Hopkins Calzaghe on HBO

hopkins643.jpgHBO Sports presents a light heavyweight fight six years in the making when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: BERNARD HOPKINS VS. JOE CALZAGHE is seen live SATURDAY, APRIL 19 (9:45 p.m. ET/6:45 p.m. PT) from The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, exclusively on HBO. The WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman and Emanuel Steward will be ringside for the event, which will be presented in HDTV and in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Over the course of his 20-year career, Philadelphia’s Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) has established himself as one of the premier fighters of his era and one of the greatest middleweight champions of all time. After building a reputation on stellar performances against premium competition like Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins cemented his legacy with a stunning victory over reigning champion Antonio Tarver in June 2006 in his first fight at light heavyweight. Following a short retirement, Hopkins returned to the ring last July, scoring a convincing victory over former 154-pound champion Ronald “Winky” Wright in his second light heavyweight bout. This bout marks the 43-year-old Hopkins’ 16th appearance on HBO.

read more

Tarver-Woods: Is Calzaghe Next For Clinton?

By Aaron Klein: IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods (41-3-1, 24 KOs) will be putting his title on the line this Saturday night against former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver (26-4, 19 KOs) at the St. Pete Times Forum, in Tampa, Florida. The fight, which has so far failed the building much excitement aside from a few loyal British fans of Woods, is an especially important bout for Woods for if he can beat the 39 year-old Tarver, there’s a strong chance that Woods may be the next opponent for super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe.

read more

Hopkins vs. Calzaghe: Bernard Promising Punishment

By Nate Anderson: In the latest war of words, former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) is cutting though the pleasantries by calling undefeated super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) “amateurish” and promising punishment along the way. If one weren’t alaready aware of Hopkin’s history, they’d incorrectly assume that Hopkins was just making hyperbolic statements in order to sell a few more tickets to the boxing public.

read more

Will Hopkins Execution Squad Help Him Defeat Calzaghe?

hopkins4333.jpgBy Michael Tornay: Sometime when a fighter finds themselves in an almost impossible no-win situation, they reach for any aid they can in an attempt to cheat age, diminishing skills and the inevitability of their defeat by seeking outside assistance, for example, specialized trainers, gurus and what not. In light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins’ (48-4-1, 32 KOs) case, he has accumulated an “execution squad” consisting of trainer Freddie Roach, conditioning coach Mackie Shilstone and John David Jackson, a specialist on southpaw fighters. Hopkins, 43, hopes that somehow this group can help him pull out a victory over undefeated super middleweight Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs), whom Hopkins will be facing on April 19th at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas.

So far, few people give Hopkins a chance at beating Calzaghe, despite the fact that Hopkins has pulled off major victories in the past two years over Antonio Tarver and Winky Wright, both of whom Hopkins looked impressive in beating.

read more

Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe Update

Light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins took the news of Joe Calzaghe’s rebuttal to his training team statement as a sure sign of panic. “This poor guy used up all the air in his boxing gym to spew a bunch of nonsense about nothing really. I said what I had to say in one breathe. He knows what he is up against on April 19 and that’s all that has to be said. All those words are just like his punches-nothing on them and no damage done..”

Hopkins vs. Calzaghe “Battle of the Planet,” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Warren’s Sports Network and the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The match-up will air live from the Planet Hollywood Ring on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT.

read more

Hopkins: “I am That modern-day George Foreman”

By “Big” Nate Anderson: Comparing himself to former two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman, who recaptured the heavyweight title late in his career at the ripe old age of 45, light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins (48-4, 32 KOs) had this to say in yesterday’s press conference to promote his April 19th bout against undefeated super middleweight Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs):

read more

Hopkins: “I said I’m going to punish Calzaghe slowly”

By Eric Schmidt: The war of words continued today between light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) and undefeated WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) in the first portion of their three city press tour to promote their April 19th bout at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada. As customary, it was the 43 year-old Hopkins who got in the better line when he said “I said I’m going to punish Calzaghe slowly, and I’ll repeat that today. I’ll ask that his father is merciful to him and pulls him out when he is getting hurt.”

read more

Joe Calzaghe vs Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe, fighters with a combined 43 wins in world championship bouts met today in London to confirm that on Saturday, April 19, in the Planet Hollywood (PH) Ring in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a rare contest between linear champions, light heavyweight champion Hopkins will defend his title against Calzaghe, the undisputed super middleweight champion, in a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Championship to determine the true premier champion of this era. Tickets for this epic battle go on sale today..

read more

Calzaghe-Hopkins: “I know what is going to happen. I am going to win the fight”- Joe

calzaghe3535323.jpgBy “Big” Nate Anderson: In today’s press conference in London, super middleweight Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs) and light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs) continued to go at each other verbally in preparation for their April 19th bout at the Thomas & Mack Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada. If anyone was to be considered the victor in the press conference, I’d say that Calzaghe, 35, appeared to come out on top, as he said:

“I know what is going to happen. I am going to win the fight. I’m undefeated for 17 years and he’s going to realize April 19 that he’s never been in the ring with someone like myself with my hand speed and my work rate. He’s been a champion for years and I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect.”

For that, Calzaghe appears to be hitting it right on the head about Hopkins never having been in the ring with a fighter like him, nor one with Calzaghe’s work rate.

read more

Tarver Wants Shot At Calzaghe

By Chris Thomas: In the latest boxing news, former WBC/WBA light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver (26-4, 19 KOs) wants a fight with the undefeated super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, who is currently getting prepared for his next bout against light heavweight Bernard Hopkins. Tarver, at 39 years-old, would figure to be in the last stages of his career. However, given the fact that the light heavyweight division is perhaps the weakest in all of boxing, he finds himself as still one of the best fighters in the division.

read more