Tag Archives: Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins Believes Canelo Alvarez Will Brutally Stop Dmitry Bivol

Posted on 04/08/2022

By: Hans Themistode

Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports

By and large, Canelo Alvarez is considered the best fighter that the sport of boxing has to offer.

No matter the weight class and regardless of the credentials of his opponent, Alvarez has reigned supreme as he pillages world title after world title in countless weight classes.

In just under four weeks, Alvarez will look to strip Dmitry Bivol of his WBA light heavyweight title. While viewed as a sizable favorite, many are under the assumption that Bivol will present the pound-for-pound star with several uncomfortable challenges.

In addition to the growing groundswell surrounding Bivol and his chances at knocking off Alvarez, the Russian star maintains his own overwhelming self-confidence in his abilities.

Nevertheless, as Bernard Hopkins analyzes the fighting styles of both fighters, he’s unable to pinpoint where Bivol will have his advantages. Ultimately, for those who believe Bivol will shock the world on May 7th, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hopkins is a firm believer that not only will Alvarez end the world title reign of Bivol, but he’ll do so in violent and devastating fashion.

“Canelo wins by knockout before the seventh round,” said Hopkins during a recent interview with FightHype.com.

An effortless night for Alvarez would serve as a consistent theme of the Mexican star over his past few fights. With three consecutive knockout victories over Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant – the latter resulting in the fourth and final world title at 168 pounds being wrapped around his waist, Hopkins has been thoroughly impressed by what he’s seen from Alvarez.

Furthermore, not only does Hopkins view the chances of Bivol pulling off the victory as relatively slim, the former two-division world title holder doesn’t see anyone in any weight class, being able to compete with Alvarez.

“I don’t see anybody in boxing right now that can match that.”

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Bernard Hopkins Gives His Prediction For Errol Spence Jr. Vs. Yordenis Ugas: “Errol Spence Smashes Him”

Posted on 03/20/2022

By: Hans Themistode

The boxing world appears to be split right down the middle as the welterweight unification between Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas draws near. The two are officially scheduled to face off in just under a month on April 16th, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

With Ugas nabbing the most significant win of his career in his most recent ring appearance against Manny Pacquiao, the WBA titlist confidently believes he’ll be adding Spence Jr.’s WBC and IBF world titles to his collection. However, despite his unwavering self-belief, Bernard Hopkins isn’t giving him much of a chance. 

“Errol Spence smashes him,” said Hopkins to Fight Hub TV.

Spence Jr., a former U.S. Olympian, is attempting to move one step closer to his ultimate goal of becoming an undisputed world champion. Initially, during the first few years of his career, Spence Jr. dazzled fans with his nonstop pressure and ability to end fights in the blink of an eye. However, as of late, Spence Jr. has been forced to deal with forces outside of his control. 

Following his split decision win over Shawn Porter in 2019, Spence Jr. miraculously survived a horrific one-car wreck. Although Spence Jr. would dust himself off and return to the ring one year later to score a one-sided win over Danny Garcia, the unified welterweight titlist has remained sequestered on the sidelines. 

Originally, the Dallas native was set to make his ring walk in August of 2021, against Manny Pacquiao. That said, he was forced to withdraw from their contest due to a retinal detachment in his right eye. 

As a result, of course, Ugas stepped in on relatively short notice and claimed the spotlight for himself, winning a fairly close unanimous decision. With Spence Jr. appearing in the ring fewer than both he and his adoring fans would like, Hopkins believes that from here on out, Spence Jr. will produce jaw-dropping performances.

“Listen, I look at the pedigree of the talent. I believe from the last few fights, beyond the pullout, I believe he knows that he has to make statements every time he fights. Good for us, bad for his opponent. He knows that he must look damn there perfect or perfect every fight. There is no room for error. From what I see, he handles that very, very well.” 

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Bernard Hopkins: “I Didn’t Even Know Who Caleb Plant Was, He Basically Got His Ass Whopped”

Posted on 11/12/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Making history usually comes with shocked faces and incredulously raised eyebrows but for Bernard Hopkins, there was nothing out of the ordinary about it.

This past weekend, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Canelo Alvarez navigated tricky waters against Caleb Plant to become the first super middleweight champion of all time. Though Plant was a considerable betting underdog, he performed well early on.

Despite showing incredible boxing ability, he ultimately succumbed to the power of Alvarez, losing via 11th round stoppage.

Long before the two swapped fists in front of a jam-packed Vegas crowd, Hopkins had difficulty recognizing who Plant was. While Plant had held his IBF crown for well over two years, Hopkins simply shrugs his shoulders as he continues to admit that before Plant stepped foot inside the ring with Alvarez, he was unfamiliar with his work.

“I didn’t even know who Caleb Plant was,” said Hopkins to a group of reporters. “Seriously, I heard of him but I didn’t know what the guy looked like. I wasn’t familiar with his style and ability.”

Regardless of Hopkins being oblivious to the skillset of Plant, the newly inducted Hall of Famer is surprised by the praise he’s now receiving. According to most pundits, Plant was expected to see his demise in the early portion of their contest. However, it was the 29-year-old who actually frustrated Alvarez to no end.

At the time of stoppage, all three judges’ scorecards were in favor of Alvarez but by reasonably close margins. Judge Patricia Morse Jarman, in particular, scored it 96-94 in favor of Alvarez.

With Plant receiving kudos for giving Alvarez a tougher than expected fight, Hopkins is beside himself. In his opinion, the former titleholder shouldn’t be on the receiving end of such high recognition for losing via stoppage.

“He basically got his ass whopped. Do you get rewards for getting your ass whopped?”

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Bernard Hopkins: “Canelo Can Already Compete Up To Cruiserweight”

Posted on 11/10/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Canelo Alvarez knows exactly what it feels like to compete in the light heavyweight division. The pound-for-pound star made his lone trip to the weight class in November of 2019 and produced the results he was looking for, scoring an 11th round stoppage win over former titlist, Sergey Kovalev.

Despite proving that he was more than capable of dealing with the extra weight, Alvarez admitted that fighting at 175 pounds was a burden he didn’t want to carry. Regardless of how he feels, Alvarez has flirted with the idea of moving up once again. This time, to challenge current unified champion, Artur Beterbiev.

If Alvarez does in fact, decide to make a run at 175, newly inducted Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins believes he’ll take care of business in his new home.

“The light heavyweight division, I think he sweeps that,” said Hopkins to Fighthype.com.

While it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to see Alvarez once again move up in weight, current IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis, would love for the Mexican native to climb up even higher.

“Doesn’t seem like Canelo will find a leveled fight at super middleweight or light heavyweight,” said Briedis on his social media account. “What a machine! Ready to test waters at cruiserweight for a proper challenge?”

Though Alvarez has floated around the idea of once again competing at light heavyweight, he’s yet to say anything about making a run in the cruiserweight division. That said, considering how hard Alvarez works, along with recently capturing every world title at 168 pounds, Hopkins is convinced that if Alvarez truly wanted to, he could face the likes of Briedis and anyone else at the cruiserweight division and have a ton of success.

“Canelo can already compete up to cruiserweight. He’s willing to put the work in. He’s willing to go through anything that has to go through to be great. And I think that he’s in a position of the mentality of a fighter and just want to do great things from here on out.”

