Boxing News Thread

[heyzel]

Bernard Hopkins to seek bout with Gennady Golovkin if he wins Saturday
Kevin Iole
By Kevin Iole 3 hours ago Boxing

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HOPKINS AND OSCAR
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Promoter Oscar De La Hoya (R) says if Bernard Hopkins (L) defeats Sergey Kovalev Saturday, he'll try to match him with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

ATLANTIC CITY -- Bernard Hopkins (173 1/2) and Sergey Kovalev (174 1/2) each easily made weight Friday at Caesars Atlantic City for their light heavyweight title bout Saturday at Boardwalk Hall, but it was far from the biggest news of the day.

Hopkins' promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, said Hopkins wants a match with the highly popular middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in his next bout, when he'd be 50 years old. Golovkin's trainer said he would be interested in the fight for his man.

"If Hopkins wins Saturday -- I mean, when he wins Saturday -- he wants Golovkin next," De La Hoya exclusively told Yahoo Sports. "I'm serious. He wants big fights and that's a huge fight."

Golovkin's promoter, Tom Loeffler, said he has great interest in the fight, but weight would be a big issue.

“I think it would be an interesting fight, one of the biggest fights of the next year, but there are a lot of things that would need to be agreed to,” Loeffler said. “I don’t think it would be realistic for Gennady to fight above 168. Other than that, it would be a huge fight."

Golovkin has a planned February fight in Monte Carlo against Martin Murray, but Hopkins-Golovkin would make for a big pay-per-view main event in the spring.

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Gennady Golovkin is 31-0 with 28 KOs. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images)

Gennady Golovkin is 31-0 with 28 KOs. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images)
Abel Sanchez, Golovkin's trainer, said he would have no problem with the fight for his man, even though it's two weight classes about where he normally competes. He said it would be up to Golovkin's management and promotional team to decide if they want to fight Hopkins, but he said he thought it would be a good fight for Golovkin.

"From my standpoint, I would love it," said Sanchez, who turns 59 on Saturday. "I think it's a good fight for Gennady. We'd like to negotiate and hopefully get it at 169, 170, but if we have to fight full light heavyweight [175 pounds], no problem. That all has to be talked about and negotiated and everything, but if they ask me as his trainer 'Can he do it?' and 'Do you like the fight?' I'd say yes to both of them. No question."

Peter Nelson, the vice president of programming for HBO Sports, confirmed to Yahoo Sports that Hopkins wants the fight. Asked if HBO was interested in the bout, he grinned.

"Who wouldn't want to see that fight?" Nelson said.

Golovkin is 31-0 with 28 knockouts and is rapidly garnering attention as one of boxing's best overall fighters. But he's fought no one nearly as good or nearly as slick as Hopkins.

Hopkins needs first to get past the power-punching Kovalev on Saturday, which is no sure thing. Kovalev is about a 2-1 favorite.

But should Hopkins prevail, it could set up one of the most intriguing bouts for the first part of 2015.

"Absolutely, we'll try to do that," De La Hoya said. "Bernard wants Golovkin and it's my job to deliver the big fights, so we'll do everything we can to make it."

 

[heyzel]

How Bernard Hopkins uses talk of race to turn the spotlight on himself
Kevin Iole
By Kevin Iole 3 hours ago Yahoo Sports

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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – In 1993, a few days before Tommy Morrison defeated George Foreman for the WBO heavyweight title, a longtime boxing official was marveling at the crowd that surrounded Morrison.

Foreman was by far the bigger name, but Morrison had attracted a far larger throng of reporters and autograph seekers.

"See that," the official said to me, knowingly, as Morrison made his way through a sea of people who were looking to shake his hand, pat him on the back or simply be in his presence. "Never forget that. There is nothing more valuable in boxing than a white heavyweight champion."

I thought of that conversation several times this week, most recently after chatting with IBF/WBA light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins.

Hopkins will face Sergey Kovalev, who holds the WBO title, on Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in an HBO-televised bout that will occur about two months before his 50th birthday.

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Bernard Hopkins is focused on his quest to be a world champ at age 50. (AP)

Bernard Hopkins is focused on his quest to be a world champ at age 50. (AP)
No fighter is more aware of his place in history than Hopkins, who made things extraordinarily uncomfortable for some reporters this week by making many of his pre-fight remarks about race and its impact upon the perception of the bout.

The bout is a virtual sellout. Rest assured that by the time the first bell rings, the fire marshal will be holding his breath because Boardwalk Hall will be packed.

Hopkins-Kovalev will also likely garner the highest rating for a match on HBO this year.

Hopkins knows that, but it's not enough to satisfy him. He's said repeatedly that the reason his quest to extend his own record as the oldest man to ever win a major world championship hasn't gotten more attention is because of his race.

