Bernard Hopkins versus Joe Calzaghe. The mad scientist versus the ultimate two fisted attacker. They say that styles make fights, and this fight is no different. The polar opposite styles these men bring to the table should make for the most interesting night in boxing this year.

In the red corner we have Joe “Pride of Wales / Italian Dragon “Calzaghe. Fast, furious, and unbelievable endurance make for a walk through hell wearing gasoline underpants for his opponents on their best night. Joe almost never stops throwing punches, and it’s a cold day in hell before Joe throws one punch at a time. The two fisted attack, punches in bunches from every possible angle is Joe Calzaghe’s trade mark. This technique has never professionally failed him. This technique didn’t fail him in March of 06, just two years ago, when he face America’s shining middle weight hope Jeff Lacy. Joe treated Lacy with no respect that night, throwing and landing everything except the kitchen sink at Lacy. Jeff Lacy never had a chance against Joe Calzaghe, this fight was a complete and total mismatch. As badly as Joe beat Lacy, it was not his greatest moment in the ring.

The systematic break down of the Viking Warrior, Mikkel Kessler, was most impressive. The shots Joe took while breaking down Kessler were unbelievable. Kessler could not have fought a better fight on any other day of his life. Kessler did everything right, Joe was simply better, and almost inhuman in his ability to endure hard shots while conducting a most brilliant two fisted attack.

In the blue corner we have Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. The mad scientist is at the top of his game today because of his ability to break his opponents style from the first bell to the last. Bernard Hopkins is a true student of the sweet science. Hopkins studies his opponents for weakness like no other pugilist. He creates a formula for kicking the crap out of a man. He creates a plan A and plan B and so on. Hopkins has made famous his “Execution Squad”, a collection of top trainers in the world, hired to help create the perfect formula for the next beat down.

Hopkins has a strength trainer, a defensive trainer, an offensive trainer, an endurance trainer and co-head trainers, Freddy Roach and Bouie Fisher.  They have studied every piece of information available on Calzaghe, strategizing on how to beat Joe at every aspect of this fight. The strength trainer will make sure Hopkins is stronger than Joe. The defensive will make sure Hopkins is not hit often by Joe. The endurance trainer will work Hopkins like a runaway slave to make sure Joe does not have more energy, and Roach and Fisher will pool every trick in the book to pull off the upset of the year.

As a true fan of the sport, I say this fight is a win-win situation for the fans no matter who wins. My money, if I had any, would be on the two fisted attacker simple because the strategy needed to defend against Calzaghe’s style may not be available to Hopkins. To beat this style, Hopkins needs to either put Joe on his ass for a ten count, or out work him.  At 43 years of age, Hopkins is going to find it difficult to out work Joe, and after the Kessler fight, I will never doubt Joe’s chin again.  Hopkins will have his hands full Saturday night. The charts say Hopkins by unanimous decision but I’m going with Calzaghe by TKO somewhere around the 9^th.   

1.       My scoreboard results are based on a scoring system I created myself.  It measures fighters based on the criteria below:

·         5 points for every fight won.

·         10 points for every fight won by KO.

·         15 points for every fight won by decision.

·         Ten points for every championship fight won.

·         -5 points for every fight lost.

·         0 points for a fight lost whether or not there was a championship at stake. 

 

2.       Height and Reach – Advantage Hopkins

3.       Age –  Advantage Calzaghe

4.       World championship fights – Advantage Hopkins

5.       Knock outs – Equal

6.       Level of competition is an average of the records of every opponent this fighter has ever faced. –  Advantage Hopkins

7.       Last ten level of competition is an average of the records of the last ten opponents this fighter has faced. – Advantage Hopkins

8.          Losses – Advantage Calzaghe

9.         Momentum is a break down of each fighter’s last five fights. – Advantage  Calzaghe

 

Fighters	Bernard Hopkins	Joe Calzaghe
My scoreboard results	1060	960	BH
Height and Reach	6'1 Ht / 75" Reach	5'11-1/2 Ht/ 73" Reach	BH
Age	43	36	JC
World Champ Fights	31	24	BH
Knock Outs	32	32	EQUAL
Level of Competition	20.79 W / 4.09 L	21.25 W / 6.47 L	BH
Last 10 Opponents Average	34.7 W / 2.2 L	28 W / 1.6 L	BH
Losses	4	0	JC
Momentum	3W-2L-0D	5W-0L-0D	JC
Total Favors	5	3	BH
Projected Winner	BHUD12

 

4-12-2008