fight next, but does hint at Roy Jones. Steward would like to see that one.
Kellerman does get Hopkins to speak, and he says he was pacing himself in the middle rounds. He says all the fans except the Brits know he won the fight by picking up enough rounds. B-Hop says he was never hurt but did daze his foe several times. He says the fans are the real judges and know he won the fight. They watch the replay of the low blow together and Hopkins keeps pleading his case. Will this be it for him? The Executioner says he'll talk to his Golden Boy partners and let this fight marinate in the minds of the fans.
Emanuel Steward ponders whether or not Calzaghe's lack of experience fighting in the U.S. will be a factor, and a video segment takes viewers inside JoeCal's world. Calzaghe says he wants to retire undefeated - no easy feat when you take on the likes of Hopkins, even at his current age.
Steward thinks B-Hop may have trouble with Calzaghe's speed. Now there's some discussion about the mind games Hopkins has been trying to play, and Kellerman states that this fight turns racial stereotypes of boxers on their heads. The next video package explores the mental aspect of Hopkins' game in more detail, including his treatment of the Puerto Rico flag before he fought Felix Trinidad and his "white boy" comment in the build-up to tonight's fight.
Celebrities at ringside include Whitney Houston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jay-Z, Jim Belushi, Pete Sampras, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sir Tom Jones handles the national anthem of Wales, while Ray J. does the same for the U.S.
The tale of the tape shows Hopkins with a slight height advantage and Calzaghe with a slight reach advantage. They both weighed in at 173 pounds.
Calzaghe makes his way to the ring, and the announcers say that while his fans have traveled well, he doesn't have the same fanatical following as Ricky Hatton. Hopkins gets a mixed reaction as he comes in. His robe says "Executioner" but his mask from his early career is definitely missed.
Joe Cortez is tonight's referee. Michael Buffer handles the introductions and we're all set to go.
Round 1
The opening seconds are cautious as the announce team talks about head butts. Calzaghe tries to get inside and they tie up. Joe trying the jab but no dice so far. Hopkins lands a right to the chin and Calzaghe goes down! That didn't look like it hurt him, but it did surprise him. Calzaghe can't figure out how to get in while punching. Joe misses a big left and B-Hop ties him up again. Calzaghe may be bleeding from the nose already. You couldn't script a better start for Hopkins.
Franchise: 10-8 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-8 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-8 Hopkins
Round 2
Calzaghe has to make Hopkins work or this is not going to be close. Lots of roughhousing in close which definitely favors Bernard. Joe lands to the body but nothing significant. Cortez warns Joe for hitting behind the head and Bernard lands a right coming out of the break. Now Hopkins tries to come in and Cortez calls time for a low blow by Calzaghe. This fight may break the record for most clinches broken up by the ref, and Cortez is earning his money tonight.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 3
CompuBox says Calzaghe has landed no jabs so far. Hopkins hit by a lead left but Hopkins gets an uppercut off inside. Hopkins goes to the body and clinches. Now a left by Calzaghe. Back against the ropes, B-Hop fights Joe off of him. Calzaghe flurries but Hopkins stands his ground. Steward thinks Joe will still get back into it. The announcers say it's a distance game right now, and it's hard to disagree. Left hands in the clinch by Joe and body shots; Hopkins scores with a counter right. Another ugly round that probably favors The Executioner.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 4
Joe lands a left coming into the corner but nothing else. Hopkins is just masterful at fighting the way he wants to fight. Bernard pawing with the jab; the crowd roars every time Joe scores whether it does damage or not. Cortez warns both men for rough tactics. Now they finally trade along the ropes. Calzaghe tries to duck in and throw the left but that's not working too well. Joe almost finds the range before the bell but still looks too cautious.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 5
Harold Lederman has this fight much closer than I do. Calzaghe finally finds a home for a few jabs. Hopkins tries to flurry but JoeCal is covered up. Left along the ropes by JoeCal. More clinches. Hopkins comes in to no avail. Bernard not quite as accurate with the counter shots in this round. Big swing and a miss with a JoeCal left. Right to the body by Hopkins but he hasn't done much offensively this round, and Calzaghe lands a left at the end of the round.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 6
The Welsh fans start a little singing in-between rounds. Steward says this fight will be difficult to score. Calzaghe's left is becoming more of a factor, but here's a flurry by B-Hop. Both men trade along the ropes in a roughly even exchange. Right by Hopkins answered by a Calzaghe left. Hopkins counters effectively now with a left. Straight left and right to the body by Joe. Calzaghe tries to steal the round with a late flurry and he may have won it anyway.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 7
