Calzaghe wins split decision

By Brian Doogan

Joe Calzaghe secured the most thrilling victory of his life after surviving a first round knockdown by Bernard Hopkins to outpoint the 43-year-old from  Philadelphia at the Thomas & Mack Centre. The judges’ split decision in his favour secured The Ring light heavyweight championship for the 36-year-old from Newbridge, Wales, and extended his unbeaten career run to 45 successive wins. It was the first time that Calzaghe has boxed in America.

All three judges were American, with Adalaide Byrd scoring the bout 114-113 to Hopkins but Ted Gimza and Chuck Giampa scored 115-112 and 116-111 respectively to Calzaghe. “I really fought hard tonight and I showed heart and skill, which was too much for Hopkinsin the end,” said Calzaghe.

"He’s a great fighter but I knew I could come here and beat him and prove to the American public that the real deal has been living in Newbridge, Wales, all this time.”

Calzaghe’s resolve was diamond-hard and it needed to be, for he was floored with the first significant punch of the fight, a counter right hand to the jaw in close. The Welshman rose quickly but concern was marked across his face. Hopkins and his trainer Freddie Roach had worked on throwing this punch over Calzaghe’s left hand and its early impact was ominous. Calzaghe endured an awful first round and he continued to struggle to find his rhythm in the second.

Hopkins tied him up whenever they got close, rendering Calzaghe unable to land his trademark combinations.

Hopkins continued to dictate the pace of the fight into the third round and his counter right was still the most dominant factor but Calzaghe won his first round in the fourth when he raised the pace and began to time Hopkins’ punches, making him miss and countering effectively. Several times he evaded Hopkins’s right hand and landed with his own left. At the end of the round he raised his right fist to the crowd, convinced that the tide had turned.

But the wily American veteran continued to make it difficult for Calzaghe to penetrate his guard. He landed a solid left cross in the opening minute of the sixth round and, significantly, he was avoiding the hard and accurate shots with which Hopkinshad been having success early.

Hopkins has built his career on working out other fighters and exploiting their weaknesses but Calzaghe’s cleverness and calmness under pressure was the key. Calzaghe’s low punch volume owed everything to Hopkins’s craftiness but he was still landing more punches. In the end he landed over 100 more punches on the official punch stats.

Another left cross by Calzaghe in the eighth precipitated the shift in momentum that eased the Welsh champion to victory over the closing rounds. He landed several more and Hopkins began to lose his potency. When Calzaghe landed a left hand low in the 10th it gave Hopkinsan excuse to buy time. He was able to rest for two minutes before referee Joe Cortez waved the two men back into action. But Calzaghe’s momentum could not be stopped now and he continued to press forward over the final two rounds to cement his victory.

"I’m a legend killer,” said Calzaghe. “I knew the fight wouldn’t be pretty but I won it and this is icing on the cake for my career. Winning a second world title is beautiful and we’ll see now where I go from here.”

Roy Jones, the former world middleweight champion, who won titles at light heavy and heavyweight, was seated at ringside, commentating for BBC Wales and the financial incentive to put this fight together will be huge.

Having made 21 successful defences of the world super middleweight title, Calzaghe’s capture of the light heavyweight title has cemented his greatness.

Audley Harrison, the gold medallist at super heavyweight in the 2000 Olympic Games, stopped his American opponent, Jason Barnett, in the fifth round on the undercard. The 36-year-old Londoner was engaging in his first bout since suffering a third round knockout defeat against

Reading’s Michael Sprott in February 2007 and 33-year-old Floridian Barnett was a compliant victim.

Harrison maintained his distance behind a right jab which ought to have been more assertive and his reluctance to throw his left hand extended the fight further than it should have gone. At the beginning of the fifth round Barnett, who had lost six of his 16 bouts, caught Harrisonwith a grazing right hand to the chin which caused the Londoner some alarm. But he responded quickly enough with a right hook to the body, despatching Barnett on the canvas. Referee Russell Mora waved it over at the 1:48 mark, despite Barnett rising at the count of nine.

"I felt a little rusty because it’s been 14 months since I’ve been in the ring but I was happy with my jab tonight. I got it working good,” said Harrison. “When my corner told me to start going downstairs that’s when I broke him down.”

