By Scott Gilfoid Joe Calzaghe thinks that Bernard Hopkins should stay away from fighting World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye. In an article at the BBC, Calzaghe had this to say about Hopkins fighting Haye “I think Hopkins should retire, because he is 44 and is going to end up getting hurt. If he fights a big guy like Haye, who is too fast and too strong, he [Hopkins] will end getting knocked out way too quickly. That would be a shame to see as Hopkins is a boxing legend. It is time for him to call it a day.” Wrong, Calzaghe. It’s not time for Hopkins to call it a day.

So what if he’s 44-years-old, I still think Hopkins will beat Haye when/if they fight. Hopkins looked great on Wednesday night in defeating top middleweight contender Enrique Ornelas by a 12 round decision. Hopkins looked like a fighter in his late 20s rather than a fighter in his mid 40s.

If Hopkins does get a fight with Haye, which I’m not so certain will ever happen mind you, Hopkins will wear Haye down and stop him like Carl Thompson did in the past. Haye won’t take Hopkins out, and his hand speed won’t be a problem for Hopkins because he’s fought against faster fighters than Haye, fighters like Roy Jones Jr. and Jermain Taylor.

Haye isn’t faster than either of those fighters. Even if Hopkins did get beat by Haye, at least Hopkins showed some courage by sticking around and trying to get the most of his ability rather than retiring early to avoid getting beaten. I totally respect Hopkins. He’s willing to stick around until the bitter end and get every last ounce of his ability. Hopkins is a warrior, and I respect him.

Hopkins will beat Haye, I have no doubts about that. Haye is too timid, and fights as if his chin is made of glass. He averaged like 10 punches per round against World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev last month in beating him by a narrow 12 round decision. To say that Haye looked awful would be kind. That was some of the worst boxing I’d seen on the heavyweight level in years.

All the finesse fighters in the past that have taken criticism from boxing fans looked great compared to Haye the way he fought against Valuev. Hopkins would have no problem with a fighter like that. Sorry, but Calzaghe is wrong. Hopkins won’t get knocked out by Haye, and he shouldn’t retire. Man, if I was Hopkins I’d be talking long and hard 24/7 in the media calling Haye would like he did with the Klitschko brothers.

I’d give every interview to every site on the net and talk about it until I’m blue in the face. Haye would have to fight me or else looking like he was afraid. But Hopkins may have to settle for fighting Haye after he fights one of the Klitschko brothers, because it looks like Haye is heading for a fight with one of the two brothers next year. In other words, I hope Hopkins is cool with fighting Haye without the title being at stake for the fight, because I don’t give Haye one bit of a chance of beating either of the Klitschko brothers. But, hey, if Hopkins is still interested in fighting Roy Jones Jr. despite him losing by a 1st round stoppage to Danny Green, then Hopkins should go ahead and still fight Haye after he’s knocked out by one of the Klitschko brothers.