Enzo Calzaghe in astonishing attack on Hopkins by Ian McNeilly Apr 18th 2008

Joe Calzaghe's trainer father Enzo has made an astonishing attack on opponent Bernard Hopkins, claiming the American will try and get himself disqualified rather than lose – and suspects Hopkins will “foul like a coward”.   Stoking up an already fraught atmosphere between the rival camps, the fiery, diminutive Welsh-Italian blasted: “I can tell you right now, Bernard Hopkins will look for a disqualification rather than lose to Joe.  If Hopkins' is such a legend, he needs to prove it.  He needs to fight like a man not foul like a coward.”   “A DQ is the only chance Hopkins has to stop Joe.  I'm convinced that Hopkins is coming in to spoil it not win it because he can't win it and he knows it.  Just look at his last three fights.  It's head first and punch after.”   “Joe will win the fight.  It doesn't matter if it's in the first round or the final round.  I just want it to be a good fight, but it takes two to make that happen.”   Enzo claimed that his son could have made more money fighting at home but Joe asked specifically for Hopkins.  If true, it surely must be the first time in his career that Calzaghe has turned down a better financial opportunity, but one doubts this.   “We are here for only one reason.  Joe wanted to be here and he wanted to fight Hopkins.  We make more money fighting in the UK and Joe attracts many more fans there.  But this was the only way Joe could get Hopkins in the ring and we weren't going to let him slip off the hook again.”   “There is no burden on Joe to change his style for this fight.  Joe's style is what makes him unique and unbeatable.  Why change what works so well?  I have a lot of respect for Hopkins' dream team of trainers, but they can't go into the ring with him on fight night.  With all his expertise in his training camp, Hopkins has no excuse for fighting a dirty fight.”   “Bernard Hopkins is not the best fighter Joe has fought.  Kessler is younger, faster and stronger than Hopkins.”    With typically blunt imagery, Enzo looked forward to the opportunity his son will have of slapping the backside of a metaphorical steed.   “Bernard Hopkins is going to ride off into the sunset on April 19 and Joe Calzaghe is going to be the one who slaps the horse's arse.”

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