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Bernard Hopkins Wants To See Danny Garcia Face Brian Castano Next

Posted on 10/14/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Bernard Hopkins can’t help but gush over the skillset of Danny Garcia. The newly inducted Hall of Famer has sat back and watched for years as his fellow Philadelphian has gone on to pick up big wins and capture numerous world titles.

While Garcia remains one of the top names in the welterweight division, as of late, he’s fallen short in some of his biggest outings. Recently, Garcia attempted to end the title reign of current unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. The two clashed near Spence Jr.’s hometown in Arlington Texas, at the AT&T Stadium.

Although Garcia appeared confident, he fell woefully short, losing their contest via unanimous decision. Since then, the now 33-year-old has pondered a move up in weight. In the opinion of Hopkins, there should be nothing for Garcia to think about. Simply put, making the move to 154 pounds should be a no-brainer.

“I believe he grew out of that weight really a year, year and a half ago,” said Hopkins during an interview on Million Dollaz Worth of Game. “But he got down there because he’s disciplined and determined. I think 154 is gonna be a blessing for him. He can eat now, he can eat. His body ain’t in a bottle anymore.”

Throughout Garcia’s career, he’s yet to struggle with making weight. However, he has noted on several occasions that making 147 pounds has become more and more arduous. With the former two-division titlist now leaning towards moving on from the welterweight division, his plans are to take things slow.

“I want to get my feet wet first,” said Garcia during a recent interview. “I would like to fight somebody at 154 and get my feet wet.”

Garcia’s gradual initiation process into his new weight class though, is something that Hopkins believes is unnecessary. In fact, not only is Hopkins against Garcia having a few feel-out fights at 154 pounds, he would love to see him compete for a world title in his first fight seven pounds north.

“I would like to see Danny Garcia get a shot at a different weight class against the champion in that division,” said Hopkins, as he refers to Garcia facing off against Brian Castano. “Not a tune-up, I would like to see him go right to that division and get a champ.”

Argentina’s Castano was last seen in the ring earlier this year on July 17th, against unified champion Jermell Charlo. Although the consensus surrounding their showdown was that Castano did more than enough to earn the victory, Castano was forced to settle for a split decision draw.

Even with many in boxing circles believing that Castano is the man to beat in the division, Hopkins doesn’t want Garcia to eschew from that sort of fight.

“I would like to see him fight that type of fight right away. Go right to the dance, right to it. I believe he’ll be successful at that weight class.”

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The Greatest Victory of the Last Two Decades: Bernard Hopkins vs. Felix Trinidad

Posted on 09/29/2021

By: Hector Franco

“Bernard Hopkins has put himself up there in the list of all the great middleweights.”- Larry Merchant.

Throughout the social media age that includes platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, there has been a plethora of memorable moments in combat sports from the world of boxing and mixed martial arts. 

For the boxing world, a vast majority of the attention has primarily focused on Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. These men have been at the forefront of boxing’s social media age garnering the highest-selling PPV events and bringing boxing into mainstream sports discussions. 

In today’s age, we live in a society that emphasizes and values economic achievements over accomplishments that take place inside the squared circle. 

Often, fights of the past are disregarded or undervalued. Many don’t put into context the importance of when a fight takes place. 

Before the age of social media, YouTube, and when Internet boxing media was still in its infancy there was one fight that historically may trump all that came after. 

On September 29, 2001, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Puerto Rico’s Felix “Tito” Trinidad took on Philadelphia’s Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins in the finals of Don King’s Middleweight World Championship Series tournament that would crown the first undisputed middleweight champion since Marvelous Marvin Hagler in the 1980s. 

The winner would be presented with a bronze sculpture trophy of the great Sugar Ray Robinson, adding more prestige to the tournament as it was made in conjunction with the Robinson family. 

All the fights would take place at Madison Square Garden in New York. 

TOURNAMENT

In today’s era, tournaments are more commonplace with the advent of the World Boxing Super Series; however, in 2001, they were a rarity. 

The tournament would feature the best middleweights in the sport at the time with then WBC champion Keith Holmes, two-time WBA champion William Joppy, the twelve-defense IBF champion Hopkins and then two-division champion Felix Trinidad. 

Trinidad was coming off the best year of his career in 2000, where he unified the IBF and WBA junior middleweight titles, winning a unanimous decision over 1996 Olympic gold medalist David Reid and scoring a 12th round stoppage over Fernando Vargas in arguably the greatest junior middleweight fight in history. 

In many respects, the tournament was built around Trinidad to continue his run of elite big stage fights that started in 1999 with Pernell Whitaker. 

Don King promoted three of the four fighters in the tournament, but he needed Hopkins to make sure it was viable to establish the one true middleweight champion. 

“To explain how complicated the process was, it takes only two words, Don King,” stated former Senior Vice President of HBO PPV Mark Taffet on a special episode of the now-defunct HBO Boxing podcast that focused on Trinidad-Hopkins. “I never worked with anyone who once you get them to say yes was more focused and more cooperative than Don. We actually talked about the tournament a few months. Then we decided on the middleweight division because Don was really focused on getting Tito Trinidad to be on a platform on top of the boxing world. 

“And he felt it was the right time for Tito to fight at the middleweight level and against some of the best in the world. He knew that he would be able to bring William Joppy and Keith Holmes into the tournament, but of course, that Bernard Hopkins would be the most difficult. 

“The deal between Don and Bernard was actually done on the day of the press conference to announce the tournament.” 

Before he was known as The Alien and held the record for being the oldest fighter to win a world title in boxing history, Hopkins was a man out for recognition. 

“I didn’t feel that I was getting the respect that I always felt that I had to fight for,” Hopkins said on the HBO Boxing podcast. “And what kept me always in shape, always with a chip on my shoulder, in fact, two chips on my shoulder, I always felt like I wasn’t getting respected, and this was the time, I should get my respect.” 

The tournament’s first-round saw Hopkins win a wide unanimous decision over Holmes on April 14, 2001. The fight was a rather tepid affair filled with fouls, but Hopkins dominated in adding the WBC middleweight title to his resume. 

The second fight in the first round was between Trinidad and Joppy for the WBA middleweight title on May 12, 2001. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden mimicked a pro-wrestling match from the late 1980s with the absolute frenzy of Puerto Rican fans in attendance. 

Trinidad decimated Joppy scoring three knockdowns en route to a fifth-round stoppage, further cementing himself as arguably the best in the world pound-for-pound. The Puerto Rican would become the first fighter since Ray Leonard to win a middleweight title in his first fight in the weight class. 

The stage was then set for the tournament finals with Trinidad to take on Hopkins on September 15, 2001. 

PRESS CONFERENCES

To promote the fight, the fighters went on a four-city press tour in New York, Philadelphia, Miami, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was on this press tour that the mind games that Hopkins would implement first started. 

For Hopkins, while the tournament represented an opportunity for more recognition and bigger paydays, Trinidad epitomized everything the Philadelphia fighter wanted. 

Not only was Trinidad one of the biggest stars in boxing at the time, but also one of the most accomplished. Similar to Hopkins, Trinidad made his mark in one weight class. 

At welterweight, Trinidad defended his title 15 times and unified the WBC and IBF titles in the division in his final bout in the weight class. He is only second to all-time great Henry Armstrong in welterweight title defenses who had 19. To this day, he is still the record holder for the longest-reigning welterweight champion in boxing history at six years, eight months, and 14 days. 

