Calzaghe brands Hopkins 'sore loser' of Vegas clash
Reuters
Updated: April 25, 2008, 6:06 PM ET
LONDON -- Joe Calzaghe has accused former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins of being a "sore loser" after their light-heavyweight bout in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The unbeaten Welshman Calzaghe, the undisputed super-middleweight world champion, won a split decision after recovering from a first-round knockdown against the 43-year-old.
Hopkins looked stunned after two of the three judges gave the fight to Calzaghe, one of them by a large 116-111 margin, and claimed he won the fight.
"He should get over it," the 36-year-old Calzaghe told the BBC on Friday. "He should watch the tape and accept that he lost.
"There were three American judges and he still lost. I don't need to find 100 excuses as I won. He's a sore loser."
Apart from Hopkins' straight right that floored Calzaghe for the first time in his career, neither fighter landed many telling shots in a scrappy clash of styles.
"I won the fight. I was the aggressor. I landed more punches. End of story," added Calzaghe, who stretched his unbeaten record to 45 fights.
"I don't mind if I don't see the guy again. To be honest, I've never been a Bernard Hopkins fan and never will be.
"You ask me about Roy Jones Jr. and I'll say I like him and love his style," Calzaghe added. "I've got a lot of respect for him and he is a legend but Hopkins isn't."
Reuters
Updated: April 25, 2008, 6:06 PM ET
LONDON -- Joe Calzaghe has accused former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins of being a "sore loser" after their light-heavyweight bout in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The unbeaten Welshman Calzaghe, the undisputed super-middleweight world champion, won a split decision after recovering from a first-round knockdown against the 43-year-old.
Hopkins looked stunned after two of the three judges gave the fight to Calzaghe, one of them by a large 116-111 margin, and claimed he won the fight.
"He should get over it," the 36-year-old Calzaghe told the BBC on Friday. "He should watch the tape and accept that he lost.
"There were three American judges and he still lost. I don't need to find 100 excuses as I won. He's a sore loser."
Apart from Hopkins' straight right that floored Calzaghe for the first time in his career, neither fighter landed many telling shots in a scrappy clash of styles.
"I won the fight. I was the aggressor. I landed more punches. End of story," added Calzaghe, who stretched his unbeaten record to 45 fights.
"I don't mind if I don't see the guy again. To be honest, I've never been a Bernard Hopkins fan and never will be.
"You ask me about Roy Jones Jr. and I'll say I like him and love his style," Calzaghe added. "I've got a lot of respect for him and he is a legend but Hopkins isn't."