I'll second that. I would root for Hopkins, but I believe that he is no longer at his very best and that a young tiger like Pascal would be enough to win a fairly close decision.
Pascal easily, Hopkins needed rest-breaks against a shot gunshy RJJ, he is finished as an elite fighter IMO.
Would be a fantastic final fight for Bernard, and one I think he can win if the Nard that fought Pavlik shows up and not the drama injury-faking Bernard. Bernard is very good at solving and exploiting unorthodox styles and he brutally punishes mistakes. Pascal makes a lot of mistakes.
I kind of laugh when people say, "if the Hopkins that fought Pavlik shows up, he'll win but if the Hopkins that fought Calzaghe, Orneleas or Jones shows up, he'll lose". Hello, it's the same fighter. The difference is the style. Now, i think there was a slight drop off in Hopkins in the Orneleas and Jones fights due to age but Calzaghe simply is a far superior fighter over Pavlik and his hand speed/foot speed and work rate made Hopkins fight at a pace far too tough for him to maintain while Pavlik is a plodding, predictable fighter who Hopkins could beat by not using up as much energy. But it was pretty much the same Hopkins that fought Calzaghe and Pavlik, the difference was the opponent. I'm still pretty shocked at the poll results. I love Hopkins but it will be tough for him to win. The guy is 45. He's going to have stamina issues the way Pascal comes at you from different angles. That will keep Hopkins wary and on his toes sort of like the Calzaghe fight. And Hopkins does not handle guys with hand speed very well. I think it would be very close with Hopkins landing a ton of counter rights and working Pascal on the inside but i just see Pascal outworking Hopkins like 7-5 in a boring, Hopkins like fight.
how could you make a poll w/o including the most likely outcome......which is Pascal by DQ of Bhop due to excessive low blows or head butts.
Hopkins = The most underrated and under appreciated athlete in American sports history. Came out of prison and turned his life around. Got better with age in one of the toughest professions in the world. If the fight is within the next year he will school Pascal.
Wow, look at the poll results. Boxing fans are split. That makes it a great match up. Can Hopkins make Pascal pay for his technical flaws? Half the board seems to think so.
Yeah because Dawson wasn't the one who landed about 3or 4 clear low blows in the fight while Pascal landed none. Idiot.