Sunday, April 20, 2008 Quijano: All good things come to an end By Jingo Quijano Last Round
THERE are 43 reasons why Bernard Hopkins fights only once a year nowadays. The Executioner knows that he is slipping, as all athletes do, when they reach a certain age where time starts eroding their once-mighty abilities. And so he fights only when he has to. When it matters to him.
The process is not the same for everybody and the ageless Bernard Hopkins himself is an authority on how to extend one’s shelf life. But sooner or later, the decline is inevitable. That’s true for everybody. Even for the immortal Bernard Hopkins.
And that is the only reason why I’m picking Joe Calzaghe to beat him via decision. In all other respects, I believe Hopkins to be the superior fighter. Throw this fight in three years ago, and Hopkins would win, hands down.
But in his last fight against Winky Wright, I saw Bernard’s legs give a few times, and so he will find it difficult to keep with the Welshman’s whirlwind attacks.
Be that as it may, the Last Round thinks that the odds-makers have it all wrong. It can’t be as bad as the –275 for Calzaghe listed at Bet365.com. Old Man Popkins still has a lot left in his tank, enough for a close competitive fight. But in the end, it will be the younger man’s superior athleticism that will give him the edge.
Here’s how they match up.
BERNARD HOPKINS. 48-4, 32 KOs
STRENGTHS: Ring Generalship. A few years ago, power would have been first on the list. That right hand has leveled plenty of middleweights and he knocked down Antonio Tarver at light heavy.
But nowadays, Bernard’s approach is more cerebral than feral. He loves to get inside the heads of his opponents and outthink them. Hopkins is a master at exploiting a rival’s weakness and often executes a game-plan to perfection. Truly, he is indeed an executioner.
Experience. Hopkins has been there with the best in two weight divisions. He has seen it all and knows every trick in the book. Probably even has his own chapter to add to that book.
Confidence. To say that Hopkins is a confident fighter is an understatement. To his mind, he is capable of beating everybody. He even has an excuse for all his losses. Roy Jones ran from him. Jermain Taylor didn’t deserve to win etc...
That is not to say that Bernard is delusional. He’s just a fighter who has absolute trust and faith in skills and he has parlayed that into a Hall of Fame career. You can’t argue with success.
WEAKNESS. Aside from his advancing age, Bernard Hopkins only has average foot speed and often has trouble with fighters who are faster than him.
JOE CALZAGHE. 44-0, 32 KOs
STRENGTHS. Hand speed. Joe has been tagged as an arm puncher, but Joe doesn’t mind as long as he gets off first. His southpaw stance and his hand speed are the cornerstones of his success.
Corner. Joe and his father Enzo are inseparable. When Joe was younger, his father was his sparring mate before Joe got too big for him. Enzo is very proud of the fact that he knows his son very well and that translates into a very crucial advantage come fight time.
Confidence. Unbeaten in 44 fights, Joe isn’t too shabby in the confidence department either. He is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters today and he approaches each fight supremely confident that the “0” on his ledger will remain intact.
WEAKNESSES. Level of competition. Joe has fought and beaten some great fighters, but Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler and Charles Brewer just doesn’t stack up to Roy Jones Jr., Felix Trinidad, Oscar dela Hoya and Antonio Tarver.
EXPECT THE FIGHT: To last the distance. It’s going to be a tough grueling fight between these two iron-chinned, hardened veterans. Hopkins will try to tie up Calzaghe and mug him in between clinches. But Joe will own majority of the rounds and earn a unanimous decision win.
THE LAST ROUND. It’s on Aquarius gym’s Rey Redoblado, who recently showed this writer some nifty moves to build up strength. Cheers!
