BoxRec

Both have pretty tall orders fighting two of the P4P best in the world but who do think has a better chance of an upset.

Both opponents are a massive step up in class compared to previous opposition on the other hand you will probably get some good odds on our boys being such heavy underdogs..

I won't sit on the fence, I think Ricky has a better chance...

Good thread.

Howard has the better chance I think. Hopkins is fighting a hungry middleweight for the first time in a few fights, and might not be able to boss Eastman. If it goes to point, Eastman has no chance (regardless of what happens) the judges will NEVER give a decision against Nard.

Eastman could stop him though, unlikely but possible.

Hatton will just be ruthlessly exposed by Zoo I think. He is just too good... but I expect a spirted effort from Hatton in the five rounds the fight lasts.

Tricky one. I think Ricky is the more talented fighter, but Eastman is as tough as old boots, and there's always the possibility that Hopkins could age overnight. I know he's freakishly fit, but he is 40. It's got to happen at some point. For that reason, and the ones Loftgroov pointed out above, I think I'm going to say Howard has the better chance.

It's still a bit of a 'tallest midget' competition thing, though.

I think Hatton has the better chance, as impressive as Tszyu was last time out a do have to say I was dissapointing in Shamba. Also Tszyu is a notoriously slow starter, if Hatton can hit and hurt Tszyu early an upset can happen.

Tszyu is the strongest (physically) fighter Hatton has faced, I think its a question whether Hatton can take his power.

The only chance I give Eastman is if Hopkins has slipped considerably, I don't think Bernard has really stepped out of 3rd gear in his last two outings - he did for Joppy, whereas I truly believe that the Eastman who fought Joppy was him at his maximum.

However, I give Eastman a much better chance of last the course than Ricky.

I would probably put Tszyu vs Hatton at 60:40 in favour of Kostya.

Hopkins vs Eastman is more like 80:20.

I have to say i feel Ricky has the better chance, Tszyu is 35yo, and has only had one fight in the last couple of years, although Tszyu was quite impressive. Ricky is pretty much at his peak and this is the best chance he will have. I still pick Tszyu to stop him in about 5-6 rounds.

Eastman has not been impressive lately, he was floored by Dann ( not counted by the ref) , and looked a bit shaky in patches against Elliot. I don't think he's busy enough to win against Hopkins, and although Hopkins is 40 and could fall apart at his age, i think he won't.
Eastman is no spring chicken himself. I go for Hopkins by either a KO in the first 3 rounds or grind out a late stoppage

I suppose you'd have to give Ricky a better chance because he just might hurt Tszyu with something at some stage. I don't expect him to though, I can only see Kostya walking right through him.

Eastman has virtually no chance against Hopkins, he is bettered in absolutely every department. If the Executioner ever allowed himself to be hit it might be a different story, but he just doesn't.

Hmm, very hard one to answer. Neither fighter has ever faced anyone remotely as good as their next opponent. For Eastman read Joppy and Cherifi, both a league below Hopkins. For Ricky, Tackie and Phillips, both again a big step below Tszyu (Phillips got lucky against underprepared and overconfident Tszyu), so it's hard to say.

Ricky I think has the bigger chance, unless of course Eastman does something we've never seen him do before, which is fight flat out and really push himself. I think Eastman may try and do that, but I have an unfortunate feeling he will try and outbox and outstyle Bernard which I cannot see workiing. He's got to try and kick Bernard's ass and stay right on him.

Ricky may also have caught Tszyu at the right time, Mitchell was shopworn and looked hurt against Stewart a couple of times, but again, what will happen when Hatton starts getting hit? Will his face open up, will he go into a passive mode if he gets backed up, so many unanswered questions.

I'm keeping it short and sweet. Eastman has the better chance because of one reason.....Tszyu's right hand 8)

Eastman has a better chance than Ricky. I have seen Hatton looking wobbly in fights after getting hit and he has never been in with somebody who hits as hard as Tszyu or is as accurate as him. Tszyu has come up against fighters with much bigger reputations than Hattons and has blown them away.

I need to give this one some more thought........I shall return.

think about it.... theirs a slim chance Hatton could out work koztya, but eastman beating hopkins????? IMPOSSIBLE IN MY EYES :(

This is the way I view the two fighters.