Hopkins is black, Kovalev is white, and Hopkins believes that his race, in particular, is a reason for what he sees as a less-than-spectacular reaction to his title run.

"I want you to think about this for a minute," Hopkins said. "Think real carefully about this: Imagine what the reaction would be if I was this age and playing for the Yankees and hitting all these home runs and breaking these records. Think about that. What would be happening?"

It would be monster wall-to-wall coverage, of course, but that probably has more to do with the relative place of Major League Baseball vs. boxing in today's society than it does with race.

But is there some validity to Hopkins' viewpoint? Are racial undertones playing a role in the reaction to his feat?

Well, race plays as big a factor in boxing as it does in any sport.

Boxing has always used race to promote fights. Caucasians are often dubbed "The Great White Hope," particularly if they're heavyweights. And it is no secret that promoters would routinely pit white fighters against black ones in big televised fights to try to drive up ratings.

We've all heard trainers, promoters, fighters and managers talk about fighting styles in racial terms. But the simple question we must confront is whether Hopkins' achievement would be treated the same way if he were white.

When Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played mark in baseball in 1995, it got about as much attention in the media as coverage of a presidential election.

Ripken was a respected, beloved figure in the sport and playing in 2,131 consecutive games was a mind-boggling feat. But let's be honest: It didn't hurt the coverage that he was white and agreeable.

Boxing for a world title a few weeks short of one's 50th birthday against the No. 1 guy in the division is parallel, in many ways, to Ripken's baseball record. But Hopkins isn't perceived as a lovable character like Ripken was.

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Bernard Hopkins believes race plays a role in his title run not being properly appreciated. (Getty)

Bernard Hopkins believes race plays a role in his title run not being properly appreciated. (Getty)
Hopkins is a convicted felon who served time in Pennsylvania's Graterford State Prison on a strong-arm robbery conviction. That he's turned around his life and been a role model of sorts is lost on many.

He's become a clean-living, savvy and brilliant businessman. He has also built an impressive financial empire with major real estate investments in his native Philadelphia.

Yet he's outspoken and controversial, so despite the good he's done, the perception of him has been slow to change.

But never forget he’s a calculating, cunning man, and he does everything for a reason.

There is indeed some truth to his comments about race, but this is also Hopkins shrewdly finding a way to turn the spotlight in his direction. Tell a reporter for a major website, newspaper or network that you're being overlooked because of your race and, voila, you've created a major national story.

Hopkins is a master, both in and out of the ring.

He uses the philosophy of the late, great Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll, who would always say, "Whatever it takes." That became a catchphrase for the Steelers' dynasty teams that won four Super Bowl titles in a six-year span in the 1970s.

Like the Steelers of the '70s, Hopkins does whatever it takes.

No question, he'd be more celebrated if he were more like Ripken in his quest to win a title at 50. But it's also unquestionably true that Hopkins shrewdly used the bully pulpit to shine a light on the issue to hype interest and drive ratings for the fight.

He's not wrong when he says race is a factor in the perception of his record pursuit. But it's just like Hopkins to find a negative and turn it into something that helps him.

 

[HERESY]

If he stays doing what he is doing, and continues to be successful in the ring, GGG can spin this into something big. The fact people are avoiding him and the fact several bigger top ten p4p guys are calling him out means he must be doing something right.

 

[trips]

Boxer Mikey Garcia has agreed to dismiss three of his causes of action against promoter Top Rank. The stipulation to dismiss his claims avoids a summary judgment motion brought by his promoter in a dispute over his fight contract.

Garcia’s attorneys and Top Rank attorneys stipulated to dismissal of 3 claims that were at issue in Top Rank’s motion filed last month. The dismissed claims related to issues that Garcia alleged were in violation of California law. The case of removed (i.e., transferred) out of state court and sent to federal court in Nevada.

Garcia still has a claim under the Muhammad Ali Act pending.

 

[trips]

 

[HERESY]

See, this is what I'm saying. You see niggas trying to leave TR, Golden Boy, Don King, but not one person is trying to shake Al Haymon.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

See, this is what I'm saying. You see niggas trying to leave TR, Golden Boy, Don King, but not one person is trying to shake Al Haymon.

because he's a manager not a promoter. I see a lot of fighters signing contracts then have the grass is always greener on the other side mentality. And as a result they are sitting on the sidelines having court cases instead of fighting when they are the ones that signed the contract in the first place. Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Chavez, these guys need to fight

 

[2-0-Sixx]

I still say this is one of the greatest displays of boxing in the past 25 years or so. That Hopkins on that night could take on the best middleweights of any era Hagler, Monzon, etc, anyone of them would have had their hands full with that version of Bhop who was at his absolute peak, physically and mentally.

