This year could be the greatest year for boxing in a very long time with yet another potential thriller set to take place this week.
On Saturday two of the greatest fighters of our generation, and arguably of all time, will lay it all on the line at Planet Hollywood. Undefeated Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe will take on Light Heavyweight Champion and long time former Middleweight Champion, the “Executioner” Bernard Hopkins.
In a year that saw one of the greatest fights of all time ? Marquez vs. Vasquez III, as well as other thrillers like Marquez vs. Pacquiao II, and last Saturday’s surprisingly great fight between Glen Johnson and Chad Dawson, Calzaghe vs. Hopkins adds another incredible match-up to this year’s slate of boxing thrillers.
Calzaghe, 36, from Wales, is undefeated in 44 fights with 32 of those coming by way of knockout. He has also been champion for more than 10 years, and has 21 straight title defenses. He is considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, if not the best.
However, if there can be any flaw found with Calzaghe, it is that he has never fought outside the U.K. until this match-up with Hopkins.
Hopkins, 43, from Philadelphia, comes into Saturday night’s fight sporting a record 48 victories, 32 of which were by knockout; four losses; one draw and one no contest.
Hopkins, too, once sported one of the longest title reigns in recent boxing history, defending his Middleweight crown 20 straight times before losing to Jermaine Taylor.
However, after his two losses to Taylor, Hopkins turned in two of his greatest performances against top fighters Antonio Tarver and Ronald “Winky” Wright.
Despite criticisms by many boxing analysts, Hopkins continued fighting after his losses to Taylor. But Hopkins surprised everyone when he made the move to light heavyweight, coming up to fight at 174 pounds, which is two weight classes heavier than middleweight, a 160-pound division.
With light heavyweight title on the line, Hopkins took the bigger Tarver to school, knocking him down once and easily winning a decision to secure the title. Hopkins then defended his title against the technically sound Wright, who Hopkins beat with a unanimous decision.
At 43, Hopkins seems old. But do not be fooled. Hopkins is a dedicated fighter who stays in boxing shape all 12 months. He is always ready, and his age can be misleading. This makes for an incredible showdown that promises to embody the sweet science.
At 36, Calzaghe is no spring chicken either, but he has time and time again answered critics who criticize him for not boxing anywhere but his home country and for also not being as good as his record reflects.
Two of the last four fighters Calzaghe has faced were knockout specialists whom many critics thought were going to truly test Calzaghe’s chin and endurance. The first of the knockout artists Calzaghe faced was Jeff Lacy. Calzaghe nearly knocked Lacy out en route to winning a unanimous decision. Calzaghe’s most recent fight was against another undefeated super middleweight, Mikkel Kessler. Kessler, like Lacy, had absolutely no answer for Calzaghe’s superior boxing skills and was easily defeated by unanimous decision.
This sets up one of the potentially greatest boxing matches in recent history. Both Calzaghe and Hopkins are experts at the sweet science of boxing. Both are technically sound and veterans of the ring. If anyone is a fan of pure boxing, this is a fight that cannot be missed. There are no other fights this weekend that even come close to comparing to this clash of boxing greats.
Do not waste your time on watching two MMA guys rolling around on the floor together. Be sure to order Calzaghe vs. Hopkins, invite your friends over, sit back, relax and get your popcorn ready, because this is going to be a war.
