The Neutral Corner

Bernard Hopkins, left, meets unbeaten Joe Calzaghe in Las Vegas on Saturday

Wallace Matthews: Except for two very narrow defeats to Jermain Taylor, Bernard Hopkins hasn’t lost a fight in 15 years. And that was to a Roy Jones Jr. in his prime. I’m not even convinced he lost the second Taylor fight. He may be 43, but he’s well-rested, having spent 10 of those years in jail, and his track record against guys previously thought unbeatable—Trinidad, Wright, De La Hoya, Tarver--is damned near impeccable. Calzaghe is younger, but at 36 not all that young, has fast hands but is a wide puncher, and just seems ripe for another Hopkins upset. I go with the Old Man on a split decision.

Mike Rose: If this were a few years ago, I'd say Joe Calzaghe calling Bernard Hopkins, 'Popkins,' would be a recipe for disaster for the Welshman. But Hopkins is 43. Calzaghe, however, is 36 so it's not like he's a young fighter either. I just think Calzaghe is too active and throws punches from too many angles for Hopkins to handle. There are people who will counter with the fact that Calzaghe has never fought in the U.S. and hasn't fought a fighter of Hopkins' caliber. And I have learned never to bet against Hopkins. He's a smart fighter. I'm sure he's hoping Calzaghe throws a ton of punches, Calzaghe tires and he takes advantage. I believe Hopkins' only chance is to tie up Calzaghe as much as possible, sneak in some punches and play defense. Therefore, I'm picking Calzaghe by unanimous decision.

Marcus Henry: The Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe fight has legacy written all over it. For Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 KOs), it’s a chance to prove once and for all that he deserves to be among boxing’s immortals. Not that Hopkins has to prove anything. The Philadelphia native has beaten everyone from Oscar De La Hoya to Antonio Tarver to Winky Wright to Felix Trinidad (in his prime). But a win over Europe’s best pound-for-pound fighter could be what etches him in stone as one of boxing’s greats with the likes of Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, etc…

For Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs), it’s a chance to prove he’s the real deal. Don’t get me wrong, Calzaghe has had a marvelous career, which was highlighted by his unanimous decision victory over Mikkel Kessler last November. With victories over Kessler and Jeff Lacy under his belt, Calzaghe doesn’t have much to prove. But he’s never fought in the United States and has never taken on an opponent the caliber of Hopkins.

As for the fight, Calzaghe has one thing going for him, youth. Considering his age (36), that’s a relative thing. But Hopkins is 43 and Calzaghe needs to take advantage of that. But Hopkins has proven to be the Energizer Bunny, going the distance in seven of his last eight fights against opponents in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. If Calzaghe allows Hopkins to work inside, it’s going to be a long fight that ends with the Executioner raising his hands in victory. If Calzaghe can dictate the pace and keep the taller Hopkins on the outside, he could score the upset. But I don’t see that happening. Hopkins will use his experience to get inside and beat up Calzaghe’s mid section. PREDICTION: Hopkins in a unanimous decision.

Robert Cassidy: I'm still annoyed that this fight is not taking place in Yankee Stadium, which Hopkins was pushing for. But that's for another blog. In one sense, B-Hop is a lot like Evander Holyfield. The fights in which it seems obvious to pick against him, he finds a way to win. I think that's the case here. Calzaghe seems to have youth, strength and stamina on his side. Of course, when we say youth, we are still talking about a 36-year-old.

Hopkins is a great counterpuncher and I think that's exactly why he'll beat Calzaghe. Joe will come in strong, throwing a lot of punches. But Bernard will dissect him. When the stakes are the highest, Hopkins raises his game. We have yet to see how Calzaghe will react under the intense pressure of a megafight in the United States. I pick Hopkins by unanimous decision.