The week in Boxing – 31.10.13

hopkins563By Rachel Aylett: At the weekend Bernard Hopkins was involved in one of his most incident-packed fights for years, as he turned back the futile challenge of the Sauerland team’s Karo Murat. Murat was so determined not to be intimidated and roughed up by Hopkins that he was ready for a rough-house war, which is pretty much what it turned into. Murat was lucky not to be disqualified as he perpetrated almost every foul in the book during the fight, most blatantly punching on the break on numerous occasions. Referee Steve Smoger only took one point away from Murat during the fight, for that very offence, but had he been more stringent a disqualification may have resulted.

Whilst Murat was getting involved with the naughties, Hopkins was busy boxing his head off. He simply couldn’t miss with his right hand leads, which thudded home throughout the fight. Murat was tough but we’ve yet to see anyone who can match Bernard for the inside game, as he always manages to have one hand free in the clinches to beat his opponent round the ear with. He is a genius at this and his short punches inside are deadly accurate.

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Hopkins vs. Murat: An Empty Victory

hopkins-murat-results1By Jay McIntyre: For Bernard Hopkins, Saturday was an unnecessary fight with an unnecessary lack of sportsmanship. He was expected to win, and many people felt that Karo Murat would be merely a ‘speed bump’ as Hopkins pressed onward through his career. A perfunctory turn out from Hopkins should have been sufficient to win a lopsided, though uneventful decision. Indeed, that would have been preferable to what was witnessed last night.

The sad reality, is that while Hopkins is a great boxer, oftentimes this expertise is overshadowed by his willingness to engage in unsportsmanlike behavior.

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Hopkins says he’ll likely move down in weight for next fight

hopkins6By Allan Fox: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (56-6-2, 32 KO’s) says he’ll likely move down in weight for his next fight rather than face the other 175 lb. champions in unification matches. Hopkins badly wants to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. at middleweight, and Hopkins is also interested in facing Carl Froch, the IBF/WBA super middleweight champion. Hopkins thinks Golden Boy can get him a fight against Mayweather.

Hopkins said last night “Right now we’ll look to get the best super fights, whether it’s up in weight or down in weight. It’ll most likely be down in weight. I can make 160, if the negotiations [with Mayweather] are reasonable. If anybody can make a deal in the business of boxing, Richard Schaefer can.”

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Hopkins defeats Murat; Deontay destroys Firtha; Quillin defeats Rosado

deontay111By Jim Dower: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO’s) successfully defended his title by beating challenger Karo Murat (25-2-1, 15 KO’s) by a 12 round unanimous decision in a dirty fight on Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. The final judges scores were 117-110, 119-108, 119-108.

The scores were a little wide because Murat appeared to win at least 3-4 rounds based on his constant work. He landed a lot of punches in the fight despite Hopkins’ head movement.

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Hopkins battles Murat tonight in Atlantic City

002 Hopkins-Schafer-Murat IMG_0099(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Dan Ambrose: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KO’s) Karo Murat (25-1-1, 15 KO’s) will be looking to put on a boxing clinic tonight at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Hopkins has the right opponent for him to look good against and possibly even stop with the easy to hit Murat.

This is perhaps the weakest opponent that Hopkins has faced since his victory over Enrique Ornelas four years ago in 2009. You can’t blame Hopkins for this fight. He has little choice but to defend his title against Murat, because it was the International Boxing Federation’s bright idea to rank him number 1. It’ll be the IBF that ends up looking silly tonight when Murat is easily beaten by Hopkins.

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My Two Cents: Hopkins vs. Murat

hopkins673By Jay McIntyre: The prevailing wisdom going into this Saturday’s bout between Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2-2, 32 KO’s) and Karo Murat (24-1-1, 14 KO’s) is that Bernard Hopkins will win. Given the experience, resume and set of skills that both men bring to the table, this really is an open and shut case. In what world could Karo Murat defeat Bernard Hopkins?

Well, one irrefutable fact in the world of boxing is that every fighter has a “puncher’s chance”. One defensive lapse and the whole game can change in just one move. One need only look as far back as Mike Tyson’s 10th round TKO to the 42:1 underdog James “Buster” Douglas to evoke a nostalgic memory for the underdog.

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Weights: Deontay 224, Firtha 252.5; Hopkins 172.5, Murat 174

wilder64By Scott Gilfoid: Heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KO’s) weighed in at a slim and muscular looking 224 lbs. on Friday’s weigh-in. Deontay, 28, is looking to score his 30th consecutive knockout and he’s got an excellent chance of accomplishing that goal. His opponent Nicolai Firtha (21-10-1, 8 KO’s) looked pretty good in coming in at 252.5 lbs. The 6’6″ Firtha looks like he’s in football shape, and he appears ready to give it all he can on Saturday night to try and avoid becoming Deontay’s 30th KO victim.

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48-year-old Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KO’s) looked good as always in weighing in at 172.5 lbs. His opponent Karo Murat (25-1-1, 15 KO’s) weighed in a little heavier at 174 lbs. despite being three inches shorter than the 6’1′ Hopkins.

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Hopkins: I need a knockout

HopkinsMuratPC_Hoganphotos1(Photo credit: Hogan Photos) By Dan Ambrose: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KO’s) badly wants to score a knockout this Saturday night against Karo Murat (25-1-1, 15 KO’s). It’s as if the 48-year-old Hopkins realizes that it’s no longer enough just winning his fights by decisions in dominating his opponents. For him to win over fans and create any kind of interest in what he’s talking about in wanting to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., then he’s going to need a knockout over Murat. Not only for that reason though.

Murat is the type of opponent that the top light heavyweights like Adonis Stevenson and Sergey Kovalev would demolish in 2 or 3 rounds tops and that’s why Hopkins needs to make quick work of him. If Hopkins wants to be seen in the same class as Kovalev and Stevenson, both of which are winning over new fans at rapid pace, Hopkins absolutely needs to KO Murat.

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Hopkins hoping for Mayweather bout if he gets past Murat

003 Hopkins and Murat IMG_0124(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Allan Fox: 48-year-old IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KO’s) he was approached by some “powerful people” about him facing 36-year-old Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2014. The fight would involve Hopkins coming down two divisions in weight to face Mayweather at middleweight.

Nothing was said from Hopkins about whose these powerful people are, and whether there would be a rehydration clause in the contract to keep Hopkins from ballooning up to the 190s after he makes the 160 lb. weight limit, if he even could make the weight.

Hopkins said in a press release “It was a conversation said to me, and that’s why I responded…when I realized that there is a fight that they owe him in May of next year, and whether I’m willing or can I make 160, and I said, well, if I have that much time…They didn’t act like they were joking, and we’re talking powerful people. So I’m sitting back saying, ‘Okay.'”

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Hopkins wants KO win over Murat

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By Dan Ambrose: IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KO’s) is hoping to end his nine-year knockout drought this Saturday night by knocking out German-based challenger Karo Murat (25-1-1, 15 KO’s) on Showtime at the Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. The 48-year-old Hopkins hasn’t recorded a knockout since his 9th round KO win over Oscar De La Hoya in September 2004.

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