Adding that he was a three-division champion winning unified titles at junior middleweight and a title at middleweight gave the Puerto Rican Hall-of-Fame credentials before the age of 30. 

Hopkins, however, who had now made 13 defenses of his IBF middleweight title and had held the title since 1995, was not intimidated by Trinidad or the magnitude of the event.

“Why should I play second to a guy because of who he is?” Hopkins said in an interview with Graham Bensinger in 2017. “I’m not going to sit idle or quietly when what I have done so far and just let this promotion be just about Felix Trinidad. You have to promote this equally or promote me as the guy Trinidad has to beat. He’s coming to get my titles.” 

In New York, the promotion turned somewhat personal when Hopkins began to become hostile and not only go after Trinidad, but his Puerto Rican fan base. During a verbal exchange with Trinidad, Hopkins opened the gates of disrespect by grabbing the Puerto Rican flag and throwing it on the ground. 

“The flag had to be put down to get their attention,” said Hopkins. Grabbing that attention was grabbing the media attention, and grabbing the media attention was to do something that they thought would never be done because it was bold; it was in some people’s case classless.” 

The press conferences in Philadelphia and Miami went down without any significant altercations. However, when the press tour got to San Juan, things would take a turn for the worse. 

At the Roberto Clemente coliseum, Hopkins would once again throw down the Puerto Rican flag, but this time in front of a large group of Puerto Ricans. Hopkins barely escaped the wrath of the fans who chased him out of the building, forcing him to make a nearly 20-foot drop to reach the ground level. 

“Puerto Rico is the most patriotic place I’ve ever been to,” said Alan Hopper, the head of Don King’s Public Relations at the time on the HBO Boxing podcast. “And towards that end, they found that Bernard’s white limousine that he was using that day was outback, and they lit it on fire. It was no small thing that happened there.” 

Hopkins, for his part, was unapologetic and would not back down from his actions, as they were all part of a plan to gain a mental edge. 

“I had to set the stage for my own confidence, for my own drive, for my own demeanor, my own self-esteem,” stated Hopkins. “I couldn’t back down; blame it on north Philly.”

The throwing down of the flag was a calculated move to not only rile up Trinidad’s fan base, but to influence how the Puerto Rican would fight on the day of the fight. Part of his plan was to use Trinidad’s own popularity in Puerto Rico against him by raising the amount of pressure he would feel in facing a fighter they desperately wanted to see him knockout. 

If one can control how his opponent will fight, he can better prepare a game plan for victory. 

“The fight was won that evening or afternoon at the Roberto Clemente coliseum,” Hopkins told Graham Bensinger. “Not actually because I put the flag down. It was won because they let me leave to come and fight him in New York City. And so, I knew when he trained in San Juan, which he never left San Juan to go train. He trained in his homeland. It takes a strong man to run and interact on his island and see people telling him to kill Bernard Hopkins, to beat Bernard Hopkins. 

“That’s a lot of pressure for one man to hear this for 4 to 5 weeks. I knew they were going to do the work for me without even knowing it. The fans were so enraged, and he fed into it.” 

9/11

18-days before the fight, the complexity and nature of the event changed entirely on the Tuesday morning of September 11th.   That day two airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City in a terrorist attack that changed the world. 

It was an unprecedented event, and it was unclear if the fight would take place at all rather than just be rescheduled. 

“At first, I remember taking it personally,” said Hopkins to The Ring Magazine. “I worked my whole life for this moment., I thought, and I was going to be robbed by some crazy s-t. No one knew what was happening. Then you saw people jumping out of the windows because they didn’t want to burn to death.

“That made it real. It made me think I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m fighting for America. That’s what I was going to do.” 

With the fight up in the air and unknown if it would still be taking place, Hopkins took no chances and continued training. 

Three days after the attack, Hopkins was able to leave New York City to continue training in his hometown of Philadelphia. 

It would be a miracle that the fight would be rescheduled to take place just two weeks after its original date on September 29th. The fight would take place at Madison Square Garden, just three miles away from ground zero. 

Trinidad, who primarily trains in Puerto Rico, found himself in a less than ideal situation. With all flights coming in and out of New York put to a halt, Trinidad could not return to Puerto Rico to resume training. 

Instead, with Don King, Trinidad was doing philanthropy and volunteer work. He visited dozens of fire departments, offering encouragement and helping people at ground zero by providing food. 

“He was stuck in a hotel in a wounded city,” said Alan Hopper. “I remember Bernard; as soon as they opened up the tunnels to get out, he drove to West Philly to keep on training. Tito was stuck in New York City, and Don, as a lot of Americans did, went down and served food to people going through the rubble, and Tito went with him. Tito was a mean guy inside the ring, but a very wonderful and softhearted person outside the ring.

“I don’t think it did him any good to have to stay in New York for those weeks when it was all set for him to peak on the 15th, not September 29th. What people have to understand is that we’re never going to know what would have happened if that fight had taken place as scheduled.” 

Heading into the fight, Trinidad was a two-to-one favorite over Hopkins. His recent performances over Fernando Vargas and William Joppy gave most fans and pundits the inclination that Hopkins would suffer the same fate. They felt he would be overwhelmed and ultimately succumb to Trinidad’s power. 

Trinidad, at 29 years old, held a record of 40-0 with 33 knockouts and an even more impressive 20-0 with 16 knockouts record in world title fights coming into the Hopkins bout. 

The man known then as the executioner held a 39-2-1 record with 18 knockouts at 36 years of age before stepping in the ring with Trinidad to make his 14th consecutive middleweight title defense. 

For Trinidad, Hopkins was a pit stop on the road to more massive fights that would culminate with a showdown with Roy Jones Jr. at super middleweight. The goal for Trinidad was to be remembered as one of the greatest of all time. 

“To be able to achieve immortality is very big for Puerto Rico and for me,” Trinidad stated on a preview show for his fight with Hopkins on HBO. “Many years after I retire, the name of Felix “Tito” Trinidad will be mentioned as one of the greatest boxers and one of the immortals.” 

Similar to today’s era, the pound-for-pound discussion was up for debate. The three prevailing fighters in 2001 that were interchangeable at the time were Shane Mosley, Roy Jones Jr., and Trinidad. 

While Jones and Mosley were more athletic than Trinidad, with arguably a higher level of technical skill, the Puerto Rican’s recent resume and run of elite and challenging fights trumped both pugilists at the time. 

“I think we’re looking at something really special with Felix,” said longtime journalist Tim Smith who then wrote for the NY Daily News to HBO. “I think he is the kind of fighter that likes to fight. He’s almost a throwback to the era when guys fought for pride, for the love of the sport, and he has been on a remarkable run in the last three years. 

“It’s almost like he’s touched by destiny, and it’s just fantastic to watch that. That kind of run is almost like Bernard Hopkins is standing in the way of destiny.” 

CONTROVERSY 

Just when one thought that a fight couldn’t come with higher stakes, intrigue, and controversy, the night of the fight provided one more point of contention. 

In the dressing room, the late Naazim Richardson, a member of Hopkins’ camp at the time, disagreed with the manner in which Trinidad’s trainer and father Felix Trinidad Sr. had wrapped Trinidad’s right hand. 