Left coming in by Calzaghe again. He looks much more relaxed now. Hopkins throwing one punch every time. He comes charging off the ropes but can't find much. The announcers are talking again about how tough the scoring will be. Jab by Joe and right to the body by Bernard. Good counter shots by Hopkins backed against the ropes. Calzaghe tries to surprise Hopkins quickly off the clinch. Both men flurry and come up mostly empty. Big exchange before the bell and Calzaghe almost stumbles down.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 8
Now Joe opens up with a flurry. Welshmen starting to get into it again. Jabs landing by Joe as Bernard ties up. Nice left upstairs by Calzaghe. Good counter by Hopkins, then both men land clean. Another left by Joe is answered by a right. Nice combo by Joe and he escapes the return fire. Nice dancing by Hopkins, and it looks like he landed a punch after the bell.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 9
Nice right to the body by Bernard. Enzo Calzaghe really laid into his son between rounds. Good left to the head by Joe, then a jab. Flurry both ways along the ropes. Hopkins jumps forward and gets whacked in the side of the head. Plenty more wrestling if you like that sort of thing. Quick combo by Joe, then a hard right by Bernard. Left hand gets Hopkins' attention. Twin lefts by Calzaghe and counter right by Hopkins.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 10
CompuBox is having things go more and more Calzaghe's way, not that that means anything. Hopkins goes down but it looks like it was a low blow. Cortez gives Bernard five minutes to recover, but no point deduction seems to be coming. On replay, it's apparent Bernard pulled Joe's head down. It's quite possible Bernard is stalling for time. Calzaghe is loving it, playing to the crowd. It didn't slow Joe down, that's for sure. Hopkins lands a straight right coming in, then another jumping into the body. He's become more aggressive but it may be for naught. Calzaghe tags him coming in this time. Slapping punches both ways. Good lefts but Hopkins stands his ground. Both men let it fly at the bell, mostly for show. Ugly round.
Franchise: 10-9 Hopkins
Uatu: 10-9 Hopkins
Spartan117: 10-9 Hopkins
Round 11
A rare exchange in the center of the ring. Hopkins needs these last two rounds to be comfortable. Calzaghe finds the range coming in. Three clinches in a row. Hopkins pleading about getting hit in the back of the head. JoeCal backs Hopkins up a step. More grappling in the corner and B-Hop tries to plead for another low blow. Cortez says fight on. B-Hop is fired up now. Nice theatrics there by both guys.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Round 12
Left stuns Hopkins as they flurry. I think this one might be up for grabs. Enzo Calzaghe was still spurring his son on. Both men miss as they tie up. Good left by Joe and Bernard tries to counter. Hopkins looking a little more aggressive but it's not all effective. Exchanges along the ropes are mostly for show. Steward seems to think JoeCal's style will play with the Nevada judges. Ten seconds left and Bernard holds on. We'll go to the scorecards now and I wouldn't be surprised by anything.
Franchise: 10-9 Calzaghe
Uatu: 10-9 Calzaghe
Spartan117: 10-9 Calzaghe
Both men play to the crowd as we await the scores. That was more of a chess match than a brawl, but it was not without some drama.
Franchise scores it 114-113 Calzaghe, Uatu scores it 115-112 Calzaghe, Spartan117 scores it 114-113 Hopkins.
The judges score it 114-113 Hopkins, 115-112 Calzaghe and 116-111 Calzaghe. Your winner by split decision and new linear light heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Calzaghe.
Hopkins has a look of disbelief on his face, but that's to be expected. CompuBox had Calzaghe landing more punches against Hopkins than any opponent in his illustrious career. It also had Joe throwing more, landing more and connecting at a higher percentage. Take that for what you will.
Calzaghe says he was not really hurt by the first-round knockdown. He gives due credit to Hopkins for how tough a fight it was, and he admits he was wary of B-Hop's right hand. Joe doesn't think he was hurt at any time in the fight, and he makes a wry comment about the supposed low blow that had Hopkins complaining in the 10th round. He also says he doesn't know who he'll fight next, but does hint at Roy Jones. Steward would like to see that one.
Kellerman does get Hopkins to speak, and he says he was pacing himself in the middle rounds. He says all the fans except the Brits know he won the fight by picking up enough rounds. B-Hop says he was never hurt but did daze his foe several times. He says the fans are the real judges and know he won the fight. They watch the replay of the low blow together and Hopkins keeps pleading his case. Will this be it for him? The Executioner says he'll talk to his Golden Boy partners and let this fight marinate in the minds of the fans.
