Bernard Hopkins all these years on from his close defeat on points to Wales’ Joe Calzaghe has spoken passionately about the judging of the fight.
It was a close fight but most agreed Calzaghe got the nod rightly on the night, he won a split decision in a very close fight.
Hopkins dropped him early on with a sharp right hand. Speaking this week to Andre Ward on ‘All The Smoke Fight’ Hopkins said all these years on:
“He was one of the judges. There are three judges, in case people out there don’t know, ringside, and the referee gets the slip from them. Judge Dwayne Ford gave his slip and left his chair—very, very unusual to give the slip and leave your post. I’m not saying they don’t have to or shouldn’t, but he left after giving the slip, and that’s the one that gave Joe Calzaghe a split decision, even though I knocked him down in the first round.”
Maybe Bernard Hopkins still feels a bit like he got the short end of the stick in the fight, by the sounds of it he clearly does.
Both he and Calzaghe are all-time greats of boxing ultimately.
The fight was some time ago now – April 19th 2008.