Has Hopkins earnt the right to fight who he wants?

No, if he's keeping his title he need only fight his mandatories whether they're "the best" or not.

 

I think so at his age I would stay away from anybody to dangerous like Kovalov or Stevenson. To be IBF lightheavyweight Champ at his age is very impressive. He could just make his mandatory once a year till he is 55.

 

Sure but if he holds a belt he should have to fight all the champs at his weight class .His age is no exception to the rules if he holds a strap .

 

Why not?

Bums like Darren Barker are allowed to hold the IBF belt hostage in Europe

 

Can I get an "Amen"?

Amen!

 

Kovalev earned a title shot at Hopkins, but Hopkins refused to fight him, so he went into Cleverly's home town and knocked him out to win the WBO title. Hopkins has also admitted that he will never fight Kovalev or Stevenson! Hell, they would both knock Hopkins out and Hopkins knows it. HOPKINS LOST TO DAWSON!

 

Any actual proof that Hopkins refused to fight him, or are you just gonna go on spamming the same bull**** without any?

 

This question is a moot point. Hopkins loves challenges and he will continue to challenge himself. Fighting Murat was satisfying his mandatory. He will look to fight someone of quality next.

For ****s sake he said he would work himself down to 160 for Floyd.

 

bo

boxing is little bit different than playing tennis in your 50's.

do you want hopkins to fight kovalev and maybe get K.O'ED really badly.in tennis i think you only walk away and know you lost,hopkins could wake up in hospital having brain damage.you know after that boxing would look ridicolous.
and what the hell if hopkins knows that he can't compete against ward,kovalev etc.. why he should do that?as i earlier said it's little bit different to play tennis etc. than getting punched in your face.

and federer could go play Challenger level tennis if he wanted to do so.
hopkins is holding challenger level IBF belt,so i think your point is not valid.

 

yes.but why you are bashing 48years old man?

almost everybody knows hopkins would lose those fights.me included even i'm big b-hop supporter.

and you happen to know 48year old man can't be anywhere near his prime.hopkins is amazing to still compete against cloud,murat etc..

hopkins is not anymore best but still top 10 SMW-LHW and is 48!

please open your eyes,nothing more.

 

do you expect jordan to come back to NBA and start to dominate?gretzky coming back to NHL?

you can't expect middle age man to dominate boxing.hopkins is like duran but competing higher level and don't want to retire

and you happen to know maybe hopkins don't want to fight kovalev or stevenson because he knows that?

you are really pathetic poster.nothing more to say.

 

and yes hopkins can fight whoever he wants.and nobody should critizise 50year old man to choosing his opponents.

but to many ******s here hopkins still need to prove himself,i find that disgusting.hopkins proved himself 15years ago.there is nothing to prove anymore

and if hopkins would fight stevenson,kovalev and ward.what next?be 60years old and fight for the HW title,to these haters nothing is never enough.

and i bet if hopkins would lose the HW title fight at 60.haters would be jumping in the air and saying hopkins sucks.

hopkins is oldest fighter in boxing history to compete at world level,still ******s are here saying stupid things.

 

The guy is 48 yrs old and he fought a lot of good fighters throughout his career and we are still asking does he have the right to fight whoever he wants? He can fight whoever ever he want's but if want's to still see if he still can take out some of these young champions than he should look in his division (175), 168, and 160. Calling out Mayweather which is a guy who started his career at 130 and that can barely make 154 is pretty pathetic and if he really want's to play chess to that level than he should look at Andre Ward.

 

All he needs to do is to fight his mandatory challengers, but if he wants to be considered the best, then yes, he has to fight the best opponents out there. His obligations have nothing to do with his age.

 

Talking out of your arse again as always Farmboxer.

Yes Kovalev earned his shot but chose not to fight Hopkins and fight an easier fight in Cleverly instead.

June 17th IBF makes Kovalev the IBF Mandatory for Hopkins title and orders a fight to be made by July 17. Hopkins cannot face anyone else in the interim but Kovalev.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2013/06/ibf-orders-bernard-hopkins-to-face-sergey-kovalev-breaking-news/

June 20th Hopkins makes a statement saying he will fight Kovalev and meet his mandatory requirements.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2013/06/hopkins-agrees-to-fight-kovalev/

1 day later on 21st June Kovalev's team decide not to fight Hopkins and take an easier and less lucrative fight with Cleverly on Aug 17th.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2013/06/cleverly-kovalev-a-done-deal-for-august-17th-hbo-will-televise/

Kovalev could have fought Hopkins and taken Murat's place had he wanted to but chose an easier fight instead. It's pretty clear what happened. While his team were clearly finalising a fight with Cleverly at the time he still had the opportunity and did not take it. Nobody can accuse Hopkins of ducking Kovalev as it was Kovalev who chose to give up his mandatory position by fighting for another title.