Hopkins should Fight for the Heavyweight Title against Wlad
July 4th, 2009
By Giancarlo Malinconico: With the Hopkins-Adamek previously planned match for the Summer of 2009 falling through, and with Wlad Klitschko’s dominate performance over Chagaev, I beg the question: Why not pit Hopkins against Klitschko?
The fight may seem like a mismatch to some at first, but then again how many times as Hopkins has proven his critics wrong. Wlad’s most effective weapon is his left jab. Hopkins, however, can probably take the jab away better than anyone can in boxing. Hopkins would also not have to worry about a high-punch output as he did against Jermain Taylor and Joe Calzaghe. I see this fight playing out as a tactical match-up with Hopkins showing Wlad a lot of movement, attempting to land his straight right hand. Although Wlad looks like a very athletic heavyweight, his ring generalship tends to look better than it is fighting against stiff opposition, even Chris Byrd, who is considered a slick boxer at heavyweight, fights flatfooted, and this was never more apparent than in his fights with Wlad. Hopkins could come in at a solid two hundred pounds and move around the ring at will against the much bigger opponent. Hopkins must be wary of Wlad’s clinching and possible bullying to the ropes, being Wlad would be so much larger. But I think as long as he does not age overnight, Hopkins can attempt to steal rounds, occasionally flurrying and landing straight right hands on the move. Wlad will have a hard time landing flush on Hopkins, and Hopkins will be able to fight at Wlad’s methodical pace, as Bernard actually favors it.
Hopkins is aware of historical boxing accomplishments and his legacy in the sport. If he is successful, Hopkins would become only the third boxer in history to win the Middleweight Championship and move up to capture the Heavyweight crown: the two others being Roy Jones Jr. and England’s Bobby Fitzsimmons back in 1897. Hopkins, furthermore, would outdo Jones because he would be battling the officially recognized Heavyweight Champion while Jones defeated a decent titleholder but not the premier champion in John Ruiz. Hopkins has stated on numerous occasions he needs to be motivated to bring his “A game” to the ring through a rigorous training camp. What better to motivate Hopkins than the possibility of becoming the Heavyweight Champion and reaching boxing immortality.
Tags: 26 Responses to “Hopkins should Fight for the Heavyweight Title against Wlad”
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Kel, you continue to impress me with your innate ability to say something mediocre. I know nothing about you except that you have a penchant to speak about things you have no idea about. Two such things are the English Language and boxing!
You have been reading too much of Perez and if it sounds like Perez, acts like Perez, writes like Perez, reacts like Perez, then it must be Kel, cuz they threw away the mold when they made Perez. After all, only one big moron is allowed per our lifetime!
1,2 and that’s not dancing steps my brother, that is a left jab right cross. In case you did not get that. Do I have to teach you fundamentals of boxing as well as communications? Have a great day. You have been KTFO. Speed and intelligence are a deadly combination that you’ll never have!
wayne lord why dont you stick your head up your ass and see if it fits. what have you done with boxing other than watching it
Lets see the long awaited re-match with B-Hop vs Super Roy.Man!this fight should have happened many many years ago.
Make it happen boy’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This fight say’s one thing,that boxing is desperate.The only thing about boxing that is desperate is the heavyweight div.
This fight would be an insult to boxing fans and to boxing period…
Kel, please say something to prove I do not know boxing. If you did not understand my article in which I am emphatically stating that Hopkins has no right in the same ring as the Klitchkos, then prove to me why.
If you do not agree with my points about Hopkins as a very boring fighter, then show me his tv ratings that say otherwise.
You are making me feel like Mosley begging Manny for a fight. If you do not know what to say do not say anything. This is a free and open forum to express yourself. If not put your tail back between your legs and continue reading Manuel Perez. You will learn moroe nothing!
wayne you dont know what boxing is
I believe that we as fans always come up with the most outrageous ideas. Or should I say fantasies? We always dream about having certain players on our teams or about fighters of different eras meeting. Many years ago there were computerized fights to compare the greatest heavyweights.
Such fights are based on logic but are unable to factor in the intangibles, e.g. fighters heart or emotions. Today we are also doing the same thing with fantasy match ups. Why? Because of the sad state of boxing, that’s why!
Greed, selfishness, too many titles and classes and boxers who want to protect their record. Boxing no longer is on regular TV where we saw young guys learn their trade, build a following and develop before our very eyes. Everyone wants to be a PPV fighter. Garbage attracts flies but what we are seeing is worse than garbage and even flies are not attracted.
Who wants to pay $50 to watch Marquez vs PBF or some other no-name fighter beat up on an even less known fighter, neither of whom have less personality than an envelope with no address?
