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Undisputed Super
Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe (45-0)
moved up in weight to win the prestigious
Ring Magazine Light-Heavyweight title from
Bernard Hopkins (48-5-1) by split-decision
in Las Vegas.
Calzaghe came
out in the first round looking sluggish and
bone-dry. Hopkins seemed to take full
advantage of this. With only a minute into
the fight, a right-cross counter from
Hopkins put Calzaghe down for only the third
time in his professional career. This also
opened up a cut on Calzaghe’s nose and
appeared to make him wary for the remainder
of the session.
In the second, Calzaghe came out again
looking hesitant. Hopkins was using his left
to take away Calzaghe’s jab and
counter-punch, cleverly clinching when
Calzaghe got up close. |
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Calzaghe seemed to become
more aggressive as the round went on, but
Hopkins continued to land the right-hand to
body and head with regularity. Hopkins
complained of a low-punch at the end of the
round, which Calzaghe later admitted was
intentional. The third was again close.
Calzaghe began to become more positive as he
flurried before Hopkins got a chance to
hold, and had more success with his jab.
Hopkins seemed to be a lot more negative.
The fourth was a much
clearer round for Calzaghe, as he cut off
the ring, not allowing Hopkins to move which
made it a messier fight on the inside.
Hopkins received a warning from referee Joe
Cortez for rough tactics, but Calzaghe later
hit Hopkins on the break. Towards the end of
the round it seemed clear that Calzaghe had
upset the rhythm of Hopkins, and wins the
round, raising his arm at the end. Hopkins
came back in the fifth, and got back to
boxing rings around Calzaghe and holding
when Joe got up close. Calzaghe had his
successes in the round being the aggressor,
but Hopkins landed plenty more down the
stretch to win the round.
In the sixth, Calzaghe
became more aggressive pressing forward.
Hopkins again was quite negative opting to
box Calzaghe but had less success. Calzaghe
slipped at end of round as Hopkins holds
him. Hopkins got back to his boxing in the
seventh, being more authoritative with his
jab for the first time in the fight and
flurrying when Calzaghe got up close.
Hopkins had more success to the body in this
round. Hopkins later rocked Calzaghe with a
right just before the bell. Joe landed his
left-hand with more regularity in the
eighth, and closed the gap between himself
and Hopkins. Hopkins landed at the end of
the round, but too little too late from him.
Calzaghe wins round with a better workrate.
The ninth another close round, but there was
better boxing from Hopkins once again.
In the tenth, an uppercut
thrown by Joe to Hopkins’ body strayed low
and pushed his protector-cup up. Hopkins
fell to his knees in pain and took two
minutes rest. Hopkins beat Calzaghe to the
punch throughout the majority of the round
and for the first time in the fight starts
to come forward.
Hopkins more active down
the stretch to win the eleventh and twelfth
rounds, despite suffering another low punch
at the end of the eleventh, which appeared
the best round of the fight. Both fighters
were aggressive in round 12 but Hopkins
appeared to do the cleaner work, and looked
fresher.
Scores were Adelaide Byrd
114-113 (Hopkins), Ted Gimsa 115-112, and
Chuck Giampa 116-111 for Calzaghe who won by
split decision. I, like Adelaide Byrd had it
114-113 for Hopkins.
After the fight, Calzaghe
said “To be honest, I found it really hard
tonight. He caught me in the first round and
I think I slipped, but I had to dig deep.
Bernard’s a great fighter, I knew that
before the fight”. Hopkins claimed victory
in explaining, “It’s clear, the world knows,
and the fans know, other than the Brits know
I won this fight”. |