The dispute centered around the placement and amount of tape used to wrap the hand. The controversial hand wrapping has become somewhat of a conspiracy theory over the last 20 years over something that took a little over 30 minutes to resolve. 

“First, I would like to say that my Deputy Commissioner and my Commissioner did a diligent job that night,” stated New York State Athletic Commission Chair and Director of Boxing, Melvina Lathan. “The rules are clear and fair. Mr. Trinidad and his team did not violate the rule; that’s why there was no suspension. Extra tape and gauze can be applied if the trainers agree and the commission approves; grounds for that will be protected only cause of injury.

“Under no circumstances can there be double layers of tape. Which in this case, there was none. The New York state bylaws say you cannot have tape on the skin, so the commission made them rewrap because of that fact alone.” 

Any notions that compare Trinidad’s hand-wrapping situation to Antonio Margarito’s may hold a personal vendetta against the Puerto Rican. Even the man who was in both dressing rooms with Trinidad in September 2001 and Margarito in January 2009 before his fight with Shane Mosley has stated that there is no comparison. 

“The Tito thing I think was more of ignorance,” Naazim Richardson stated in an interview with FightHype in 2014. “It was the fact that they were used to wrapping his hands like that all the time, and most of the places you fight, like Vegas and everything, it’s cool to wrap like that. So when they came to New York, they didn’t think anything of it. They just wrapped his hands the way they always wrap his hands. But it isn’t like the Margarito thing where he was blatantly trying to pull one-off. 

“One was ignorance, and one was illegal.” 

THE FIGHT

When it was time for the fighters to make their entrances, the hand wrap issue was taken care of. Both men made their way to the ring in vastly different circumstances. 

Hopkins wore a red executioner mask with Ray Charles’ rendition of “America The Beautiful” playing. Although Hopkins was largely booed, it wasn’t overboard to the point of pandemonium that filled the Garden for Trinidad’s fight with Joppy. 

Trinidad came to the ring, dawning a New York Fire Department helmet to a roar of fans and supporters. It was one of the more memorable entrances of his career, with his fans adorning him with cheers while he danced his way to the ring. 

Trinidad-Hopkins was the first major boxing match that took place after the events of September 11th, and the fighter’s introductions inside the ring gave gravitas to the importance of the fight. 

Not only would it give one fighter the chance to prove himself as an all-time great, one fighter the opportunity to prove himself as an elite fighter on the biggest stage of his career, but it was a form of normalcy and pride to see a big sporting event in an arena that has been a pillar of American history. 

When the first bell rang, both fighters started slowly in a feeling-out process. However, as the round went on, it was clear that Hopkins would not find himself in a vulnerable position like Trinidad’s last two opponents Vargas and Joppy. 

Hopkins was being cautious and fighting with a clear game plan that he would not stray from. At the end of the second round, Hopkins punctuated the round with a big right hand that sent Trinidad back. 

Hopkins used every bit of guile available in his tactics against Trinidad at times, using clinches and head butts to frustrate the Puerto Rican. 

One of the keys to Trinidad’s offense was his rhythm. Hopkins was able to time Trinidad using feints and his jab being one step ahead of the three-division champion all night. 

In the fourth round, the fight’s pace intensified as Trinidad became more desperate to land something big on Hopkins. Most of the rounds were competitive; however, they were clearly in favor of the Philadelphia fighter. 

Trinidad and his team expected Hopkins to fight strictly a rough fight similar to how he fought Keith Holmes. However, Hopkins utilized the same strategy as Oscar De Hoya did in his fight with Trinidad in September 1999 by using lateral movement to keep Trinidad constantly resetting his offense so he couldn’t get an offensive rhythm going. 

By the fifth and sixth rounds, the fight broke out to a full-on brawl, with Hopkins getting the better of most exchanges. Arguably, the sixth round was one of the few rounds that Trinidad may have won. 

While the fight was becoming more of a brawl, Hopkins was still fighting extremely disciplined and only coming out of his shell when it benefitted him. 

“The biggest thing Hopkins has accomplished by my likes is his refusal to bend to Tito’s will,” said legendary sports commentator Jim Lampley who was calling the fight for HBO on that night. “He’s still making Tito fight his fight.” 

Things became more desperate for Trinidad in the eighth and ninth rounds as it was clear that he was losing the fight and would need to score a knockdown or hurt Hopkins to get back in the fight. 

All of Hopkins’ tactics outside of the ring, along with his perfect performance inside the ring, began to take a mental toll on Trinidad. 

“He threw my flag down,” Hopkins said on the HBO Boxing podcast. “I’m Trinidad; he threw my flag down; I gotta get him. He’s antsy, he’s itching, he’s rushing, and he’s punching with madness, anger, and hatred. So now this guy is not really thinking. Here’ the mental now. He’s thinking I can’t let this guy not get knocked out by me. I can’t let this guy win this fight because my country will never forget this. 

“He’s riding on pride; he’s riding on how much it will make him bigger than he already is; he’s riding on I did something that he didn’t like either. I don’t care how good you are; that’s a lot, man.” 

In the 10th round, Trinidad risked it all in an attempt to damage Hopkins. The round, along with the sixth, was the most action-packed of the fight and would even win Ring Magazine’s round of the year for 2001. 

In the final seconds of the round, Hopkins landed an uppercut that put Trinidad on wobbly legs. Hopkins saw blood and became overzealous, landing almost three punches after the bell with referee Steve Smoger barely separating the two fighters. 

The Puerto Rican fought through and survived the 11th round, but it was evident that the end was near.

In the 12th and final round, Hopkins attacked Trinidad and used the catch and shoot technique that he was using all night to catch a left hook from Trinidad and then counter with a right hook. The right hook stunned Trinidad and, with a push from Hopkins, was sent down to the canvas. 

Trinidad got up from referee Steve Smoger’s 10-count, but his father came in the ring to save his son from further punishment ending the fight at the 1:18 mark of round 12. 

In the immediate aftermath of his victory, Hopkins laid down on the canvas staring up at the lights of Madison Square Garden at the realization that all his hard work, all his sacrifices had paid off into a momentous moment in his life and boxing history. 

He basked in the glow of his victory in a well-deserved moment of reflection that he had not only accomplished his goal, but proved so many people wrong. 

“Trinidad was a beaten man,” said Larry Merchant, who was part of the HBO commentary team that night. “He was beaten boxing. And then he was beaten physically. He was beaten with the smarts of Bernard Hopkins. He was beaten with the heart of Bernard Hopkins. What a performance.” 

LEGACY

With the victory, Hopkins matched Carlos Monzon’s middleweight title defense record of 14. Hopkins would eventually become the longest reigning middleweight champion in history, holding the title for over ten years. He would also set the record for middleweight title defenses at 20 before losing the title to Jermain Taylor in 2005. 

Hopkins would have several stellar performances in his career after the fight with Trinidad, including wins against Antonio Tarver, Kelly Pavlik, and Jean-Pascal, becoming the oldest fighter to win a title at 48 and becoming a three-time light heavyweight champion. 

The fight with Trinidad stands as the highlight of his career, where he performed at his absolute peak. It was the difference between Hopkins being seen as a good fighter and a great fighter. 

