ROUND-BY-ROUND: CALZAGHE VS. HOPKINS

PREFIGHT
I gotta admit...at first, I wasn't really that excited when this fight was first announced, but now that it's here...WOOOOOOOO! Let's just hope the fight lives up to the expectations. Sir Tom Jones gets the night started by singing the Welsh National Anthem. Now Ray J, brother of R&B singer Brandy and known for his sex tape with Kim Kardashian, sings the US National Anthem. Joe Calzaghe comes out first. He's got a slight smirk on his face when he enters the arena...a little remeniscent of Prince Naseem Hamed. He does a little dance as he walks to the ring and waves to the crowd. He looks confident. Bernard Hopkins enters next. A fast walk to the ring with his robe pulled low over his head. He gives the X to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen....LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEE" Hopkins looks pissed during the staredown as he bites down on his mouthpiece.

ROUND 1
Hopkins being cautious as he circles from corner to corner. Calzaghe stalking. Hopkins lands a right hand to the body. Another right hand lands to the body for Hopkins. They clinch and roughhouse along the ropes. WOOOOOOOOO...lead straight right lands for Hopkins and Calzaghe is down. He's up. He takes the count. Wow. Hopkins being patient. Calzahge stalking again. Woooo...another lead straight right lands for Hopkins. Slow left hand from Calzaghe misses. They clinch and Hopkins lands some shots to the arms and hips. Calzaghe lands a right to the body. Quick 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left to the body. Round to Hopkins.

Hopkins 10 Calzaghe 8

ROUND 2
Jab misses for Cazlaghe as Hopkins circles the ring. Quick right lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Quick left to the body lands for Calzahge. Right hand lead lands for Hopkins again. They roughhouse on the inside and Cortez breaks them quickly. Calzaghe lands a left. Jab lands for Hopkins. Right to the body lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Hopkins lands a straight right and a few more punches on the inside during the clinch. Calzaghe lands a left. Hopkins lands another right. Jab lands for Calzaghe. Low blow lands for Calzaghe and Cortez calls time as Hopkins milks it. Short left hook lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Thudding 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe waiting too much. They trade on the inside. Round to Hopkins.

Hopkins 20 Calzaghe 17

ROUND 3
They trade jabs. Calzaghe lands a lead left. Right hand lands for Hopkins. Right to the body lands for Hopkins and three more while they're in the clinch. Straight right lands for Hopkins. Hopkins roughs him up on the inside again and lands an uppercut. Woooooo....two HARD short jailhouse hooks land for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a right. They clinch and Hopkins again lands some shots on the inside. Now Calzaghe gets his first flurry off, but eats a flurry from Hopkins in return. Calzaghe lands a right to the body. Two left hooks land for Calzaghe on the inside. Calzaghe works the body on the inside and Hopkins answers with a right. Better round for Calzaghe. I give it to him, but reluctantly as it was a close one.

Hopkins 29 Calzaghe 27

ROUND 4
Calzaghe lands a right to start the round. Straight right lands for Hopkins. They roughhouse on the inside. Quick flurry from Calzaghe, but most of it landing on the back of Hopkins. Now Calzaghe backs him to a corner and lands a left. Hopkins lands a lead straight right. More roughhousing and Cortez warns both of them. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Left hook over the top lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe stalking with his hands down....lands a right hook. Calzaghe lands a left. Hopkins counters off the ropes with short hooks. Calzaghe lands a left, but the he eats a HARD left hook on the inside. Jab lands for Hopkins. Close round, but I thought Hopkins got the better shots in. Round to Hopkins.

Hopkins 39 Calzaghe 36

ROUND 5
Jab lands for Calzaghe. Hopkins rakes him with a left hook. Another jab lands for Calzaghe. Calzaghe walking him down. Quick 1-2 lands for Hopkins. They trade on the inside. Calzaghe lands a hard left. 1-2 for Hopkins falls short. Calzaghe lands a right to the body. Right hand lands for Hopkins. Slow right hand from Calzaghe misses Hopkins in the corner. Jab for Hopkins lands. They trade to the body. Hopkins lands a HARD right to the body. Calzaghe lands a left at the bell to seal the round for him. Round to Calzaghe.

Hopkins 48 Calzaghe 46

ROUND 6
Calzaghe lands a jab. Hopkins lands one of his own. Hopkins works a 1-2 to the body. Short left hook on the inside lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left upstairs. Hopkins lands a left hook. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left. They clinch and Hopkins lands some shots to the hips. They flurry and exchange a few punches. Left hand lands for Hopkins and he smiles. HARD right to the body lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left upstairs. Short left hook lands for Hopkins along the ropes. Calzaghe lands a jab. Right hand lead to the body lands for Hopkins. Another right hand lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe tries to flurry at the end, landing punches to the back of Hopkins before Cortez breaks them at the bell and he falls to the ground. Round to Hopkins who I thought landed the more telling shots.