I am not an avid MMA fan but UFC forces guys to fight. This is what Arum is doing with the guys in his stable and yet people bitch. These boxers have little time to earn big $. They re risking their lives and possible long term harm like Ali. let them learn and then build them up so they can be stars, make them upgrade the opposition so that eventually they become stars that we want to pay to see, when they meet another proven star.
Until then, we will continue to fantasize. Writers will keep giving us articles like this & fans will respond en masse with their pens, not with their eyes and certainly NOT their walttes!I hope the promoters and trainers are watching how MMA and even “staged” WWE fights are starting to garner big pay per numbers. Sure the fighters are not earning what Manny, SUper Roy, Leonard, Oscar and the big stars draw. But the cost to watch is not that much….yet.
To answer the original question. I repeat, B-hop would be no match for either Klithsko. It would be boring vs Wlad. Vitali and Haye would destroy him inside 5 rds. Let him fight Toney or even Super Roy at 190. For that matter, have him meet any of the cruiser champs but unles he can get to about 220, firget the Klitchskos!
hopkins would destroy wlad and vitali and i would pay 2 see this and would bet on a hopkins ko victory
this is more stupid than this other guys article saying Carl Froch should fight Valuev!
im not actually sure why, but i would like to see this, hopkins is good for his age, klithko seems scared of bein hit and hopkins would hit him more than most heavyweights
though there would be a MAJOR size difference
id like 2 see it!!!..lol.
boy some of you just need klits. to get beet cant stand that he is the greatest ever! and to think that “someone” like hopkins could do it… ha!
the only heavyweight hopkins should fight is james toney, or ricky hatton.
what about hopkins vs holyfield?
theres only one HW champion hopkins should fight and its not vitali or wlad
hopkins haye sounds good.i think that will be a good fight but i think haye is to fast a powerful for hopkins.good fight while it last but haye will win by ko.
klitschko will stomp a mud hole in hopkins a– if they fight.
I’m a huge fan of hopkins but please lets keep it real
have ya heard about B-hop’s title defence
he went hell 4 leather on the upper cut scene
!!! Bhops only brick hard
like proper dead hard!!!
It is not a mouth watering fight but it could be interesting for a few rds. I suspect however that Wlad would not fear B-hops’s power and would turn this into either a mauling, grabbing, pushing contest or straight out winging slugging one. Like I said after a few rds B-hop would be winded or ko-ed. If Wlad tried to just use the jab, he will still dominate but B-hop would be in the fight. Being the moe intelligent boxer, he may find a way to steal a few rds &last the distance. But never in a million years could he steal a decision.
As I try to picture this fight, I am starting to fall asleep. The king Champ of boring vs the man who has put me to sleep at lower weights. Please do not make this match. Rd 1-12 would go like this:
Feint, grab, jab, clutch, grab, feint, grab, jab, clutch, jab, feint, grab…zzzzzzz, the sound of the announcers dozing off! Click, click, click… the sounds of TV’s turning off. Bang, bang, bang! The sound of the promoter who dared to make this match realizing someone finally killed the manly art of boxing! Puhleeeezzze!
I don’t see how this article is out of the question, especially when James Toney who is 5′9” was considered as an opponent for Wlad, which ended up being Rahman. Who is Hopkins going to fight Adamek or Carl Froch both opponents do nothing for his career. Adamek was dominated by Chad Dawson so Hopkins would be better fighting him if anything and Carl Froch is a nobody. The fight would definitely draw intrigue. And I remember people saying the same things about other guys moving up (e. g. Pacquiao V. De La Hoya). Klitschko has fought a bunch of weak nobodies and I think this writer is correct in saying that Hopkins is not easy to hit flush. Hopkins would never turn this fight into a slug fest, he would make it a boring fight where only about 10 punches were landed per round. Hopkins was also talking about fighting Oleg Maskaev or whatever his name is at one point, I know he’s not in the same league as Wlad but if he’s going to move up he should fight the best. Chris Byrd was able to challenge Wlad twice, I’m sure Hopkins can do a lot better than him. Plus I understand the publicity this kind of fight would draw.
hopkins will be murdered its like pacquio fighting hopkins thats ridiculous!
Call me crazy, but i think hopkins can pull this of
your reaching dude! what a joke, you need something to talk about and its not boxing, but maybe this is the reaction this dummy dum dum is looking for either that or he is just plain stupid.
hopkins could run for about 30 sec. and he would be klitschko’d dont ever write on this site again dude your fired!!!!!!!!!!!!!
are u joking, hes only 6 ft.
Is there anyone with common sence in boxing? whats wrong with boxing? is this writer normal or something? whats wrong with this world?,this is why boxing is dying, the writer should be fired,l will never visit this site again. peace