Live Round By Round Coverage of Hopkins-Calzaghe Tonight
Well we really couldn't call ourselves BoxingWatchers.com and not cover a fight billed as the "Battle of the Planet," could we? As always, if you can't make it to a TV that carries HBO tonight, bookmark us here for live round by round updates as Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe square off in Las Vegas.
Predictions: Hopkins vs. Calzaghe
The Franchise says...
This is the kind of fight that boxing fans always hope for but seems to come together so rarely. It features two fighters who are at the very top of the sport, each with something different to prove.
Smart money would seem to favor the younger fighter, and a big majority of fans who voted in our BoxingWatchers.com poll like Joe Calzaghe to come away with the win - though he's no spring chicken himself, and he's not accustomed to fighting in the United States. Add in the fact that Bernard Hopkins has made a career of foiling both Father Time and his opponents and you've got all the ingredients for a toss-up.
Unlike many other bouts between big name fighters, this one seems like a good combination of styles as well, with Calzaghe applying constant pressure and Hopkins looking to use his superb defensive and counter-punching skills. But both men are capable of playing the other side as well, as Calzaghe showed an improved jab and patience in his decision victory over Mikkel Kessler last November, and Hopkins proved he still has an aggressive streak in his last two wins against Antonio Tarver and Winky Wright.
Still, it makes sense that both men will go with what comes most naturally to them, meaning Calzaghe should be the busier and more successful fighter in the early rounds. Look for The Executioner to eventually figure out how to exploit any weaknesses he senses and turn it on as the fight goes deeper.
That means the biggest questions will be whether or not Calzaghe can build enough of an early lead and whether he has the heart to pull out what should be an exciting and close bout. It's a tough call but I think the Pride of Wales will answer both of those questions affirmatively, and that B-Hop will finally bite off more than he can chew. I'm calling for Calzaghe to win a close, possibly split decision.
Uatu says...
Hopkins to win a close, possibly split decision.
Uatu likes Hopkins ability to shut down the other fighter's game plan. Consider this- Hopkins still has not lost convincingly since the mid 90's. In the recent fights that includes Tarver, Wright, and Taylor, which is better than Kessler, Lacy, and somebody else.
This is the kind of fight that boxing fans always hope for but seems to come together so rarely. It features two fighters who are at the very top of the sport, each with something different to prove.
Smart money would seem to favor the younger fighter, and a big majority of fans who voted in our BoxingWatchers.com poll like Joe Calzaghe to come away with the win - though he's no spring chicken himself, and he's not accustomed to fighting in the United States. Add in the fact that Bernard Hopkins has made a career of foiling both Father Time and his opponents and you've got all the ingredients for a toss-up.
Unlike many other bouts between big name fighters, this one seems like a good combination of styles as well, with Calzaghe applying constant pressure and Hopkins looking to use his superb defensive and counter-punching skills. But both men are capable of playing the other side as well, as Calzaghe showed an improved jab and patience in his decision victory over Mikkel Kessler last November, and Hopkins proved he still has an aggressive streak in his last two wins against Antonio Tarver and Winky Wright.
Still, it makes sense that both men will go with what comes most naturally to them, meaning Calzaghe should be the busier and more successful fighter in the early rounds. Look for The Executioner to eventually figure out how to exploit any weaknesses he senses and turn it on as the fight goes deeper.
That means the biggest questions will be whether or not Calzaghe can build enough of an early lead and whether he has the heart to pull out what should be an exciting and close bout. It's a tough call but I think the Pride of Wales will answer both of those questions affirmatively, and that B-Hop will finally bite off more than he can chew. I'm calling for Calzaghe to win a close, possibly split decision.
Uatu says...
Hopkins to win a close, possibly split decision.
Uatu likes Hopkins ability to shut down the other fighter's game plan. Consider this- Hopkins still has not lost convincingly since the mid 90's. In the recent fights that includes Tarver, Wright, and Taylor, which is better than Kessler, Lacy, and somebody else.
18.4.08
Hopkins vs. Calzaghe Weigh-In
Checking out the weigh-in over at hbo.com.
Buffer healthy and back at it again sounding great.
Michael J. Fox and Sly Stallone in the house.
They are wasting no time.
JoeCal -173.
Bernard in the omni-present Affliction shirt.
Marco Antonio Barerra must have everything smoothed out with Golden Boy as he is behind Bernard for support.
173 for Hopkins too.
Looks like Enzo Mac is on stage too.
forehead to forehead posturing.
Huge grin from JoeCal.