Comments

[Ron Lewis]

I agree, Thomas. There is an assumption by many that because Hopkins got tired, it was because of his age. But it is probably just as likely it was because of the pressure Calzaghe was putting on him and the pace he was having to fight. Anyone who saw fights a few years ago against the likes of Eastman and Allen would not have seen a fighter who ever was happy to box at a fast pace.

[Thomas]

Would you say Ron, that the result may well have been different had Hopkins been at his peak? I would suggest myself that possibly it would not have been, as I personally thought that Hopkins fought exactly the same way he always has done, and that it just took Calzaghe time to find a way of succeeding against that style. The only way I could see it being different would be if Calzaghe himself was younger, as he may not have had the experience to stay calm and not be drawn into a brawl, like against Bika. I also think it is becoming increasingly obvious that Joe has no longer got a knockout punch, and I was wondering what your thoughts are on that matter too.

[Ron Lewis]

Surprising and unfair comment, Nicolas. Firstly, Calzaghe did not "slug Hopkins in the groin". Both times the punch was at worst borderline and Hopkins clearly feigned injury to buy a rest, hence neither time was Calzaghe deducted a point nor seriously warned. Also Hopkins was repeatedly fouling, leading with his head, holding, holding and hitting and punching low on the blindside of the ref. It's a bit harsh to damn Joe for a 2-second reaction about a "gay sexual act" in the heat of such a fight when Hopkins was blatantly cheating. And, after all, it was Hopkins who has spend the past three months playing up his prison life, including talk of gay rape.

[Nicolas Kozeschnik]

Joe Calzaghe antics in the ring against Bernard Hopkins are nothing short of outrageous, disgusting behaviour. After slugging Hopkins in the groin, Calzaghe simulated a gay sexual act behind over a bent over Hopkins in the ring – totally disrespectful to ALL of boxing. Calzaghe has never fought any decent fighter in his prime, and was lucky not to have had points deducted or disqualification for his antics in the ring against 43 year old Hopkins.

[James Fairweather]

For everyone who pondered Ron Lewis's list of Britain's greatest boxers, the question must now be whether Calzaghe has done enough to supplant Ted Kid Lewis at the top of the chart. It was a long way from Calzaghe's finest performance, but he has the priceless gift of being able to win under any circumstances.

First fight in the States, first fight at 175 lbs, American judges, a referee whose bad days are becoming increasingly common, unfortunately, an infuriatingly crafty opponent....any one of these factors might have been enough to defeat the brightest and best British talent of the past 120 years. Such has been the case so often before. Not this time. Ironically, in what was not, by his own admission, his finest hour, Calzaghe's sheer refusal to lose may have enabled him to take the step that entitles him to be considered the greatest UK fighter of all time. His stats are now offering deafening support for his claim.

[Ben Jones]

Ill never forget that fight, he never gave up and the whole of Wales is proud of the greatest boxer the British Isles has ever produced. Well done Joe!!

[Crashing Dashing Kid]

Well done Joe. This fight was a classic example of all that was good & everything that is rotten with the fight game. Hopkins, after a dream start, proceeded to hold, headbutt & feign injury from fouls for the rest of the fight. The referee, 'firm but fair' Joe Cortez, who was so fastidious in the Mayweather/Hatton clash, allowed Hopkins to continue his behaviour unchecked for the complete fight - ensuring that, as a spectacle, the fight was a stinker. Just as Cortez was exposed as a biased referee, Hopkins waqs, for all his skill & savvy, exposed as a one-paced and negative spoiler. The only redemption came when the judges ruled in favour of the right man by split decision.

[REDrascal]

JOE CALZAGHE............LEGEND.

[Chris Edwards]

I'm glad to see Joe beat Hopkins and I'm from the US. I was born and raised in California and have been an avid boxing fan for the last 20 years. Joe is a classy fighter and it's unfortunate that its took so long for him to get recognized in the States.

[Agustin]

Calzaghe's the greatest. Fantastic boxing! Thanks, Calzaghe, for so many thrilling moments. You get my support from Spain. Hwyl fawr.

[Dai from China]

Brilliant. Well done Joe, it's only what you and your Father deserve after so many years being labelled as an average boxer. Now the boxing World has to take notice. You're the boy, the whole of Wales is proud of one of it's most famous sporting sons.