HOPKINS v CALZAGHE: YOUR FINAL PREDICTIONS

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 17 Apr 2008, 05:31

Fights a few days away now, lets all put our cards on the table!

Say what you think will happen.

I say Bernard Hopkins uses all of his smarts, experience & true grit to retain his light-heavyweight championship, and JC and Enzo go home with a big fat loss.

Hopkins on points, and his right hand does more damage than we expect.

B-Hop is gonna mug JC.

Chambers2 · Post by **Chambers2** » 17 Apr 2008, 05:37

Calzaghe on points about 116-112

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 17 Apr 2008, 05:49

Calzaghe by clear decision

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 17 Apr 2008, 05:52

Calzaghe close decision - possibly a draw.

Bard of Boxrec · Post by **Bard of Boxrec** » 17 Apr 2008, 05:58

I've changed my mind a lot on this. My conclusion is Calzaghe close decision.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 17 Apr 2008, 06:20

Just watching Hop last time out v Tarver ( highlights only, that's all I could stay awake for ) and have to admit, he's gonna be a fekking nightmare to fight.

He's going to back off, pawing with the jab, and have that dangerous right hand cocked all night. He'll be not bothered at all if it's a boring fight, he'll let Joe make the running and take ALL the risks.

Ideally, you'd like to back off from him, and let him take a few chances...but with Joe, that's just not going to happen.

He'll no doubt catch Joe with that right, and probably hurt him.

But.....Calzaghe is the goods, maybe the best fighter to ever come out of the UK. He HAS to win this.

So I'll back Joe to take the punches, change gears and hand out a battering.

Calzaghe points win.

Asterix · Post by **Asterix** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:10

Hopkins shouldn't be nicknamed "The Executioner", he should be "The Hugger". -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uawi5ueyiI4

I'm sticking to my Calzaghe KO 10 prediction. I know it's crazy, but I've never been called sane.

BAMBI · Post by **BAMBI** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:13

Im convinced that Joe C will sweap this up via UD , Unless he folds under pressue being in America, Vegas, Hollywood Stars and fake Tittys!

I love this to be an entertaining affair; blood , sweat and attitude!

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:20

JC i going to beat Hopkins like a dog.

Hopkins will be dirty and run and headbutt and wrestle but even then JC will catch up with him.

Hopkins has only really hut JT in the last 5 years or so (DLH quit before he got a battering).

JC needs to watch the right hand - but I believe JC can take it, Hopkins is not a KO puncher

JC 118-110 but they will call it more like 116-113.

big lennox · Post by **big lennox** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:25

I think Calzaghe will stop him.If he can hurt Kesler to the body-he can hurt Hopkins. I reckon about 7-8 rounds it will be all over.

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:33

big lennox wrote:I think Calzaghe will stop him.If he can hurt Kesler to the body-he can hurt Hopkins. I reckon about 7-8 rounds it will be all over.

That would be great!

What will Hopkins say then?

'HEY I AM 43!'

Autobarn · Post by **Autobarn** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:48

I dn't know. Are we all so confident due to the negatives in Hopkins (age) than the positives in Calzaghe?

Calzaghe makes a ton of mistakes - no guard vs Lacy, sloppy lef thand work that lef thim open vs Kessler. Admittedly they are good fighters but Hopkins is a kind of nightmare. A 43-year-old great fighter is always going to be defensive and try to make you look silly without doing too much themselves (Holmes-Holyfield, Ortiz-Buchanan are the cloest things I can think of even if the ages are different). In this case Hopkins has been active- at least one fight a year, sometimes two - the last few years. So he still has the ring fitness. The question is, whether Calzaghe makes enough mistakes to accommodate Hopkins.

However, Joe may be a different fighter up at 175. I thought his legs and reflexes didn't look so great vs Kessler and Bika. Maybe the added strength, fighting in a division he always should've been in, will bring extra out of Joe and allow him to do enough work in most of the rounds.

On thing cannot be denied. Hopkins had the weight advantage over Winky, who should never fight above 160, maybe even 154! Hopkins caught a weakened Tarver, just as Hopkins had gained some strength after moving up scientifically. Physically, in terms of strength/workrate, Joe could be a nightmare for Hopkins.

I don't see the matchmaking favouring Hopkins here. I think Hopkins believes that Calzaghe won't be the same outside of the UK and he could be well wrong.

CALZAGHE W12 HOPKINS

el_grande_mauro_mina · Post by **el_grande_mauro_mina** » 17 Apr 2008, 07:49

Calazghe will stop him inside 10.

But what do I know, I thought Woods was going to trounce Tarver!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 17 Apr 2008, 08:01

Having trouble making your mind up?

http://www.britishboxing.net/news_3353- ... pkins.html

tony3 · Post by **tony3** » 17 Apr 2008, 08:44

Calzaghe TKO rd 9.

robdog · Post by **robdog** » 17 Apr 2008, 09:32

Calzaghe late stoppage or UD.

Floyd · Post by **Floyd** » 17 Apr 2008, 09:55

There can be only one winner in my eyes. Joe Calzaghe by stoppage in about 10. Joe is mentally tough, and wont be bothered by Hopkins talk or the Vegas crowd. Joe is also the more adaptable fighter. Hopkins needs to take the air out of this fight, and keep it at a low pace to have any chance. While Joe definitely wants to keep it at a high pace. I believe he can also beat Hopkins at a more tactical boxing match as well.

Lets go Joe!

BAMBI · Post by **BAMBI** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:01

Joe couldnt stop kessler, lacy, bika etc
what makes you think he will stop Hopkins? man i would be so shocked if it did happen!!bunce would have an heart attack live on air.

observer1 · Post by **observer1** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:04

Calzaghe UD. But will be quite close at times

lefthook82 · Post by **lefthook82** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:04

Calzaghe easy decision. 8-4

Floyd · Post by **Floyd** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:06

I just think at some stage of the fight Joes pace will tell, and Hopkins won't be able to live with it. A 43 year old can only go to the well so many times.

DavidPayne · Post by **DavidPayne** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:09

If Buncey had a heart ache live on air...

"Now lets get it right, this is a massive, massive coronory. Nobody out there can call this just an ATTACK...see that tingling in my arm, that's adreneline, because this, this is massive. Forget Morecombe, forget Cooper, they were insignificant next to this. This is a PPV arrest. So big, it'll shake my kinfolk in London. And the whole world is watching. And to say any different is plain stupid."

"Kiss me, Richie....

Adios".

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:12

DavidPayne wrote:If Buncey had a heart ache live on air...

"Now lets get it right, this is a massive, massive coronory. Nobody out there can call this just an ATTACK...see that tingling in my arm, that's adreneline, because this, this is massive. Forget Morecombe, forget Cooper, they were insignificant next to this. This is a PPV arrest. So big, it'll shake my kinfolk in London. And the whole world is watching. And to say any different is plain stupid."

"Kiss me, Richie....

Adios".

That makes up for the youtube clip from 1917 that you posted!

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:14

BAMBI wrote:Joe couldnt stop kessler, lacy, bika etc
what makes you think he will stop Hopkins? man i would be so shocked if it did happen!!bunce would have an heart attack live on air.

That was SuperMiddle Joe.

If he is to be believed, this is a 175lbs wrecking machine version of JC.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 17 Apr 2008, 10:27

Calzaghe by TKO or wide decision.

Hopkins has no chance, this ain't a mediocre Tarver or overweight Winky. Calzaghe would of stopped both.