Joe Calzaghe - Bernard Hopkins - Battle of The Planet
By Arvin Nundloll
Joe Calzaghe was in an upbeat mood as he spoke to the gathered press and gave his final thoughts before entering the ring come saturday to face The Executioner Bernard Hopkins.
"I feel great. I'm 100% confident that I will win on Saturday night. If you compare our records you will see that I have faced better opposition than Hopkins. They have been faster, stronger and younger. I'm getting older and beating younger undefeated champions including Jeff Lacy who held the IBF and IBO titles and Mikkel Kessler who held the WBC and WBA titles when I beat them."
Speaking on Hopkin's conditioning and fitness levels while also questioning his ability to compete at the highest level.
"Hopkins will need a respirator if he tries to keep up with me. He talks a bigger game than he fights. He's a Saint Bernard -- all bark and no bite. All of his blathering sounds like he's trying to convince himself he can beat me, not head games or intimidation. He'll be leaving the ring with his tail between his legs after I've put him through his paces."
Speaking about his current opponents and selling 55,000 tickets at the recent Calzaghe - Kessler, Calzaghe also question Hopkins ability to draw in the big names and attract a fan base as great as Calzaghe's.
"Hopkins likes to fancy himself a legend. What kind of legend has four losses and a draw on his record? My title reign is longer than his. I've had more successful title defenses. I'm tied for fourth place on the all-time list for title defenses. I dropped him from the top-five forever. I've already passed him by. His career is in my rearview mirror. My last two fights each broke European indoor records, with my last event attracting over 50,000 fans! Hopkins couldn't even pull in 20% of that the last time he fought in Philadelphia, his hometown! He's not a legend, he's a B-Side fighter who depends on big name opponents to attract fans to his fights...Trinidad, De La Hoya and me. He should have B-SIDE not B-HOP on the waistband of his trunks."
"We do have similarities in our careers. Despite world title reigns that have lasted longer than most careers, it took a career-defining victory to break through with media and boxing fans outside our borders for international recognition. For Hopkins, it was his victory over Felix Trinidad and for me it was my shellacking of Jeff Lacy. After those victories, things took off for us. I have been a lot more comfortable and relaxed since the Lacy fight."
Joe Calzaghe is coming in as the favorite for the fight, with age and fitness being on his side its down to Bernard Hopkins to prove his worth and come out victorious on fight night. Calzaghe having his first fight at light heavyweight may also be in line for a shock when he steps in the ring to face the power punches and tactics Hopkins employs to control fights and fight at the tempo he dictates. Calzaghe has the ability to throw non stop punches all round if needed to convince the judges, however with the recent Johnson - Dawson fiasco Joe may need to find the punches to sit Hopkins down and return the proclaimed executioner. I see this going all Calzaghes way and with his younger and faster hands proove headaches for Hopkins on all sides of the ring. Calzaghe to win via split decision as Hopkins has been in theses situations too many time before to not go the distance and will work Calzaghe right until the end.