Joe Calzaghe wins the fight against Hopkins by split decision

Joe Calzaghe wins the fight against Hopkins by split decision Boxer Joe Calzaghe justified the favorite odds on Saturday night in Las Vegas after winning the fight against Bernard Hopkins by split decision. At the online bookmaker BetUS Calzaghe was -300 favorite to beat Hopkins, while in the UK at Bet365 Joe Calzaghe held favorite odds 4/11 to win the Las Vegas fight. But for a moment, just 70 seconds into the fight, the bookies were on edge, after Bernard Hopkins knocked down Calzaghe with a right-hand punch. Luckily for his fans, Calzaghe quickly rebounded and took the fight until the very end, when a split decision (115-112, 116-111, 113-114) awarded him the victory and Joe Calzaghe keeps his unbeaten 46-0 record, as well as recognition for the best light heavyweight in the world. According to the fight stats, Hopkins connected with 27 percent of his 468 blows and Calzaghe landed 33 percent of his 707 punches, while connected with 232 punches, the most ever landed against Hopkins in his 21 fights that were tracked by CompuBox statistics.

"I knew this wouldn't look pretty tonight. He's so awkward. He gave me some good shots. It wasn't my best night, but I won the fight. The world title in a second division and a win in America is just icing on the cake for my career," Joe Calzaghe said after the judges' results of the fight were announced. "I just really feel like I took the guy to school. I feel like I made him fight my fight, not his," said the disappointed Bernard Hopkins.

Published on 04/20/2008