Big fight preview - Can Calzaghe slay the Executioner? by Kevin Roberts Apr 17th 2008

You wouldn't think a fight between two guys whose combined age totals almost 80 would cause such a stir throughout the boxing world would you? Well in this case, age is definitely just a number. This Saturday in Vegas we see pound for pound greats Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins finally meet to decide who has a claim to being the best 175lb fighter in the world, international bragging rights and just who will reside more than peacefully in Canastota for years and years to come. Calzaghe, unbeaten in 44 fights, moves away from the comfort zone of 12 stones and Europe to meet a modern day phenomenon in 43-year-old Hopkins at light-heavy in one of the most eagerly anticipated fights this year. Hopkins, as always, has done plenty of talking, stating that he can't lose ‘to a white boy' and that ‘Calzaghe's family won't recognise him' at the end of the fight whereas Joe has played the preverbial good cop role and has limited his banter to the boxing. It promises to be a great event. Will it be a great fight though? The smart money throughout the build up is that Calzaghe will look to throw tons of punches in the hope that Hopkins can't cope with sheer activity and work rate. Hopkins, it's said, will look to spoil, bore in with the head and use his undoubted defensive prowess to frustrate Calzaghe and ultimately triumph on points. However, these things rarely work out like that. It is true, Calzaghe will be Calzaghe, high volume of punches, speed, activity, boxing skills and all-round pure class. However, the suspicion is that in Hopkins Calzaghe is facing something he has not seen before. This guy is no punching bag with muscles a la Lacy or indeed a left jab-right cross-left jab-right cross merchant like Kessler. No, to win this fight I feel Calzaghe will have to produce a career best performance, especially on US soil. In wonderful careers both men have impressive victims on their resumes – De La Hoya, Wright, Trinidad, Tarver, Reid, Lacy, Kessler, Woodhall et al. Looking at this one could argue that B-Hop has the better dance card, well, most of Hopkins' victims have been natural welters or middles coming up and it is interesting that his losses have been against men of similar size and stature, Jones and Taylor. The losses to Jermain Taylor in the scheme of things don't look too hot now – Taylor has laboured since then and simply beat Hopkins by activity – an ominous thought when considering what Calzaghe brings to the table. So then, an easy win for Calzaghe? I'm not sure.  If there is a chink in Joe's psyche it will be exposed by fighting away from home at a different weight against a big name like Hopkins. I don't think it's inconceivable like many before, Hamed, Hatton and Woods that our fighter struggles in the US. Anything less than 100% Calzaghe could spell trouble for him and Hopkins could be the guy to capitalise on any shortcomings. However, the key to this fight is to look closely at Hopkins' fights in recent years. He throws 30 punches a round if he's lucky. I don't think he hits hard enough to stop Calzaghe and that would be his best chance - if Kessler could not budge Joe with big right hands I can't see how Hopkins can. Look for Calzaghe to take a slightly more measured approach in the early rounds and the fight to be close after four rounds. However, I feel once Calzaghe weighs Hopkins up as he did Kessler then he will comfortably win this fight. In an interesting fight, not a classic by any means, look for Calzaghe to produce a career best performance, solve the early puzzle and win relatively comfortably on points further cementing his legacy as probably the finest fighter ever to come out of the UK.

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Can Joe Calzaghe slay the executioner ? Apr 18th 2008, 11:18:40 by martin.lathbury@btin The simple answer is YES! and anyone who doubts it, can apologize to Joe on sunday. The only way hopkins can win is by dirty tricks, he is already trying to get under Joe's skin with all his gutter talk, come fight night, all the talking will be over and Hopkins will be wishing he had kept his mouth shut, he will be shown the true work of a master crafysman at his clinical best, Hopkins will be humbled and a broken man, Look! if he is as great as he thinks he is, then why has he been beaten four times ?? I expect Joe to punish Hopkins and stop him in round 8 to 10, I doubt it will be all one sided but Joe is tough, elusive, fast, and determined and very underrated.