Look, what can you do? This is what you get when Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Frank Warren and Nazim Richardson talk about a fight.
So, you know, go figure: Richardson has told Hopkins that he should forget about Calzaghe, and instead look for a rematch with Roy Jones, Jr.
Calzaghe and Warren, meanwhile, are now talking with English light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods, a past Jones victim who has since come into his own among the best at 175 pounds.
This is a bust in three ways.
1. Calzaghe-Hopkins is a great fight on paper that boxing fans want to see. Calzaghe has proven it all at 168, has finally completely won over all but the most ridiculous and absurd of detractors, but has yet to face an American superstar. Bernard Hopkins, old as he is, is still a fantastic fighter. They are two of the smartest and, when pressed, cockiest fighters in the game. I truly think with the right promotion, letting these guys talk about one another, it could've done great PPV numbers.
2. Hopkins-Jones will have happened 15 years ago should Hopkins-Jones II take place. 15 years is a long damn time. This ain't 1993 Roy Jones, or 1993 Bernard Hopkins. It was a great contest 15 years ago, and as much as I like Jones, I think Hopkins dismantles him this time around. He's aged far, far better. It's not that interesting of a fight, and seems hand-picked by Hopkins and Richardson to easily avenge a defeat. Hopkins-Jones I has as much relevance to the current landscape of boxing as Jones-Woods should when ranking the light heavies of today.
3. Calzaghe-Woods is a British fight. Calzaghe has been fighting British fights for his entire career. I will not slam Calzaghe for taking it, because past Hopkins, who else is there? Chad Dawson is not ready for a guy like Calzaghe, and Antonio Tarver wouldn't fight Calzaghe for any amount of money even approaching reasonable. At 168, there's nobody but Kessler, and a rematch wasn't truly earned. I'm not saying "British fight" is a bad thing, but I was looking forward to finally seeing Joe on American soil. And HBO will not be excited about Calzaghe-Woods.
Let's just hope Calzaghe-Hopkins does come through. Someone, be it de la Hoya or Schaefer or I don't know who, would be wise to step in and try to get this deal done. Hopkins is notoriously tough to deal with, and Warren has his own issues. I do believe the fighters want to fight each other, but that doesn't make a fight happen. All the extra stuff -- money, exact location, date -- has to be agreed upon, or you don't get a fight.
But if I were to point the finger at either side for a breakdown in negotiations, it would be Hopkins at this point. Both guys are taking a step down in this proposal, but at least Calzaghe would be fighting a champion. Hopkins would just be fighting a faded memory.