Its a FIGHT. So why are we (including myself) so hesitant to accept this upcoming match between a rising star in Kelly Pavilk and a current legend ( now a dwindling star) Bernard Hopkins? The answer is both simple and complex at the same time. The simple answers lies in the fact that Pavlik is a current middleweight titleholder and we want him to unify against someone with a belt (Abraham,Sturm) which would indeed make him the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Bernard Hopkins on the other hand is a former undisputed middelweight champion of yesteryear that recently moved up to light heavy and conquered the O.G. roy jones jr. killer (tarver.) Many felt that Hopkins should have retired after accomplishing what (as Hopkins often spoke about during the promotion of that fight) Sugar Ray Robinson couldn't. Bernard has since had a record of 1-1 since the tarver fight. He lost a close SD to calzaghe and won against wright in a boring affair. I became a Hopkins fan after watching the pre fight antics and hype surrounding hopkins/trinidad in 2001. After he systematically broken down the durable strong punching trinidad in a classic, I called myself a Hopkins fan. After that fight, Hopkins style begin to switch to more of a conservative counter-puncher and gone were the days of his nonstop smart aggression. Hopkins is now 43 years old, what else can you expect? He is ANCIENT in terms of boxing and its quite remarkable to see him hang in there with the young lions at his advanced boxing age. This brings me back to my original question. Hopkins/Pavlik, why don't we want to see them fight? Here's the complex part of it...On paper the fight looks like a classic in the making, the young hard punching rising star in Pavlik vs the aging yet effective legend in Hopkins. I feel this is a lose lose situation for most boxing heads. If Pavlik wins, he will get trashed for fighting an over the hill hopkins (if he knocks him out, the fall out will be worst because they will say hopkins got old overnight, even though he has never been stopped) and if he loses a decision close or wide (they will ridicule him for going the distance with an old man. If Hopkins wins we will hear the "kelly pavlik was an overrated, 1 dimensional, only a puncher etc etc...(KO, or decision) I see this fight playing out very similarly to most of the current hopkins fights...a lot of hugging, counter-punching and slow action at times. Hopkins made the previously energizer bunny in Joe look like he was using Duracell instead of ENERGIZER. But then again, this is a fight and in today's game, money rules over all. So i will be purchasing the PPV on Oct 18th in hopes of a good "fight" no matter how much i wish both men were facing other foes. It is a fight. And the last time i checked, boxing was my favorite sport, so i will indeed be watching as most loyal fans will be.
i am psyched about this fight. After Calzaghe, Abraham, Kessler, and Bute, Hopkins is the guy i want to see Pavlik fight the most. As for Hopkins, this is a chance to increase an already amazing legacy, and he is still one of the best fighters in the world. I have him at 10th. That means that although he is 43, there are only 9 fighters in the world i consider better than him. Hopkins is coming off a domination over Tarver and a close loss to Calzaghe. His style might not be gun-ho Gatti style but he is intelligent and almost every movement he makes is calculated and has its purpose. Its a good fight
I'm very excited about this fight. This is a chance for Hopkins to enhance his legacy in a massive way. Edit: It also shuts up the people who talk so much trash about Hopkins. He's taking on a live, respected, undefeated, hard punching fighter. How do you discredit that?
I didn't think I would get up for this fight, but as it turns out I'm pretty excited. Definately into it.
