(It's my Tobacciana | Sherlockiana blog, and I'll Boxiana if I want to. Boxiana if I want to.)
April 19, 2008
Thomas & Mack Center
Paradise NV USA
for The Ring L. Heavyweight title
NOTES:
The undefeated Welshman Calzaghe (44-0, 32) comes to America for Hopkins's (44-4-1, 32) belt. They meet in and then out and then inside again of a phone booth. This is most likely on account of Hopkins and his renowned on and off pacing. At around 1:56 of the opening round, they get back in the booth and The Executioner pops Calzaghe on the bridge of his schnoz with a short right-hand. He goes down. More a deposit than a dump. Gets up quickly but a 10-8 round is no one's ideal lift-off.
Calzaghe's normally prodigious punching is not-so for a bit afterward, on account of Hopkin's counterpunching. It's his clinching, as well, that's messing with Calzaghe's rhythm. The second stanza is another controlled by Hopkins. More space, all told. For a bit, Hopkins dictates distance and offers lots of bodywork, too. Calzaghe through the opening gambits seems slappy. In the third, it seems Calzaghe settles in some, working angles. Flings some better leather.
But Hopkins is still in control, mainly. The lower the work-rate, the more so. By the early mids, Calzaghe seems somewhat frustrated. Then Hop starts looking almost awkward at mid-point, as Cal responds 'no,' to phone-booth RSVPs. That said, still slappy-some. "Protect yourself at all times," is a thing that could be said regarding the sneaky H. He gets clocked himself at the end of the 5th with a stiff left, however. Hopkins looks to counter off the ropes as the southpaw Calzaghe pressures with that left and flicks a good jab.
The nose still bleeds from that 1st rd. cut. The 7th ends with a Pride of Wales flurry but the bigger H has him coming in off-balance each time. Slappy. Hard rights by H never lead to combos. By the late middles, Calzaghe starts picking the right counters of Hopkins, then slipping them. The slaps re-stiffen towards the end of the 9th and his pressure seems to be getting to H. As championship rounds loom it scans as H asking the same question over and over, and C finding different answers. In the 10th, an 'answer' is a low-blow.
The 43-year-old Hopkins nurses said low-blow to get his wind back. Limps about as Calzaghe works the crowd. The stage is set for the championship stanzas. The curtain opens in the final minute of the 10th, when it all looks to be reset... Eleventh. H claims another low-blow but the ref doesn't bite and they instead go toe-to-toe into the final round. Twelfth. Neither has a full tank and they take turns lurching forward. No real lulls. Calzaghe is the main aggressor here, and for a good bit. The bell doesn't stop the action immediately.
Calzaghe via SD (113-114, 115-112, 116-111)
WORK RATE: A-
PRESSURE: A
EXCITEMENT: B+
SKILL SET: A
FINAL GRADE: A-
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79
::: very :::