By Dan Ambrose: 47-yer-old WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO’s) says he plans on having a big after party following his April 28th title defense against former two-time World Boxing Council light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KO’s) on April 28th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Hopkins said this on his twitter: “We will have a big after party in AC [Atlantic City] 4-28…Training. LOL! I don’t need much. Chad Dawson is my [opponent]. Chad has no brains.”
It sounds like Hopkins is a little overconfident for this fight, as if the win is already in the bag. It’s hard to imagine that Hopkins really believes he’ll easily beat Dawson because Hopkins wasn’t looking good in the two rounds of action against Dawson last October in a fight that ended in the 2nd when Dawson fell over the back of Dawson after missing a punch and then was lifted up and dropped on the canvas.
Hopkins injured his left shoulder in the fall and the fight was ruled a 2nd round TKO win for Dawson. Hopkins then appealed to the World Boxing Council and the California State Athletic Commission, both of which ruled the fight was a no contest. This allowed Hopkins to keep his WBC strap. However, Dawson was able to land a rematch after his promoter Gary Shaw appealed to the WBC to have an immediate rematch and it was granted.
Hopkins has often been the bigger guy in many of his fights during his career, but against Dawson, Hopkins was smaller, slower and less quick on his feet. Things didn’t look good for Hopkins at the time he suffered the injury to his shoulder. Some boxing fans felt he faked the injury to get out of a hard fight that might not have gone his way had it lasted the full 12 rounds.
As for Hopkins’ after party on April 28th, it might be a sorrowful party of Hopkins gets beat like I think he will. He’s gotten too old and will be facing a more talented fighter who’s a lot younger than him. I can see Hopkins getting injured again if things go badly for him and he starts getting dominated by Dawson on April 28th.
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