Joe is all smiles. Bernard doing some pointing. Frank Warren and Schaeffer attempting to separate.
And off they go. The whole spectacle was less than five minutes.
Not the most exciting weigh-in, but still, they never fail to build excitement. Weigh-ins are a nice little touch that makes boxing so great, the fact that the two combatants have to meet face-to-face publicly the day before a fight.
Roy Jones in the house too. He goes on stage and shakes MAB's hand.
Shelley Finkel on stage shaking MAB's hand.
That's all, that's it.
Buffer healthy and back at it again sounding great.
Michael J. Fox and Sly Stallone in the house.
They are wasting no time.
JoeCal -173.
Bernard in the omni-present Affliction shirt.
Marco Antonio Barerra must have everything smoothed out with Golden Boy as he is behind Bernard for support.
173 for Hopkins too.
Looks like Enzo Mac is on stage too.
forehead to forehead posturing.
Huge grin from JoeCal.
Joe is all smiles. Bernard doing some pointing. Frank Warren and Schaeffer attempting to separate.
And off they go. The whole spectacle was less than five minutes.
Not the most exciting weigh-in, but still, they never fail to build excitement. Weigh-ins are a nice little touch that makes boxing so great, the fact that the two combatants have to meet face-to-face publicly the day before a fight.
Roy Jones in the house too. He goes on stage and shakes MAB's hand.
Shelley Finkel on stage shaking MAB's hand.
That's all, that's it.
17.4.08
Joe Calzaghe Not Quite a U.S. Household Name Yet
Just a little factoid for you to let you know that JoeCal isn't quite that famous in the U.S. yet.
During the radio spots advertising the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight here on the local sports talk radio station, they refer to JoeCal as "Calzog," rhyming with log. On TV he has always been called "Calzogee." If it is indeed "Calzogee," then it's kind of pathetic that the radio ads for the fight can't even get half of the main event's names pronounced correctly.
During the radio spots advertising the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight here on the local sports talk radio station, they refer to JoeCal as "Calzog," rhyming with log. On TV he has always been called "Calzogee." If it is indeed "Calzogee," then it's kind of pathetic that the radio ads for the fight can't even get half of the main event's names pronounced correctly.
14.4.08
Some Quick Thoughts on Countdown to Hopkins - Calzaghe
Believe it or not Uatu has already watched the countdown show three times. This edition was much better than the one for Taylor - Pavlik or Pacquiao - Marquez.
Especially interesting was watching Hopkins go through Mackie Shilstone's tests.
Here's an interesting question for everyone.
How come people say Mayweather and Oscar can basically train themselves at this point and their current trainer of choice is not important, yet, Hopkins has not one, not two, but THREE trainers! Hopkins is supposedly a master boxer, and he still feels it essential to have input from trainers. Good for Hopkins. This is a man who is still humble enough to value others' opinions and still dedicated enough to leave no stone unturned. Very impressive character.
Especially interesting was watching Hopkins go through Mackie Shilstone's tests.
Here's an interesting question for everyone.
How come people say Mayweather and Oscar can basically train themselves at this point and their current trainer of choice is not important, yet, Hopkins has not one, not two, but THREE trainers! Hopkins is supposedly a master boxer, and he still feels it essential to have input from trainers. Good for Hopkins. This is a man who is still humble enough to value others' opinions and still dedicated enough to leave no stone unturned. Very impressive character.
5.4.08
Jim Rome Takes Bernard Hopkins to Task
Yesterday on the "Jim Rome is Burning" show on ESPN, Jim Rome had some remarks for Bernard's comments regarding not being beaten by a "white boy" - of course, Joe Calzaghe. Rome described Bernard as one of the great trash talkers, but thought that he may have made a mistake in insulting Calzaghe in this fashion.
Rome recounted one of Bernard's more famous episodes, where he stomped on the Puerto Rican flag before his showdown with Felix "Tito" Trinidad, and recalled some of his put-downs to Tito's fans.
Rome thinks Bernard's remarks are classless, but beyond that, since Joe is younger and may be stronger and faster, that Bernard may be eating those words in two weeks, and he's going to look extra dumb for saying such things.
Rome recounted one of Bernard's more famous episodes, where he stomped on the Puerto Rican flag before his showdown with Felix "Tito" Trinidad, and recalled some of his put-downs to Tito's fans.
Rome thinks Bernard's remarks are classless, but beyond that, since Joe is younger and may be stronger and faster, that Bernard may be eating those words in two weeks, and he's going to look extra dumb for saying such things.