“Being undefeated Trinidad at the time and also under the hostile environment in New York City, it was challenging in and out of the ring,” Hopkins stated during a live stream on Golden Boy’s Instagram page in 2020. “Even though I was very successful, I had to be super disciplined and couldn’t make a mistake for one second. 

“I knew that my defense had to be perfect that night. And it was.”

For Trinidad, the fight with Hopkins was the final championship bout of his career. The remainder of his career felt like an epilogue than part of the main storyline of his profession. In 2004, he would return to Madison Square Garden against Ricardo Mayorga for one final showing that encompassed all his greatness in one night. 

Although he failed against Hopkins, Trinidad and his fans had nothing to be ashamed of as he fought valiantly and went down as a champion to the end. 

The year 2001 had some tremendous performances, including Floyd Mayweather’s dominant win over Diego Corrales and Marco Antonio Barrera’s upset over Naseem Hamed. But, Hamed and Corrales were nowhere near Trinidad’s level. 

Over the last 20 years, there have been memorable fights and historic victories, including Antonio Tarver’s shocking second-round knockout over Roy Jones, Manny Pacquiao’s win over Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather’s win over Saul Alvarez, and Juan Manuel Marquez’ devastating sixth-round knockout over Manny Pacquiao. 

However, an asterisk can be put to each of these victories, including catch weights that benefited one fighter over the other, amongst other factors. 

Bernard Hopkins win over Felix Trinidad belongs in the annals of boxing history next to victories like Roberto Duran over Sugar Ray Leonard in Montreal in June 1980, Wilfred Benitez becoming the youngest champion in boxing history at 17, winning a 15-round decision over Antonio Cervantes in 1976, Joe Frazier’s win over Muhammad Ali in 1971 and Ali’s two victories over Sonny Liston and George Foreman. 

The events that surrounded that night at Madison Square Garden on September 29th, 2001, elevate Hopkins’ victory over most. It’s undoubtedly debatable and isn’t definitive that Hopkins’ win over Trinidad is the greatest victory of the last 20 years. Still, the context in which Hopkins won is hard to argue against. 

He defeated a top three pound-for-pound fighter in his prime that had been proven on the big stage and would later be inducted in the Hall-of-Fame in a fight that he was the underdog. Also, the performance itself was outstanding, showing boxing at its highest level. 

Few fighters and stories were as wonderful to witness as Hopkins’. And the Trinidad fight was his magnum opus that meant more than being a pugilist. 

As Hopkins told Larry Merchant in the post-fight interview after defeating Trinidad: 

“I am the American dream; I am the American story.” 

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Bernard Hopkins: “Canelo Can Compete All The Way Up To Cruiserweight As Far As I’m Concerned”

Posted on 07/14/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Over the past few weeks, there’s been considerable chatter surrounding Canelo Alvarez and unified light heavyweight titlist, Artur Beterbiev. Currently, though, the unified super middleweight champion is hoping to finalize an agreement to take on IBF belt holder Caleb Plant.

But while becoming the first undisputed world champion at 168 pounds is the immediate goal of Alvarez, promoter Eddie Hearn has floated around the idea that the Mexican star could take on either Beterbiev or WBA titlist, Dmitry Bivol.

Whether it’s a matchup against the hard-hitting Beterbiev, the fundamentally sound Bivol, or newly crowned WBO titlist Joe Smith Jr., it simply doesn’t matter. In the opinion of former two-division champion Bernard Hopkins, every single one of those aforementioned names would fall in a hypothetical matchup against Alvarez.

“The light heavyweight division, I think he sweeps through that,” said Hopkins during an interview with FightHype.com.

Just two years ago, Alvarez proved that he’s more than capable of taking on bigger men. In November of 2019, the Mexican product moved up to the light heavyweight division to take on than belt holder, Sergey Kovalev. Although he had his difficulties, Alvarez would ultimately prevail, scoring the stoppage win in the 11th.

Considering how sharp he looked in dismantling Kovalev and how he’s taken his game to a whole other level over the past few years, Hopkins is confident that if Alvarez wanted, he could move up even higher in weight.

“Canelo can compete all the way up to cruiserweight as far as I’m concerned.”

Throughout Hopkins 28 year career, he was never considered the fastest, most elusive, or the hardest hitting. Still, through constant preparation and a clean lifestyle, he was able to forge a Hall of Fame career. As he continues to stare at the consistent improvements Alvarez has made, Hopkins can only admire the work ethic of the pound-for-pound star.

“He’s willing to put the work in,” continued Hopkins. “He’s willing to go through anything that he has to go through to be great. He just wants to do great things from here on out.”

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20 Years Later: The Peak of Tito Mania – Felix Trinidad vs. William Joppy

Posted on 05/12/2021

By: Hector Franco

“Tito Trinidad may be the deadliest puncher in these divisions since Ray Robinson.” – Larry Merchant

20 years ago, on May 12, 2001, at Madison Square Garden, the second half of Don King’s middleweight world championship tournament took place when Puerto Rico’s Felix “Tito” Trinidad (42-3, 35 KOs) faced off against William Joppy (40-7-2, 30 KOs) for his WBA middleweight title.

Trinidad, 28, entered the fight with a record of 39-0 with 30 knockouts, and Joppy, 30, came in with a record 32-1-1 with 24 knockouts.

The tournament would crown boxing’s first undisputed middleweight champion since Marvin Hagler.

Longtime reigning IBF middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins had taken care of business in the first bout of the tournament, winning a wide unanimous decision over Keith Holmes to unify the WBC and IBF titles.

Trinidad was coming off of the most prominent year of his career in 2000, where he moved up from welterweight to junior middleweight and unified the WBA and IBF titles scoring significant victories over David Reid and Fernando Vargas.

The bout with Vargas is regarded as one of the best in the history of the junior middleweight division and led to Trinidad being awarded Fighter of the Year honors for the year 2000. Trinidad’s father, Felix Trinidad Sr., also earned the Trainer of the Year award to put a cap on a spectacular year.

Trinidad’s move up in weight was an attempt to make history to become one of just a handful of fighters to hold titles in the welterweight and middleweight divisions.

Some of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history had held titles at welterweight and middleweight, including Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, and Emile Griffith.

By defeating Joppy, Trinidad would become the first fighter since Ray Leonard to win a middleweight title in his first fight at the weight class.

“My goal is to win the 160-pound middleweight crown on May 12 against William Joppy and then go on to unify the title by beating Bernard Hopkins,” Trinidad stated through a translator for an HBO preview show promoting the bout with Joppy. “I know that I’m fighting against boxers who are perhaps more powerful who may hit harder, but I’d like to tell them all, Joppy and then Hopkins, to watch out for me because I really want to win.

“I really want to knock them out, and I’m certain that when they feel my punch, they will know who Tito Trinidad is. They’re going to find out where my middleweight punch is, I guarantee it.”

During this time, Trinidad was the most popular boxer out of the island of Puerto Rico. Similar to fighters like Manny Pacquiao or Ricky Hatton, he fought with the weight of a country behind him that brought more meaning every time he stepped inside the squared circle.

In the early 2000s, the pound-for-pound list was a round-robin between Trinidad, Shane Mosley, and Roy Jones Jr.

As the longest-reigning champion in welterweight history, having made 15 title defenses holding victories over Oscar De La Hoya, Pernel Whitaker, Oba Carr, Yory Boy Campas among others, and then moving up to unify at junior middleweight, Trinidad had as a good a case as anyone for the pound-for-pound crown.