Hatton is a world class fighter who will be very unlucky not to win a major verision of the world title because at the moment he is in a devision within tremendous depth to it - almost in any other era Hatton would be champ.

Howard Eastman - is getting his second shot at the title because the devision is crap.

Whichever of their opponents shows their age the most - that's who has the biggest chance.

All i can say is i cant wait!

For me it's Hatton, in my opinion he is quite simply the better fighter P4P. For Eastman's best win (Mcracken) read Eamon Magee. And Hatton has a couple of even better names on his ledger now. And I would also say Hopkins has looked the more invincible in recent years...

What with Hatton being the younger and apparently hungrier judging by Eastman's showing against Joppy and home advantage, I would say Ricky Hattons chances of winning are far better.

Chances for both are pretty slim I feel, they're up against two modern greats, who don't look anywhere near finished yet. But out of the two I'd go for Hatton.

Tszyu was very impressive against Mitchell, that's not even up for debate. However, he hurt Mitchell very early on and never let him recover, so we never got a real chance to see if Tszyu was rusty or not after the big lay-off. I believe there's still a chance that Hatton might be able to capitalise on a relative lack of sharpness during the early part of the fight, presuming that he doesn't get really nailed by a decent punch in the first few rounds. For me, Hatton's only real chance is if Tszyu's timing is badly off, and he's unable to connect with more than a couple of solid shots all night.

Eastman has virtually no chance. I can't see a way he could win rounds, let alone the fight. Hopkins could throw it away I suppose, but that's probably the most unlikely scenario out there. He's just too much of a professional to take it easy enough to gift Eastman a win. I'd put the house on a wide points win for Hopkins, Eastman's just not busy enough, doesn't have a huge punch, is mentally suspect, and is ultimately not good enough.

Cannae argue with that.

A step too far for both of them

That's not to say I wont be cheering them on or inordinately grateful that we have some "live" fights for a change

Slapsie

Goz wrote:For me it's Hatton, in my opinion he is quite simply the better fighter P4P. For Eastman's best win (Mcracken) read Eamon Magee. And Hatton has a couple of even better names on his ledger now. And I would also say Hopkins has looked the more invincible in recent years...

What with Hatton being the younger and apparently hungrier judging by Eastman's showing against Joppy and home advantage, I would say Ricky Hattons chances of winning are far better.

I don't think Hopkins has ever looked invincible. One of the reasons he's fought so long for recognition, which he only seems to be getting now. I saw Hopkins was at the superbowl, that along with his new Golden Boy commitments, appearances on talkshows and everyone telling him how great he is. This maybe be the perfect time to catch Hopkins. Theirs no maybe in it, its perfect.

Hatton doesn't have much hope because he cuts too easily. Zoo will shred him in a few rounds, and the fight will be stopped on cut (my prediction)

At least Eastman is bastard hard enough to (likely) be there at the finish, and that gives him 12 rounds to shock Hopkins with a big shot.

Loftgroov wrote:that gives him 12 rounds to shock Hopkins with a big shot.

Disappointed in you Lofty, when was the last time Hopkins was shaken up by anyone? When was the last time Eastman took someone out with one punch? All those stoppage wins on Eastmans record are because of strength and above average stamina, not huge hitting.

Slapsie Maxie wrote:A step too far for both of them

That's not to say I wont be cheering them on or inordinately grateful that we have some "live" fights for a change

Slapsie

Same here, i would like nothing better than to have 2 world champs here at the end of June, but I would also like to be shagged senseless by Kelly Brook, and that ain't going to happen either

Kilburn wrote:

Loftgroov wrote:that gives him 12 rounds to shock Hopkins with a big shot.

Disappointed in you Lofty, when was the last time Hopkins was shaken up by anyone? When was the last time Eastman took someone out with one punch? All those stoppage wins on Eastmans record are because of strength and above average stamina, not huge hitting.

Stranger things have happened.

Eastman has been fighting the best in Europe for some time now and all his fights have tested him, I don't think Hatton has had the same such tests for that reson I think Eastman has the best chance. Also we all know that howard eastman is class.

I'm saying Eastman, since this fight has been announced i just had a feeling the Eastmans gunna win, and i still feel the same way now, i think Hopkins will underestimate Eastman and the 20 straight defences will never be, ha ha ha