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| Fire away, readers. Who'll it be on Saturday night, Joe C or Hopkins? |
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TSS Prediction Page: Readers Rule II
By Michael Woods
A compelling light heavyweight matchup is on the table for Saturday night.
We can only hope the fight between Joe Calzaghe, the unbeaten Welshman who has finally been lured to the US, with enough money and a chance to upgrade his legacy, and Bernard Hopkins, the wily ultra-veteran who is unrivaled in this age in his ability to disrupt opponents’ strategy, is as compelling in the ring as it is on paper.
Many pundits see Hopkins doing what he does, dictating the flow and pace of the bout to his advantage, and handing Calzaghe his first loss in 45 pro outings. More pundits see Calzaghe being too busy for the 43 ½ year old Hopkins, and handing the age defying Philly fighter his fifth loss in 55 starts.
How do you see it unfolding, TSS Universe?
Are you leaning towards the younger man, the 36-year-old Welshman?
Do you think he has enough power to dent that solid Hopkins chin?
Do you think Calzaghe might feel some stage fright, away from his homeland?
You think Hopkins is too crafty, and even at his advanced age, will prove himself physically superior to his southpaw foe?
Perhaps we've made too much of Calzaghe's wins over fighters like Jeff Lacy, and Peter Manfredo, and even Mikkel Kessler. Maybe Calzaghe hasn't been battle tested against foes of a superior grade, as Hopkins has, and that gap will be glaringly apparent on Saturday night.
Fire away, readers, fire your best written jabs, and make your case on your projected victor on Saturday evening’s showdown between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins.
And then, be certain to log on after the bout, and either accept compliments gracefully, or fend off good-natured teasing for your sad powers of prognostication with an equal measure of class and dignity!
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Christopher Lettera:
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Calzaghe by unanimous decision or late round KO.
Huge advantage in skill level and professionalism for Calzaghe here. Hopkins doesn't stand a chance and will likely walk away embarassed from his last fight.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Yuvie:
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Hopkins to win comfortably. Joe's never fought a proper skilled american boxer and it'll show. He liked fighting the brawler styles of Lacy and Kessler but Hopkins is a completely different fight. I don't think us brits are gonna enjoy this fight at all. Hats off to Joe if he does somehow pull off the win though. He deserves a lot of respect if he beats hopkins.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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L36eNd:
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Hopkins by Decision.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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deepwater:
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joe cortez will f this fight up. if he doesnt calzage wins.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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donputo69:
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B.HOP BY UD..BUT I WOULDNT BE SURPRISE IF HE TKO BY THE LATE ROUNDS..HOLLA BACK..
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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esmith5400:
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B-HOP by KO! That's right! Do him just like Tito! Joe will try to stand and trade like he did with Kessler but will revert back to the slapping punches that tend to win him all his fights. Not going to happen this time. Hopkins will place well timed right hands in between those slaps and catch Joe. Great career Joe but too late to be great!
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Madison:
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I think joe squeaks it out although I hate saying it. Im betting on B-hop because what a great dog to have and i'll be rooting for him, but i just have a bad feeling joe gets this one.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Kool-Aid:
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Calzaghe UD over Hopkins. Great careers for both gentlemen but Calzaghe will be the busier fighter.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Smiley C:
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The executioner is going to be like Edwards Scissor-hands. He is going to cut Calzaghe from the top of the head to the bottom of the jaw. He is going to even cut his ears. The ref and doc will call it off in round 10. Fo' sure!
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Charles Montgomery Burns:
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I don't know I just hope Calzaghe knocks out Hopkins. I'm going to be watching UFC83 saturday night Georges St Pierre vs Matt Serra this fight will definetly have alot more action than the Calzaghe Hopkins fight, that's for damn sure. It will be the same old dirty Hopkins rushing in with his head, rabbitt punching, clinching all that stuff I never get excited or even interested in a fight with Hopkins in it. I love Boxing but saturday night will definetly be a UFC night.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Cornjob:
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Hopkins TKO 11 Joe's never been hit by a light heavyweight before and aint gonna like it much.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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mr payback:
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calzaghe by decision, i see bernard doing well in spots but even in his best rounds he still gets outlanded and also see bernard making it ugly and getting warnings from the ref for excessive clinching, the rounds will be close rounds but if the scoring is fair i see calzage winning 9 to 3 or 8 to 4 with no knockdowns.
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Damian:
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If this fight was in the UK I'd have it down for Calzaghe without any hesitation by a very comfortable UD points victory. Since it's taking place in Vegas, I still think it'll be a points victory for Calzaghe, but the judges may make it look closer than it is, so a split decision is possible. Unless (a) Hopkins really finds a way to totally spoil Joe's game, (2) the pressure of the Vegas spotlight gets to Calzaghe and he doesn't perform as he can or (3) he's robbed by the judges -- and all of these are admittedly possible, unfortunately -- I don't see Calzaghe losing. If Calzaghe does win, I hope that people will finally -- unreservedly and unbegrudgingly -- admit his greatness as a fighter instead of making excuses for Hopkins or harping on about how Calzaghe didn't fight the top yanks (not his fault!). As Michael says, here: let's try and show some class, dignity and humility folks! After all, regardless of all the bullshit hyperbole that goes on, let's face it: whatever happens on Saturday night, both fighters richly deserve their spots in the Boxing Hall of Fame for perpetuity, and we're lucky to be able to witness this fight. May the best man win!
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Keith:
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Hopkins UD "Slappy" Calzaghe. Joe's work rate will be the reason he loses as he will be counter punched with crisp hard rights all night long!