“Felix has the qualities of an idol and celebrity, but also and most importantly the qualities of a hero that merits an example to the young and all the people,” stated Trinidad’s then-attorney Jose Nicolas Medina. “ We have great champions that have been champions in one category. He is the first number one pound-for-pound in the whole sport.”

Trinidad’s opponent, Joppy, was the ultimate underdog heading into the fight. His career trajectory mirrored some of today’s fighters, such as Demetrius Andrade, as a world champion who was looking for his opportunity to prove himself against the best.

Joppy started boxing at the age of 20, the same age that Trinidad won his first world title at welterweight. He would get his first title opportunity by traveling to Japan and stopping Shinji Takehara via a ninth-round stoppage to win the WBA middleweight title.

Joppy would make two defenses before losing the title by controversial decision to the Dominican Republic’s Julio Cesar Green in August 1997. The Virginia native would get his revenge on Green a few months later in January 1998, winning a dominant unanimous decision in a rematch.

In January 1999, tragedy struck Joppy when an auto accident broke c7 vertebrae in his neck, leaving him out of the ring for most of the year.

Miraculously, Joppy would return in the summer of 1999 and would go on to make five defenses in his second reign, even scoring a seventh-round stoppage over Green in a rubber match.

For Joppy, the fight with Trinidad was his opportunity to become a household name and earn bigger paydays. More importantly, the Trinidad fight represented a chance at recognition and notoriety.

“This is my great fight,” Joppy stated during an HBO interview promoting the fight. “This is going to get me over that hump. This is going to put me on that pound-for-pound list. This is my dream come true. I know that Trinidad is the house fighter, but I’m going to shock the world.”

Having been a career-long middleweight, Joppy felt that he would be able to handle Trinidad, who spent most of his career at welterweight.

“Trinidad can not deal with me,” Joppy said during one of the final press conferences. “Him beating Vargas and David Reid, they were still babies. He’s dealing with a veteran now. Welcome to the middleweights, Trinidad.

“I’m going to show him things he’s never seen before.”

Heading into the fight with an outstanding record of 19-0 with 15 knockouts in world title fights, Trinidad didn’t lack confidence in facing Joppy.

“Well, he should go ahead and try to back me up,” said Trinidad. “And then do whatever he’s been saying he’s going to do. Once we’re in the ring, I will show him. He might want to do what he said, but whether I let him do it or not is another matter.

“Let’s see on May 12 if he can do a fraction of what he said he’s going to do.”

The stage was set in front of the pro-Puerto Rican crowd at Madison Square Garden in one of the greatest atmospheres boxing has seen.

Ring Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Doug Fischer and former ESPN Senior Writer Dan Rafael described the atmosphere as electric and one of the best crowds for a fight that they have attended.

When Trinidad made his entrance, the crowd went into a frenzy, with loud chants of Tito reverberating throughout the arena. Trinidad basked in the roar of the crowd as a fighter who loved the adulation he received from his fans.

The fight began with Joppy taking the initiative heading straight out to Trinidad. However, this proved to be a vital mistake, as Joppy’s lack of focus on defense would prove to be his downfall.

With 48 seconds remaining in the first round, Joppy left his hands down by his waist, and Trinidad took immediate advantage by landing a quick left hook that stunned the Virginia fighter.

Another left hook and right hand followed, putting Joppy down hard on the canvas. He was able to get up to wobbly legs with the bell saving him from further punishment.

Joppy’s corner was in a panic, leaving him standing in his corner while yelling instructions. But, the middleweight champion’s resolve and high activity level kept him in the fight.

The second round was a showcase for Trinidad’s accuracy as he landed 29 out of 49 punches at a 59 percent connect rate. But Joppy kept throwing punches in an attempt to overwhelm the Puerto Rican.

Joppy’s most effective round came in the third when he threw a record 116 punches, the most ever thrown against Trinidad in a fight tracked by CompuBox.

Trinidad’s power was on full display against Joppy. But, the fight highlighted some of his often-overlooked attributes in finding and taking advantage of openings and his overall accuracy.

In the first minute of the fourth round, Trinidad caught Joppy with a left hook while his hands were down, causing him to roll over on the canvas from another knockdown.

Joppy somehow managed to survive the round, but the end seemed imminent.

In the fifth round, Trinidad landed a pair of right hands on the inside after creating space. The first right landed, and as Joppy was swaying down, Trinidad landed another brutal right hand. Joppy attempted to get up on wobbly legs forcing referee Arthur Mercante Jr. to stop the fight at the 2:25 mark.

The Puerto Rican landed an unbelievable 108 out of 191 total punches at a 57 percent rate, with 80 of those punches being power shots.

Trinidad, now holding the WBA middleweight title as a three-division champion, stood tall as arguably the best in the world. One can argue if Trinidad was indeed the greatest fighter to come out of Puerto Rico, but his popularity could not be questioned.

While fighters like Carlos Ortiz, Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez may have fought in more revered eras, they never peaked at the zenith that Trinidad reached.

Trinidad’s run from 1999 to 2001 was a short one, but the significance of that period would be what other Puerto Rican fighters would be measured by from that point forward.

In September 2001, the run would come to an end at the hands of Bernard Hopkins in the finals of the middleweight tournament.

The pressure in which Trinidad put on his opponents could only be compared to the pressure he felt having to fight with the weight and emotions of an entire country.

For the night of May 12, 2001, at the world’s most famous arena, Felix Trinidad and Puerto Rico were at the top of the boxing world.

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Bernard Hopkins: “Look At Canelo As Being In Preseason, Jermall Charlo The One I’m Interested In”

Posted on 04/05/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Bernard Hopkins can hear the criticism coming from all angles. The former two-division world champion and current partner of Golden Boy Promotions may not be involved in the handling of Canelo Alvarez and his career anymore, but he still notices what’s going on around him.

The Mexican star is currently in the midst of training camp as he prepares to return to the ring against WBO super middleweight titlist Billy Joe Saunders in a unification bout on May 8th. Although a win for Alvarez (55-1-2, 37 KOs) would bring him one step closer to becoming the first undisputed super-middleweight champion of all-time, fans have pelted him with constant criticism surrounding who he’s facing.

In December of 2020, Alvarez handed Callum Smith a one-sided beating and subsequently relieved him of his WBA and Ring magazine super-middleweight titles while also picking up the vacant WBC belt as well. The pound-for-pound star quickly followed that up with a laughable title defense against mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim. Alvarez wasted no time in casting him to the side with a third-round knockout win.

While he looked impressive, fans have grown tired of seeing Alvarez in predictable matchups. Hopkins though, simply raises his hands in the air and pleads for patience. The fights most of the world has been calling for are right around, just allow Alvarez to take care of business first.

“These fights are warranted and there meaningful,” said Hopkins during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “Not for his legacy but for his restart, his recharge, his mind, his physical, his spiritual. What moves Canelo is to be active as much as he can. He’s fortunate to get in two fights on the backend of COVID. Most fighters, if not all, had to sit for nine to ten months.

“I’ve read some people have said he’s fighting nobodies but this is preseason for him. See, when you do preseason, it isn’t looked upon as the season. So look at Canelo as being in preseason. He has about one more preseason fight and then he will go right into the regular fighting season and you will see the matches.”