 

[battle619]

Mikey Garcia lost big money this year. 1 was a fight with Gamboa, which he could have won, and another from a possible Crawford fight, BIG MONEY! In his division, who else would have he fought that is not TR or under HBO that would have made him big money. Let's say he did sign with Haymon and went to Showtime, he would have gotten the same amount of money to fighter a less worthy opponent, but he would have fought only once and Showtime would not try to do what it takes to make him fight a Broner, Danny Garcia, or whoever. Now, let's say he went to GBP, he only would have gotten HBO money if he was not under Haymon. He lost bigtime and now has no choice but to move up to 140 to make money

 

[2-0-Sixx]

He potentially could have got a Pacquiao fight too since Pac is moving down to 140. It was something Bob Arum was talking about in the past as a possible scenario.

Not sure what his options will be like with Al Haymon. The road of least resistance, I'm sure.

 

[Lamberto Quintero]

Lol@ being mad at fighters handling their money situation. These guys aren't gladiators in roman times, let them handle their business and get their money right. They fight to make a living, not please all the critics.

 

[2-0-Sixx]

Lol@ being mad at fighters handling their money situation. These guys aren't gladiators in roman times, let them handle their business and get their money right. They fight to make a living, not please all the critics.

who's mad?

Nothing wrong with discussing a fighter's career and speculating What moves they are going to make, what those moves will bring for them, etc. especially considering if a particular fighter signs to X company, that means potential fights with certain fighters cannot happen. So yeah, it's relevant to know what these guys do because it changes the landscape of whatever division they are in.

I think it's completely legit to criticize someone like Andre Ward who quite frankly is wasting the prime of his career by fighting (unsuccessfully) outside the ring instead of inside the ring. This is a guy who hasn't fought in a year, and before that only fought once in all of 2013. Compare that to 49 year old Bernard Hopkins who after tonight will have fought 5 times in the same amount of time. Ward certainly isn't making money by not fighting either. The critisms of his decisions are valid.

 

[battle619]

I think Mikey is gonna get the Manny fight tho. I think he's officially submitted paperwork for his next fight to be at 140. He's gonna get beat the fuck up.

 

[naner12]

Lol@ being mad at fighters handling their money situation. These guys aren't gladiators in roman times, let them handle their business and get their money right. They fight to make a living, not please all the critics.

I can't speak for anyone else here on how they feel about the situation with Haymon or anything like that, but I'll never begrudge a man for making his money. What's upsetting is the system that's in place that allows guys champions to defend their belts against guys that shouldn't be in the ring with them and rewards them with a large payday for said fights.

I will say this is not a new phenomenon in boxing, but it still doesn't make it right. SRL, for all his greatness, as a champion defended his belt(s) against guys like Larry Bonds and Bruce Fitch. Two guys that should never have been allowed to set foot in the ring with him, with neither man ever winning any kind of meaningful fight before and after fighting SRL. But at least Sugar Ray chased greatness and big fights, something these guys seem reluctant to do.

I don't think we should confuse wanting good fights to be made with being upset at fighters making money.

 

[HERESY]

because he's a manager not a promoter. I see a lot of fighters signing contracts then have the grass is always greener on the other side mentality. And as a result they are sitting on the sidelines having court cases instead of fighting when they are the ones that signed the contract in the first place. Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Chavez, these guys need to fight

Doesn't matter if he is a manager, a trainer, a doctor, a shaman or a waterboy, the point is, you don't see many people trying to shake him. You see many people trying to shake everyone else, even their own relatives but not too many people trying to shake Haymon. I found one person, Andre Dirrell, and he had nothing but good things to say even after he left. Then guess what? He re-signed with Haymon, LOL!

 

[battle619]

But all these signings are as of recent. All of them losing money is as of this year. You think they wil be okay with losing money for another year?

 

[HERESY]

But all these signings are as of recent. All of them losing money is as of this year. You think they wil be okay with losing money for another year?

Dirrell left in 2012. He re-signed after leaving SMS or TMT, forget which one I saw. Resigned with Haymon in either April or August of this year.

Right now Haymon has enough fighters under contract to start his own fighting company. Period. I can see him doing that.

 

[battle619]

But he won't be able to. Then he would be writing checks and he don't want thatc

 

[HERESY]

But he won't be able to. Then he would be writing checks and he don't want thatc

How the hell do you know what he is or isn't able to do?

 

[battle619]

Cuz he would have done that already. All these "Golden Boy" fighters came and said they aren't GB fighters still fought under GBP. Now he signed one from Top Rank and thinks he can get him out of that one but only time will tell. And if he doesn't JCC will not fight for another full year cuz of lawsuits meaning he will lose money too.