Unified Super-Middleweight king Joe Calzaghe has re-named Bernard Hopkins as Mary Hopkins* after the American’s latest attempt to back out of a showdown. Hopkins trainer Nazim Richardson said that his man should meet the winner out of boxing dinosaurs Roy Jones Jnr and Felix Trinidad rather the face the hard-hitting undefeated Welshman.
Calzaghe, who previously said that Hopkins would do his best to talk his way out of a fight against him, has likened Hopkins to Mary Poppins from the 1962 classic movie: He said, ‘As of now Bernard Hopkins should be called Mary Hopkins. Every time he says my name it’s: SUPERCALZAGHE FRAGILISTIC EXPIALIDOCIOUS!’
‘In fact, there is more fight in Mary Poppins than Hopkins. I’d have more respect for him if he just came out and said: “Joe, look, if I fight you I’m going to get my ass seriously beat.. I accept that you are the best so why don’t you just let me be and allow me to fight the winner of these old guys so I can just have an easy pay day” but instead, he’s got his trainer to basically say: “Thanks, but no thanks, Bernard doesn’t need to tangle with a dangerous young guy like you.”
Referring to 2002 when Hopkins agreed to fight Calzaghe for $3 million only to come back the next day and demand $6m, Calzaghe said: ‘If he is the legend that he says he is then fight me, otherwise be known as the guy who twice chickened out of fighting Joe Calzaghe.’
‘At least Mary Poppins took a Spoonful of Sugar to help the medicine go down, Hopkins won’t get that luxury against me!’
*Not to be confused with the Welsh folk singer of the same name who recorded the classic You’ve Had Your Day (My Friend). Sorry, correction, Those Were The Days (My Friend) which will be used on another press release!