A win over Saunders would push Alvarez into the ring against IBF 168 pound belt holder Caleb Plant. The undefeated Tennessee native is someone that Hopkins respects. Former WBC titlist David Benavidez is another fighter that Hopkins holds in high regard as well. But neither of those aforementioned fighters he believes will give Alvarez his biggest challenge. In the mind of Hopkins, only a certain pugnacious knockout artist from Houston Texas can push Alvarez to his limits.

“Jermall Charlo, that’s the one I’m interested in.”

Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs), currently holds the WBC title one weight class in the middleweight division. Still, he’s stated on numerous occasions that he would have no issue making the eight-pound trek to the weight class of Alvarez in order to make their contest a reality.

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Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier: Remembering When The World Stopped To Stare

Posted on 03/08/2021

By: Hans Themistode

The throne always belonged to Muhammad Ali. He had just been unjustly and temporarily removed from it.

In the 1960s there wasn’t a soul alive that didn’t believe Ali was the best fighter in the world. Unless you were Joe Frazier of course.

With Ali forced to spend three years and a half of his prime sequestered on the sidelines due to his refusal to be inducted in the Vietnam war, Ali was given no choice but to spend the next several years away from the sport while he was at the top of his game.

When he returned, his name was scribbled out and instead, replaced with Joe Frazier.

While they would go on to fight on three occasions, the very first time they graced the ring against one another was unlike any other fight in history.

In essence, the world stopped.

Looking back now 50 years later, even some of the greatest to ever step foot inside the ring sat back and reminisced about what they witnessed.

“I was amazed watching that fight,” said former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes during a recent joint conference call. “It was amazing that Joe Frazier took the punches that he took and kept fighting.”

For Holmes, 21 years of age at the time, he simply couldn’t believe what he was watching. While he would eventually go on to become a champion in his own right, all he could do was fixate on was the piece of history that was taking place right before him.

The scenery for their legendary fight which took place in Madison Square Garden was unforgettable and captivating. In fact, former multiple-time heavyweight title challenger Gerry Cooney remembers vividly how it all looked.

(Photo by Rolls Press/Popperfoto/Getty Images)

The sound of the ring floor, the aura that filled the air and of course, the stars that flooded the arena. As Cooney thinks back to that time, he remembers rubbing elbows with them all. Or, at least, he thinks he did.

“I could swear on everything holy that I was in the Garden watching Clyde Frazier, Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio,” said Cooney. “I could’ve sworn I was there watching the whole thing. It was so magical between those two guys.”

At 14 years of age however, that was merely impossible. Yet, the feel of their big fight made Cooney believe he was there cheering on Frazier as he dropped Ali with a left hook in the 15th round. But as he continued to scream and point to the ring as his man continued to win, he recalls actually doing that from his bedroom, not the actual fight.

“You gotta love Muhammad Ali but I was always an underdog guy. When he dropped Ali it was like wow, he really won the fight.”

Big fights have become far too common in the sport of boxing. Fans and boxers alike have called every fight that flashes across their television screens a big one. Yet, with the paltry numbers that routinely check-in, those assumptions are made to be wrong time and time again.

In the case of Ali vs Frazier, it wasn’t just a big fight, it was the fight of all fights.

“This was such a big fight that the people in Vietnam and the United States stopped the war to watch the fight,” said an excited Cooney.

Although the joy and exuberance were plain to see in the eyes of everyone involved, promoter Bob Arum sits back in his chair and begins his own detailed thought process of what went down on that unforgettable night.

It wasn’t just that both Ali and Frazier gave the world an incredible fight but more than anything, they proved something that even Arum never knew.

“Going into that fight, I believed Ali was invincible,” said Arum. “I didn’t think Frazier was in the same class as Ali. We used to take bets on how few shots Ali would take when he fought but the Ali that came back after three and a half years off was a different Ali. Before then, we didn’t know if he could take a shot because he never got hit, but what we found out later is that he could take an unbelievable shot. It was incredible.”

There aren’t many moments that are permanently ingrained in the minds of everyone. But on March 8th, 1971, the world stopped spinning in order to witness what many believe is the greatest fight in boxing history.

While it was important to find out who would win, in hindsight, it doesn’t matter in the slightest.

Other great historical contests have taken place since then but at some point, they have lost their luster. In the case of Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier however, it will forever be the most compelling and unforgettable fight of all-time.

“It will never be diminished,” said Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins. “Never.”

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Bernard Hopkins Open To Return: “Joe Calzaghe, I Want My Rematch”

Posted on 01/23/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Former undisputed heavyweight titlist Mike Tyson has started a new movement so to speak. Despite having his gloves hung up for a decade and a half, the 2011 hall of famer returned to the ring this past November and took on fellow advanced in age hall of famer Roy Jones Jr.

While their contest may have been labeled an exhibition, over 1.3 million fans eagerly bought the pay-per-view event. Following their debatable draw, Tyson announced that he would be launching a legends only league. In essence older, legendary fighters who have walked away from the sport of boxing would be given a platform to return to the ring.

Former two-division world champion Bernard Hopkins knows a thing or two about fighting at an advanced age. Having fought well into his early 50s, Hopkins retired just five years ago at the age of 51. Since then, the Philadelphia native has mellowed out. However, he would entertain jumping into Tyson’s legends only league. Provided of course, he were able to muster a high level of vitriol for whomever he faced in the ring.

“It would have to be somebody that I don’t like for me to go back on my word,” said Hopkins during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “Since I retired, I like everybody now. When I was boxing I had to have that chip on my shoulder. I don’t know who I would fight.”

While Hopkins openly admits that he has softened considerably, the newly elected hall of famer pauses for a moment to think of whom could he face that would not only be close in age to himself but who would also get his juices pumping once again.

After taking more time to think, a lightbulb seemingly goes off in the 56-year-old Hopkins head.

“Joe Calzaghe, I want my rematch from that split decision. That’s who I want.”

Over a dozen years ago, both Calzaghe and Hopkins met for the first and only time in their respective careers. Despite scoring a first-round knockdown, Hopkins would go on to lose a razor-close split decision. For Calzaghe, he would go on to fight only one more time, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Roy Jones Jr. and preserving his undefeated record through 46 career fights. Hopkins, of course, would continue his career for nearly ten more years.

As for their first encounter, the British native was forced to fight on Hopkins home turf. However, if he were able to drag Calzaghe out of his retirement, Hopkins would be willing to concede the home-court advantage.

“We can do it on his soil, I don’t care.”

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Bernard Hopkins: “GGG Declines Every Year, Oscar Would Win By Unanimous Decision”

Posted on 01/17/2021

By: Hans Themistode

The laughs were both loud and immediate.

The mere thought of Oscar De La Hoya being competitive with anyone in the top ten of the middleweight division, let alone someone the likes of Gennadiy Golovkin (GGG) was just sheer lunacy. Yet, no matter how many people laughed in his face and warned him of the beating he would receive, De La Hoya continued to push the notion that he could not only compete with Golovkin but flat out beat him.

While the laughter surrounding their possible showdown continues, newly elected hall of famer Bernard Hopkins, simply can’t understand what’s so funny.

“GGG declines every year,” said Hopkins during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “What he has left is always his punch. If Oscar was going to come back and I had a say in it, I would take GGG.”

