Boxing: McGuigan backs Calzaghe

Apr 15 2008 by Delme Parfitt, Western Mail

JOE CALZAGHE will be too fast for Bernard Hopkins on Saturday night – and his move up a weight to light-heavy won’t be an issue.

That’s the verdict of former featherweight king Barry McGuigan, who believes the Welshman’s hand speed will be his most potent weapon at the Planet Hollywood Bowl.

McGuigan has bad memories of Vegas himself. He was dethroned there as WBA title holder in a gruelling outdoor bout under a blazing sun in June 1986, Texan Stevie Cruz out-pointing him in 15 rounds with the Irishman later needing hospital treatment for dehydration.

But the Clones Cyclone predicts no such woes for Calzaghe.

“The weight won’t be an issue,” insisted McGuigan. “It might feel unfamiliar going up for the first time but it’s not as telling as in the lower divisions.”

And McGuigan stressed that moving up in weight is different depending on where a fighter is in the overall spectrum.

He explained: “When a light-welter goes up to welterweight the seven-pound difference puts you in with a different size of man.

“But that’s not the case at super-middle and light-heavyweight, where the disparity is not as marked. Most super-middles are walking around at light-heavy anyway.

“If you look at the first big defeat Hopkins suffered against Roy Jones, it was hand speed that did him. What is Joe’s great asset? Hand speed. That’ll be the difference again.”

Pundits here in Vegas are talking about the likelihood of a messy encounter rather than a classic, given Hopkins’ propensity for holding on.

Calzaghe has already accused Hopkins of dirty tactics in previous encounters, but the American snapped angrily at suggestions he may benefit from home judges.

“There will be no excuses,” Hopkins insisted.

“Up to now everyone has had to go to the UK to fight Calzaghe on his terms.

“Now he’s going to get a taste of that medicine and whoever wins this time will be the best, no questions asked.”

However McGuigan believes that’s a stance Calzaghe should readily accept, because he sees the Welsh-Italian as superior, even if there is a slight danger of biased judgement.

“The fight is clearly on Hopkins terms,” argued McGuigan.

“He will get the referee he wants and the judges probably.

“And what’s more, it suits Hopkins to take the fight at light-heavyweight.

“Although saying that, Hopkins made the transition to light-heavy as an old man in boxing terms.

“He could no longer grind himself down to the middleweight limit of 160lbs.”

And recent Hopkins outings may, McGuigan believes, prove misleading.

The Philadelphian won plaudits for dispatching Antonio Tarver last year, with some commentators contending that he belied his advancing years.

McGuigan disagrees, and points to Hopkins’ double defeat to Jermain Taylor as the more conclusive evidence.

“The performance against Tarver said more about Tarver than Hopkins,” added the Irishman.

“Hopkins was beaten twice by Jermain Taylor and Taylor is not the fighter Joe Calzaghe is, nor is he as fast.

“So that is a more accurate barometer of where 42-year-old Hopkins is at.”