Hopkins All Wrong for Wright

bernard hopkins16.02.07 – By Dan Scog: A number of mainstream sources are now reporting that the ink is dry on a deal that will see B-Hop come out of his brief retirement to fight Winky Wright. You probably don’t need me to tell you how little sense this makes, but I’d still like to count the ways. After all, it just may be the biggest lose-lose fight scenario in years.

1 – Wright gains nothing from beating Hopkins. Sure, it’s another big-name feather in his cap, but it doesn’t bring him the champion status that has eluded him most of his career. And that’s not all. Even though Hopkins has defied conventional boxing wisdom by aging like a fine wine, the day that Old Man Hopkins stops a’rollin’ along his conqueror will still be derided for beating a geriatric. Winky isn’t getting any younger and forcing Hopkins into a second retirement isn’t the sort of achievement he needs for his own legacy. Not to mention it can’t be his best payday either..

2 – Even B-Hop’s detractors will concede that he has nothing to prove at this point. Any rewards Hopkins might reap for beating Winky aren’t worth the risk of his legacy. He doesn’t need to beat Winky to prove that he’s at the top of the boxing game – that’s exactly where he bowed out less than a year ago.

3 – Anyone who knows the phrase “Styles make fights” must know that this is a horrible match up. Yeah, you’ve got the two big names for HBO to promote, but anyone who knows a lick about boxing knows that putting two veteran defensive counterpunchers together is a surefire snoozefest recipe. And I say that as a huge fan of both fighters. If the Hopkins-Taylor fights can generously be called chess in the ring, then this match up will be like Scrabble without an hourglass timer.

4 – Speaking of Jermain Taylor, there are fights out there that make loads more sense for both guys. Taylor would actually be a reasonable choice for either one. But it’s the most logical choice for Winky. It’s unfinished business plain and simple. And if finding a more neutral location is the sticking point, you’d think that both camps could agree to Nevada…or New York…or anywhere outside of the Bible Belt.

Though most people (myself included) would rather see the Taylor-Wright rematch, the idea of Hopkins coming back for revenge on the young kid would still be a better fight (and sell) than this. If not, then fighting Joe Calzaghe would be one for the record books: coming out of retirement to personally stop someone else from breaking your record. Plus, it promises to be more explosive. Hopkins-Jones is also a great setup, even if the match up isn’t as exciting for purists. Hopkins could finally get that stone out of his shoe and end the cocky Jones’s ridiculous comeback attempt at the same time. Or fail trying to avenge the one loss that has haunted him from so many years ago. At least that prospect would make sense to stake his legacy on since RJJ is already a part of it.

5 – Hopkins’s return marks the true breaking of a deathbed-caliber promise to his mother. Make of it what you will – it can’t be a good omen. And it definitely doesn’t make sense either.
Wait a minute…“Make sense?” What am I talking about? This is the wide world of boxing. Hopkins by SD – see you at heavyweight.