By Dan Ambrose: Bernard Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KO’s) thinks he’s going to make history against WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-1, 16 KO’s) when they meet up in December. Hopkins, 45, thinks he can win yet another title before he one day retires. However, Hopkins is going to have to go back in the time machine and find some missing talent if he wants to get by Pascal, because he’s been looking pretty average recently in wins over Enrique Ornelas and Roy Jones Jr.

Even when Hopkins looked good in beating Kelly Pavlik in 2008, it would take a real stretch to see that version of Hopkins beating Pascal the way he’s fighting now. Pascal is just looking way too good for a fighter like Hopkins, especially now that he’s 45 and not looking good anymore.

In an interview by Greg Leon at Boxingtalk.com, Hopkins says “It’s another chance for me to prove to anybody that thinks this fight isn’t winnable by me to prove them wrong.”

I don’t think Hopkins is going to prove me wrong, not unless he fights better than he’s ever fought in his entire career because I don’t see Hopkins as ever having the kind of talent needed to beat Pascal the way he’s fighting now. Hopkins, with his punch and immediately grab technique, won’t beat Pascal. You got to bring more to the table instead of simple gimmicks to win fights against the top talents in boxing, and the old punch and grab technique isn’t enough to beat Pascal.

It might enough to beat Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver, but then again Hopkins probably could have beaten them without using that strategy. But employing a clinch and grab to try and slow down a speed and power demon like Pascal is like bringing a motor scooter to a car race. It’s not going to work and Hopkins is just going to look old and feeble in with Pascal.
Hopkins says he plans on jumping on Pascal from the very start of the fight and forcing him to work hard in every round. “I have to make him fade,” Hopkins says. I don’t know how Hopkins can do that when he’s unable to fight hard for the full duration of every round in his recent fights. Hopkins has been doing a lot of holding, falling down and other things seemingly to slow the action down.

How can Hopkins fight hard enough to make Pascal fade when he’s unable to fight hard for three minutes himself? I see the fight as being incredibly boring with Hopkins looking to hold any chance can get. I also see him dropping down on the canvas for phantom low blows in order to either buy some time to rest or to get the referee to take points off from Pascal. I see it as big spoil job from Hopkins and no way do I see him being able to beat Pascal.