By James Slater: Welsh legend Joe Calzaghe has given his doubts about his former rival Bernard Hopkins ever agreeing to face fellow Welshman and current World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-heavyweight champ Nathan Cleverly. Speaking with BBC Radio Wales yesterday, the unbeaten former 168 and 175-pound king said he doesn’t think Hopkins “has any intention of fighting Nathan.”
“Hopkins will only fight if he gets a big payday and a big name,” Calzaghe explained. “Nathan is in the early part of his career and I’m not sure you can build that fight up. He is not known in America. And Nathan, who is an up-and-coming fighter, is too dangerous for Hopkins.”
Clazaghe, who won a close, somewhat debatable split decision over B-Hop in 2008, is probably right: Hopkins will almost certainly wind up his amazing career against a more recognizable name in the U.S (with talk of Hopkins facing maybe Lucian Bute or, in a return meeting, Chad Dawson). Calzaghe suggests 24-year-old Cleverly, 23-0(11) should continue to gain experience as he grows as a fighter.
“Nathan is still very young, in the early stages of his reign, and he will keep improving as he gets more experience of world title fights.”
As fans may know, Cleverly’s next fight will be a “homecoming” affair on Feb. 25th, against the never-stopped Tommy Karpency – a fighter Calzaghe has never heard of.
“I’ve never heard of his opponent,” Joe explained. “Sometimes I fought guys I have never heard of and you can’t underestimate them. You must do your job and knock the other guy out.”
Cleverly, who has admitted 25-year-old Karpency, 21-2-1(14) was not his first choice of opponent, says he will not underestimate the Pennsylvania man. Having everything to gain and nothing at all to lose, Karpency could prove to be a very dangerous fighter next month in Cardiff. Also, Karpency is a southpaw, and “Clev” has not faced a lefty since back in late 2008. A lover of the long shot just might be tempted to place a few pounds (or bucks) on next month’s challenger!
Karpency sure would ruin a whole load of plans of he were to upset Cleverly.