Bernard Hopkins Serious About Fighting On / Wants James DeGale

By Olly Campbell - 06/08/2015 - Comments

He will be remembered by history as one of the greatest middleweight titlist’s of all time and the Hall Of Fame will surely already have a spot reserved for him, yet following his incredibly brave and spirited performance against Sergey Kovalev, in which he sustained a severe and comprehensive beating – many felt that Bernard Hopkins had at last taken one trip back to the well too many and that it was time for the curtain to finally come down on the Philly native’s epic, record breaking career.

Among his extraordinary achievements are; the most middleweight title defences in history, longest ever reign at 160 and being the oldest fighter to ever win a world title – so now, being 50 years of age, one thinks what could honestly be left for the modern great?

A possible fight with new IBF 168lb champ James DeGale if recent rumours are to be believed – something B-Hop confirms in his latest fighthype.com interview, asserting he is deadly serious about trying to make it happen – evidently thinking he is wily enough – and has enough left in the tank, to beat the gold medal winning Olympian and further make his own unique piece of history.

Asked about wanting to fight the London champion, he said;

“That’s real serious too. (It’s progressing) fast, very fast. I would love to touch base in London to be able to make history over the pond. I’ve a big fan base in London – well respected. I would love to go over there and give them a show – at this level, at this stage, that they wouldn’t never forget.”

It’s clear that Hopkins hasn’t taken the defeat to Kovalev – in which there can be no shame – very well. Evidently a proud warrior, he deserved enormous credit for even stepping up to face one of the current scenes most devastating punchers and champions, an undefeated man some 18 years his junior. It is an attitude many younger fighters and champions could learn a thing or two from.

Yet for a fighter intent on legacy and driven by further making and cementing history, not only is the loss hard to go out on – one suspects capturing a world belt in his 3rd division (168) – as well as doing so at an extraordinary 50 years of age – would put the final stamp on an unbeatable and unrivalled list of achievements.

“I’m about making things happen for myself, of course, history and for enduring the un-do able. And the undo able is doing things that people question your sanity of why you’re doing it. And I made a living and a career outta those things.”

Hopkins evidently believes he sees something from DeGale’s fight with Dirrell that convinces him he still has enough left in the tank to be able to dethrone the Brit – and on foreign soil too. With his extensive ring IQ and effective though somewhat negative style of recent years, it’s not impossible to imagine, though seems a little bit of a stretch in actuality – if it happened tomorrow that is.

I doubt the DeGale fight will really happen anyhow, yet if Hopkins is as serious as he says he is – he does still carry huge star power over in the UK – then I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be made. If one thing’s for sure it will sell. It’s just a question of how comfortable Hopkins would be at 168 at 50 years old and the potential for the fight to be an utter snooze-fest – which in my eyes is quite high. Lot’s of holding, spoiling, dirty tricks. You get the idea.

Determined to try and make DeGale happen, or at the very least, any fight for a world title once again, Hopkins said;

“It’s a fight you’d come to see one last time. It’s a legacy, it’s historic.”

“(It’s like) You gotta last chance to see that favourite band – well I’m that band, in boxing.”

“It’d be promoted that way, it would be fought that way and it would be remebered – on my account – that way. Whether it across the pond, or here – the great USA, my thing is to push the envelope even further. And the best way to do it is with dignity and pride, to show people that age is just a number.”

You can’t help but admire his attitude.

Twitter @Undilutedpoison