28.2.08
BoxingWatchers.com Boxing Power Rankings - February 2008
Back after a month off - because there were no big name fights to speak of at the very end of 2007 or the very beginning of 2008 - it's the February edition of our very own boxing power rankings. If you haven't read the post about "How Our Rankings Work," go ahead and do so. I'll wait...
And if you don't want to do that, here's a disclaimer: this is not a pound-for-pound list of which boxers are "the best." Since lots of other sites do that, this is more of a measure of who's had the most success over the past three years against the toughest competition in their weight class, regardless of what that might be. Fighting often against other good boxers helps, and knocking out your foes is better than winning by split decision.
Now that we've got that out of the way, here's the list for the end of February:
1. Miguel Cotto - 22.40 - He stays in the top spot with eight victories over the last three years, including six knockouts. Expect him to add another one when he faces Alfonso Gomez in April.
2. Wladimir Klitschko - 21.00 - I may have to modify the formula to account for boredom after a stinker decision victory over Sultan Ibragimov. Steelhammer is fighting his division's best, it's just that they aren't very good.
3. Kelly Pavlik - 19.03 - The Ghost may have rocketed all the way to the top of the heap had he KO'ed Jermain Taylor again. But there was nothing wrong with his unanimous decision, and he probably displayed more all-around skill than in any previous outing.
4. Floyd Mayweather - 15.60 - The top boxer in the world may not fight again until September. And no, he won't get any points here if he beats Paul Wight at WrestleMania.
5. Joe Calzaghe - 15.50 - He got his wish: a bout with Bernard Hopkins in April. And boxing fans got their wish, as it won't be pay-per-view.
6. Chris John - 14.91 - Is this the best boxer I've never seen fight? Could be.
7. Manny Pacquiao - 14.78 - Pac Man's life is like a soap opera, creating numerous possible distractions. When he hits the ring, though, it's all business.
8. Israel Vazquez - 14.33 - Shame on you if you missed his fights with Rafael Marquez last year. Fortunately, you get another chance to watch the two of them collide this Saturday.
9. Juan Diaz - 13.87 - Think Nate Campbell will prove much of a challenge for the Baby Bull? Me neither.
10. Ricky Hatton - 13.19 - Tough to say what the future holds for Hatton, but the safe money says his fans won't stop all those chants just because he lost a fight.
The next 7: Arthur Abraham, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley, Clinton Woods, Juan Manuel Marquez, Kermit Cintron, Junior Witter
And if you don't want to do that, here's a disclaimer: this is not a pound-for-pound list of which boxers are "the best." Since lots of other sites do that, this is more of a measure of who's had the most success over the past three years against the toughest competition in their weight class, regardless of what that might be. Fighting often against other good boxers helps, and knocking out your foes is better than winning by split decision.
Now that we've got that out of the way, here's the list for the end of February:
1. Miguel Cotto - 22.40 - He stays in the top spot with eight victories over the last three years, including six knockouts. Expect him to add another one when he faces Alfonso Gomez in April.
2. Wladimir Klitschko - 21.00 - I may have to modify the formula to account for boredom after a stinker decision victory over Sultan Ibragimov. Steelhammer is fighting his division's best, it's just that they aren't very good.
3. Kelly Pavlik - 19.03 - The Ghost may have rocketed all the way to the top of the heap had he KO'ed Jermain Taylor again. But there was nothing wrong with his unanimous decision, and he probably displayed more all-around skill than in any previous outing.
4. Floyd Mayweather - 15.60 - The top boxer in the world may not fight again until September. And no, he won't get any points here if he beats Paul Wight at WrestleMania.
5. Joe Calzaghe - 15.50 - He got his wish: a bout with Bernard Hopkins in April. And boxing fans got their wish, as it won't be pay-per-view.
6. Chris John - 14.91 - Is this the best boxer I've never seen fight? Could be.
7. Manny Pacquiao - 14.78 - Pac Man's life is like a soap opera, creating numerous possible distractions. When he hits the ring, though, it's all business.
8. Israel Vazquez - 14.33 - Shame on you if you missed his fights with Rafael Marquez last year. Fortunately, you get another chance to watch the two of them collide this Saturday.
9. Juan Diaz - 13.87 - Think Nate Campbell will prove much of a challenge for the Baby Bull? Me neither.
10. Ricky Hatton - 13.19 - Tough to say what the future holds for Hatton, but the safe money says his fans won't stop all those chants just because he lost a fight.
The next 7: Arthur Abraham, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley, Clinton Woods, Juan Manuel Marquez, Kermit Cintron, Junior Witter
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