Hopkins 58 Calzaghe 55

ROUND 7
Left hook and a right hand lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left upstairs. Looping right lands for Calzaghe. Hopkins lands a lead straight right. They clinch. Jab lands for Calzaghe. Right to the body lands for Hopkins. Big left hook lands for Hopkins upstairs. Hopkins digs a right to the body. Calzaghe lands a left of his own to the body. Right hand lands for Calzaghe. Hopkins shoeshines along the ropes. Left to the body lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a right. They trade body shots along the ropes. Hopkins lands a right hand. Calzaghe lands a left. Hopkins lands a right hand that nearly drops Calzaghe. Round to Hopkins, who's landing the much more damaging shots.

Hopkins 68 Calzaghe 64

ROUND 8
Some more roughhousing to start the round. Calzaghe continues to stalk. Two jabs land for Calzaghe. Hopkins lands a right. Right to the body lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left that stifles Hopkins in his tracks. Hopkins lands a lead straight right. Uppercut lands for Hopkins. They trade right hands. Left hand lands for Calzaghe. Hopkins lands a 1-2. Right hand lands for Hopkins. They trade jabs. Hopkins doing a masterful job of slipping and sliding punches. Calzaghe flurries at the end and Hopkins lands a left and a right after the bell. Calzaghe showboats to him. I give that round to Calzaghe for pressing the action.

Hopkins 77 Calzaghe 74

ROUND 9
Left hook lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands an uppercut to the body. Calzaghe lands a left hook. They clinch. HARD straight left lands for Calzaghe. Hopkins lands a right. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. They trade jabs. Left hook lands on the inside for Calzaghe. Left hand lands for Calzaghe. Left hook and a HARD right lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe jumps back on him and flurries. Short left hook lands for Hopkins. They both flurry. Hopkins lands a right. Straight left lands for Calzaghe. Good round for Calzaghe.

Hopkins 86 Calzaghe 84

ROUND 10
"I think this guy is ready to get knocked out," stated Enzo Calzaghe to his son. Quick right hand lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe picks up the pace. They clinch. Calzaghe lands a low blow and Hopkins is down. Cortez gives him up to five minutes as Hopkins slowly gets up from the canvas. Hopkins milking the clock as he walks from corner to corner. Calzaghe plays to the crowd urging Hopkins to continue with the fight. Coretez asks him if he's ready. Hopkins takes his time and continues to walk from corner to corner wincing in pain. The action resumes. They trade and roughhouse on the inside. Big straight right lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Calzaghe lands a left. They clinch again. They trade on the inside. Right hand lands for Hopkins. Both men flurry. The action is sloppy. Hopkins lands a couple of low blows and an uppercut. They clash heads. More flurries at the end from both. Ugly round...ugly round...I give it to Calzaghe just for looking more active.

Hopkins 95 Calzaghe 94

ROUND 11
They trade jabs. Left hand lands for Hopkins. Both men trade on the inside. Right hand lands for Hopkins along the ropes. Calzaghe lands a left. Hopkins lands a harder right. Another right lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Calzaghe lands a left. Hopkins lands a right to the body. They trade right hands. Hopkins flurries and lands a pitty-pat combo. Another low blow lands for Calzaghe and Hopkins tries to milk it. Both men begin to trade...Calzaghe landing the better shots. Another ugly round. I give it to Calzaghe for pressing the action again.

Hopkins 104 Calzaghe 104

ROUND 12
Hopking misses with a lead straight right and they clinch. Calzaghe lands a left. Hopkins lands a right. Hard right to the body lands for Hopkins. Lead straight right lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Calzaghe misses with a left. Short left hook and a right hand lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe lands a left. Left hand lands for Calzaghe. Quick flurry from both guys...neither really landing. Right to the body lands for Calzaghe. They clinch. Close round. Both flurry, but Hopkins lands the better hooks on the inside. Flurry from Hopkins and he lands an uppercut. Calzaghe misses with a 1-2. Right to the body lands for Hopkins and they clinch. Left hook lands for Hopkins. Calzaghe misses with a left. They trade at the end. Round to Hopkins.

Hopkins 114 Calzaghe 113

Harold Lederman scored it 116-111 for Joe Calzaghe

Official judges scorecards...

Adalaide Byrd: 114-113 Hopkins
Chuck Giampa: 116-111 Calzaghe
Ted Gimza: 115-112 Calzaghe

THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION...JOE CALZAGHE

COMPUBOX
Hopkins total punches: 127/468
Calzaghe total punches: 232/707

Hopkins power punches: 116/375
Calzaghe power punches: 187/483

POSTFIGHT
"Bernard's a great fighter...I just had to let my punches go," stated an elated Joe Calzaghe. "I knew it wasn't going to be pretty, but a win's a win...I'd say it's one of the toughest fights of my career...he's very wiley, very clever...maybe I'm the legend killer...I just finished Bernard Hopkins and maybe next Roy Jones," he continued in celebration. "I had him down early...I knew I was bustin' him up...the world know and the fans know, other than the Brits, that I won this fight...look at my face...I controlled the pace like a true veteran...I think it was an execution of old school technique," stated Hopkins. "I never got hurt...I never got hit with any big shots...the world seen it...at the end of the day, the fans know that I put a gutsy performance on," he continued.

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