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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rudy:
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You guys got my prediction, FRONT PAGE! Like I said, take the under -- Hopkins is coming to bring some pain Saturday night, if he doesnt knock him out --- he's going to rearrange Joe's face, Nip/Tuck style! Joe might want to get in touch with William Joppy to see what the best treatment for recovery is!
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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Radam G:
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Ain't no punk! But I am punking out on a prediction. I am too passionate for Slappy Joe Calzaghe. I honestly want him to win. But I can see things that I don't like. I feel some bad aura around him. I have a hunch that Slappy Joe is freezing up. I don't like the way that he is mouthing, and B-Hop and Team B-Hop are laughing their derrieres off. Slappy Joe is making the mistake of Cory Spinks. Spinks dances all the fight out of himself before the start. Slappy Joe is angrily cussin' and talkin' all the fight out of himself before the start. This is an old-school trick: Let your opponent use up all his mental strength winning the theatrics before the bout. Then, during the bout, you just pound him silly. Because, losing this type of strength, puts you as 10 percent of your capacity. Boxing is primarily a mental game. Holla!
Friday Apr 18, 2008
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manboobs the great:
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nard wins in a close fight with a late rally of aggresion and a steady dose of sneak right hands.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Comte:
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Joe by UD if he remains on his toes and resists being frustrated by B'Hop's wiley games.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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wayne:
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Calzaghe wins easily. Most everyone writes about how Hopkins has psyched out Calzaghe. By doing what saying he ain't gonna let a white boy beat him. Hah!. The exact opposite is true just remember everywhere and everytime Hopkins gave interviews he was asked about that racist comment. In the past Hopkins was the master of winning the fight before the bell rings. This time however the tables will be reversed against him.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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bill major:
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hopkins hasnt a chance in hell if he dosent put some early rds in the bank and he knows it, so maybe he will surprise everyone and and actually fight instead of running his mouth and then do nothing like he has been doing. we all been running our own mouths all week so my real feelings are this,
i love joe calzaghies ability to rise to the moment when things arent going his way and changing his game to overcome and win. he dosent get the credit here but to me he has proved himself great fighter and champion. bernard has been a tough and wiley fighter,how can you not be coming out of philly. the guy has done it his way all the way and in this game that usually kills a career quick but the old man has beat the odds and fought some of the greats of our day and beat then .im a patriot all the way and this fight is a tough one for me to watch because i want joe to get out spotless ,he deserves it . also, hopkin is one of our own .whether you like him or not he is an american and i dont like anyone beating our guys ,its like the country losing plus the euros rub it in and that just dosent sit well. so im just going to sit back and may the best man win.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Robert Curtis:
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Age is the only real factor here, but it's a big one. If both fighters were the same age, there'd be little discussion. In my opinion, a prime Hopkins would kick Joe's a$$ around the ring like an empty soda can. But a 43 year old man has good days and bad days, no matter how monastic and focused he is in training. The well drains quicker and takes longer to refill. This fight will come down to how B-Hop feels right at the opening bell. If Bernard reached peak conditioning on schedule and tonight is a good night, Joe will lose. I'm hoping Bernard shows up feeling his best. Yes. It's time for him to go. But I want him to go in style.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Eastar:
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I've been saying Calzaghe over Hopkins for a few months but now its fight night, and I see Hopkins landing his right hands and Cazghe not landing the left. I think B-Hop will throw Joe off his game. Hopkins by UD. Holla!
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Eastar:
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Hopkins looked like he wanted to quit. It's time to retire B-Hop you've had a lovely career. Tho I think he won more rounds, Hopkins could not keep Calzaghe from taking the momentum. Ya dig?
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Damian:
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Well, the fight's over: split decision for Calzaghe, as I suggested it might be. An ugly fight indeed, as many predicted: Hopkins definitely threw Calzaghe off his game, but there can be no arguing with the decision. It's a shame that hopkins couldn't accept defeat gracefully, but one expects that from a man with such a colossal ego. I really think it ought to have been a UD for Calzaghe: the first judge was clearly biased; let's just be thankful that the other two were more objective. The compubox numbers say it all: Calzaghe landed over one hundred more punches, and I think it was around 80 more power punches. Hopkins did a great job of preventing Calzaghe from getting his combinations off by smothering his punches and running in for hugs every time Calzaghe fired, but for me that doesn't make it a 'gutsy' performace (as Hopkins claimed after fight); rather: cowardly.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Damian:
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Calzaghe didn't fight any where near as well as we know he can, but doubtless this has a lot to do with Hopkins being such a wily, slippery fighter, and due to the fact that Calzaghe performs best against fighters who come forward.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Damian:
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Calzaghe also landed more punches on Hopkins that any fighter before him: hardly an achievement to be snifed at, given all the world champs Hopkins has faced.
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Damian:
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If Mayweather keeps refuses to fight Cotto, Calzaghe ought to be recognised at the pound of pound no 1 now. (Sorry for sending so many messages, but it won't let me send longer ones for some reason! Anyway, I'm done now ...)
Saturday Apr 19, 2008
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Actions Speak So Loudly, Can't Hear What You're Saying
"Here's the problem with Winky, the man has OUTPRICED himself so many times that no one wants to even deal with him any more. Wright believes he's entitled to a fight with Pavlik or Oscar, but come on, a draw with Taylor, and he then refuses to do the rematch, followed by a easy win over Quartey, and then the UGLY fight with B-Hop. No one wants to see him after that. Winky needs to go back to the basics and work his way back to a big fight; sitting on the sidelines crying out for a $ fight ain't the way to do it. Get back in the ring. Actions speak louder than words."
---TSS reader Rudy gives Winky the business
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