That aforementioned punch Hopkins alluded to is still alive and well. In Golovkin’s most recent ring appearance the current IBF middleweight belt holder punished mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta, dropping him four times before ultimately stopping him in the seventh round. But while many viewed his performance as a vintage one, Hopkins wasn’t fooled with what he saw.

“GGG always had and always will have a punch but that is declining. Even in the win recently, don’t let that fight fool you. It don’t fool these eyes.”

Regardless of Hopkins’s assumption that Golovkin is slowing down, many in boxing circles believe De La Hoya’s chances of winning their showdown would be slim to none. For the former multiple division belt holder, he last appeared in the ring nearly a decade a half ago in 2008. On a cold December night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, De La Hoya received the worst beating of his career at the hands of Manny Pacquiao which resulted in an eighth-round stoppage defeat.

Still, De La Hoya is reportedly working on his craft behind the scenes as he continues his comeback story. Should he get his wish and face Golovkin next, not only does Hopkins back his business partner in picking up the win but he also has a date in mind.

“GGG is a hall of famer, no doubt. He earned his position but Oscar has seen every style and been in there with better talent. Oscar would win by unanimous decision. I would let Oscar know that let’s start calling this guy out for September. I would like to see that fight before 2021 is out.”

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Bernard Hopkins On Canelo Alvarez: “There’s One Fighter I Want To See Him Fight, Jermall Charlo”

Posted on 01/16/2021

By: Hans Themistode

David Benavidez? Nope. Caleb Plant? Nope. Demetrius Andrade? Nope. Billy Joe Saunders? Nope? Not even a third contest with Gennadiy Golovkin would truly pique Bernard Hopkin’s interest. If it was up to the newly inducted hall of famer, only one fighter’s name should be mentioned above all others in terms of who Canelo Alvarez should face next.

“There’s one fighter I want to see him fight, Jermall Charlo,” said Hopkins during an interview with FightHype. “Nothing else matters to me right now.”

For the former multiple division belt holder, he’s still getting used to life without Alvarez. For years the pound-for-pound star was represented by Golden Boy Promotions, a company Hopkins is apart of. Although Hopkins helped Alvarez and the promotional company in its efforts in making some of the biggest fights possible for Alvarez, a showdown with WBC middleweight belt holder Jermall Charlo never came to fruition.

Now, even with both sides no longer working with one another, Hopkins would still love for both fighters to face one another in the ring.

“I wanted that fight before the Golden Boy split. I want that fight now, I want that fight in the next year and a half or earlier. The reason I say a year and a half is not because neither guy isn’t ready but it’s because of the politics. The politics have to get on the same page first and then the fight happens. Hopefully, the politics don’t take too long between both sides.”

While Alvarez has received universal praise for what he has accomplished across multiple weight classes, Hopkins views Charlo as a legitimate threat. At one point, a showdown between them simply boiled down to the negotiating table, however, with Alvarez officially stating that he will campaign solely at super middleweight, one weight class above Charlo, a showdown between them appears to be a long shot.

With that said, the Houston native has indicated that he would be willing to chase Alvarez to super middleweight or even higher if need be. If the words of the 30-year-old Charlo ring true, then Hopkins would be glued to his seat from the opening bell.

In terms of who would have the advantage in the ring, Hopkins pauses and thinks for a moment before ultimately giving his answer.

“On paper, you have to give the razor edge to Canelo. This fight is so even. The experience has to go to Canelo, the achievements up until now have to go to Canelo.”

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Bernard Hopkins Backs Canelo In Possible Errol Spence Jr. Showdown: “I Don’t Think Spence Understands On That Level Yet”

Posted on 12/29/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Bernard Hopkins has a ton of respect for unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

However, with the Dallas product stating on several occasions that he would love a matchup with four-division titlist Canelo Alvarez, who currently resides three weight classes above him, Hopkins believes he’s lost his mind.

“I like Canelo in that fight,” said Hopkins during a recent interview with Fight Hub TV. “Spence is not a huge guy. Errol Spence can fight but he’s going to have to be a little puncher to be able to get the respect from Canelo.”

Throughout the eight-year career of Spence Jr., the powerful southpaw has faced a litany of well-established fighters. From his 11th round stoppage win over Kell Brook to his decision victory over Shawn Porter, Spence Jr. has established himself as one of the best fighters not only in the welterweight division, but pound for pound.

Most recently, Spence Jr. put to bed any questions surrounding his horrific car crash in October of 2019 with a one-sided beating against Danny Garcia just a few weeks ago. With the win, the Dallas product claimed the scalp of his sixth-former champion. Still, even with success in both the pros and as a 2012 Olympian, Hopkins doesn’t believe that he’ll have the skill or physical ability to win.

“I don’t think Spence understands on that level yet. He can’t keep him off him man.”

Throughout the history of boxing, size hasn’t always been the key ingredient to winning a fight. Recently elected hall of famer in Floyd Mayweather beat several fighters who were much bigger than he was. Eight division champion Manny Pacquiao made a career out of beating larger men. In 2003, Roy Jones Jr. famously moved up from the light heavyweight to take on then heavyweight champion Jon Ruiz, giving up roughly 30 pounds. But while those aforementioned names were success stories, Hopkins believes that there is a difference between what Errol Spence Jr. is attempting to do and what his predecessors did.

“Skills,” explained Hopkins. “I don’t mind fighting a big guy if he don’t got any skills. I’ll get him tired and then beat him. But if he got skills and he’s been walking around comfortable, been in that position and you just walking right into that? Man, there must be something that I’m missing.”

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Bernard Hopkins Grades Canelo’s Latest Performance And Names Jermall Charlo As His Toughest Challenge: “That’s A Dangerous Fight For Canelo”

Posted on 12/26/2020

By: Hans Themistode

It wasn’t supposed to be easy.

For Canelo Alvarez, his super middleweight showdown against former WBA/Ring magazine belt holder Callum Smith appeared to be a difficult fight on paper. While Alvarez has always been considered a pound for pound stalwart, in facing Smith, Alvarez conceded seven inches in height as well as eight inches in reach.

Even with the physical advantages on the side of Smith, Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) pummeled his man over the course of 12 rounds before cruising to a unanimous decision victory. The reviews for the Mexican products performance have come in, and they all look roughly the same as he’s been praised mightily for his one-sided showing.

For recently elected hall of famer Bernard Hopkins on the other hand, while he was also impressed, he viewed the performance of Alvarez a bit differently.

“It wasn’t a Canelo performance of what we saw before,” said Hopkins during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “But that’s why he wanted to get that rust off and get active. He got a chance to get the dust off. If I was giving him a report card I would give him a B+.”

With wins in three separate weight classes since 2019, Alvarez has been called out by roughly every title holder at middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight. For Hopkins, the number of mega fights Alvarez is going to be apart of is ridiculous. With that being said, the former undisputed middleweight titlist didn’t hesitate when naming the one fighter that he believes will be the most difficult for the Mexican product.

“Jermall Charlo. That’s a dangerous fight for Canelo. He’s Hungry, talented and wants a big fight. Canelo cannot start slow with guys like that. It’ll be like a station wagon trying to catch a Ferrari, won’t happen. That’s a fight I would like to see. If there’s anyone between 160 and 175 I would want to see Jermall Charlo.”

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