Bernard Hopkins (left) will defend his light heavyweight championship against Chard Dawson this Saturday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. AP Photo
As we get closer to Saturday’s major boxing event at the Staples Center between WBC and Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson, the big question that’s being asked by many in the sport is whether Hopkins still has it, or will the young strong, quick, and talented Dawson be able to stop him in his quest to fight until he is 50?
If you ask Hopkins he’ll tell you no. He’s so full of confidence at this point in his career, it appears that he is ready to go until he is 60.
With a professional record of 50 wins, five loses and two draws, with 32 coming by way of knockout, he has been in some of boxings most memorable wars. Jermain Taylor, Winky Wright, Kelly Pavlik, Antonio Tarver, Joe Calzake, and Felix Trinidad all come to mind when you talk about Hopkins.
Hopkins is definitely Hall of Fame material when it comes to his legacy.
Hopkins knows this is a difficult fight to sell to the public. And he knows it will be even harder, style wise, for him to actually win the bout.
“I want to go in there and accomplish that at 46 years old, I’m not even thinking about the number,” Hopkins said. “But I know that’s what people are curious about because it’s something you should be.”
Hopkins believes that he is still capable with the spunk, and has the reflexes, and all the things that he still possesses to compete at this level at age 46.
“I know one thing is that I don’t have to sell me,” Hopkins said. “I’d be a fool to try to sell me. What I can sell is history because I’m part of history. Every time I step into the ring and attempt to win, I push that envelope even further and I stack that big book that’s already there as my legacy continues.”
There is currently a consensus in boxing as to who will be fighter of the year in 2011. It looks like it will be either the winner of the Super Six Finale between super middleweight champions Andre Ward and Carl Froch, or the winner of the Hopkins and Dawson contest. Not surprisingly, Hopkins is already staking his claim.
The fight is this Saturday at the Staples Center and will be telecast live on HBO pay per view.
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