Hopkins Says Dawson Will Throw, He Will Connect

Written by The Sweet Science

Tuesday, 04 October 2011 19:36

Bernard Hopkins, WBC and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion

"I chose to continue to fight and defend what I worked so hard to get. So why not get all of the benefits of what I've been doing for 20-something years and then walk away when it's time?

"I think that it'll come down to who is the better fighter. The better fighter, the better person, the better strategist and who wants it the most.

"It really would be gratifying to me and happy for me to sit back in my 60's and hear commentators say, "This guy is four fights away from beating Bernard Hopkins' record.

"In today's world where, unfortunately, most athletes, either don't stay as focused long enough after they get a taste of what we call success in life, or just run into the wrong match, the wrong person. So I'm going to have fun in the second half of my life.

"Well, Chad Dawson said something that made sense. He's going to be throwing a lot of punches, but I'm going to be connecting a lot of punches. He's going to throw all the punches he wants, but I'm going to be connecting more than he is throwing.

"I'm coming in there with an aggressive game, but a smart game. If people think that the last two fights of my career were the old Bernard Hopkins from the Blue Horizon to Atlantic City days in the early 90's, then I'm saying that they should watch this fight.

"The bottom line is they are going to see a better, a more aggressive, smart fighter in me when I beat Chad Dawson.

"When you look at my résumé compared with his [Dawson's] résumé, you must say, or must agree, that my résumé is a Ferrari and his is a Mercedes.

"Keep an eye on [Danny] Garcia. He's got a fight coming up [on October 15] that'll prove he belongs in the pound for pound contender's bracket.

"At the end of the day, what Dewey did is beyond anything that I've done in the ring; it is beyond anything I accomplished outside of the ring in my personal [life].

"I want my gray to be in the ring. I want Chad Dawson to see I have gray hair. I want to look like his father-well, I could be his father. I'm not, but I could be! That age difference is appropriate for me to look like I'm gray and I have gray, because realistically, if you do the math, he could be my son.

"There are a lot of people that are 46 and younger that feel lousy today that never took a punch. Well, change your lifestyle. Change what you do. I did it years ago, so I'm ahead of the game. I'm not feeling like I'm 26 every day. I always say if I have to put a number on myself, the way I feel today, I feel like I am 36. So if I'm 36 to 46, that means I'm 10 years ahead of the game."

Danny Garcia, Top Undefeated Junior Welterweight Contender

"I feel blessed, just for being recognized that I have the talent. [For Hopkins to] recognize my hard work and dedication. I'm just blessed now, and it's motivating me more to shine on October 15.

"I never rely on my power because that can't win you a fight. I rely on my skills. I think I use my brain, and I break my opponent down and land the big shots. So my power is just my last resort.

"I know I got more mature since I turned pro. I'm a lot smarter and it's a chess game in there. So now when I feel like a guy's kind of outsmarting me a little bit, I stay relaxed and I just try to figure it out.

"It was definitely a growing process. I learned how to be a smart fighter and not go in over anxious and just set the pace.

"I just feel strong, and we had a great camp. I'm just anxious to show the world what I can do. I'm ready. I wish it was tomorrow.

"I watched Kendall Holt's last fight and I said to my dad, 'I am going to fight the winner of this fight.' So I feel like I predicted my future a little bit.

"Holt isn't going to touch me like he did to his last opponent. You can't hit what you can't see.

"I feel like I took my time. I have had 21 fights; I never rushed and was like, 'Yeah, go ahead and put me on HBO,' or begged for it. It came to me when they thought I was ready. I know I am ready, so we took the opportunity and we trained hard."

Dewey Bozella, Top Undefeated Junior Welterweight Contender

"When I was young, I was bitter because I never thought I'd get out of there [prison]. I thought I'd die in there.

"I came to Bernard Hopkins' camp and I was approved to fight. Thank God for that. I worked hard and it paid off.

"I'm not going out to lie down; I'm going out to fight. I'm not going to let this guy come and whip my butt.

"[On being able to have his first professional fight] it's just like getting out of prison. It is a new experience.

"I always thought I had a chance to get out. People said, 'Ah, it'll never happen, it'll never happen,' but it did happen.

"I want to get this [fight] over with and then I want to open my own gym.

"My goal is to help young kids as well as adults to help turn their lives around and keep out of trouble.
"[My gym is going to be for] whoever comes in, but it's going to be for the kids.

"I am a professional fighter. I'm here.

"[On earning bachelor's and master's degrees in prison] I always said, 'How can I give something back to society if I have nothing to offer?

"I knew I was getting out of prison. Either I was going to die in there and go out in a box, or I was going to walk out of there."

Naazim Richardson, Hopkins' Trainer

"You can't underestimate Dawson in any way, shape or form.

"Pascal and Pavlik were supposed to be the guys running the sport. I said if you can beat these kids, you can beat anybody.

"I love boxing. I love the sport. And this guy [Hopkins] is boxing."

# # #

"Believe It Or Not!: Hopkins vs. Dawson" is a 12-round bout for Hopkins' WBC and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles taking place on Saturday, Oct. 15 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T and Ripley's Believe It or Not. In addition to this championship main event showdown, the televised pay-per-view undercard will also feature Antonio DeMarco vs. Jorge Linares in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Lightweight World Title, Kendall Holt vs. Danny Garcia in 12-round bout for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Title and Paulie Malignaggi vs. Orlando Lora in a 10-round welterweight bout. DeMarco vs. Linares is presented in association with Teiken Promotions.

Comment on this article

FighterforJC says:

I think that Hopkins may have bit off more than he could chew this time. There's a reason that Hopkins ducked Dawson a couple of years or so ago. Hopkins or any aging fighter will NOT do well against speedy, slick fighters who have a relatively high workrate in the ring. Hopkins sorta backed himself into a corner by going after Pascal in pursuit of becoming the oldest world champ in history. I'm not sure who's doing it was that made Hopkins agree to have to fight Chad Dawson after beating Pascal, but it most definitely wasn't Hopkins' plan. If he had it his way, he would've retired immediately after beating Pascal. How Pascal got the better of Dawson is beyond me, but Dawson is superior to Pascal in just about every way, which is why Hopkins jumped at the opportunity to challenge Pascal but didn't seem to care about any world record when it was Dawson who held the title. Hopkins knows what he's up against, and there's a very good chance that he would get embarrassed in this bout. I feel bad for Dawson because he's in a lose-lose situation. Even if he wins, nobody would give him credit. People would say that Hopkins just got too old.

ali says:

Hopkins will not beat Chad Dawson I'm 99.9% sure of it....Chad is just a bad match up for Hopkins as long as Chad has a good punch out put he wind this fight by UD.

Radam G says:

Danggit! Ali Baba, go and find your 40 thieves, and rob somebody. You are 99.9 percent full of ____! Bad for Chad! He has a lot of flaws and one bad tude. B-Hop may be long-in-da-tooth, but he can still beat a confused, lazy, chump in a telephone booth. Holla!

ali says:

Don't go hide for a few days like u did when Mayweather KO Ortiz....Hopkins has button off more then he can chew this time. Chad had one off night and now everybody thinks he can't fight Oct 15 he will turn u non believer into believer watch.7

FighterforJC says:

Don't go hide for a few days like u did when Mayweather KO Ortiz....Hopkins has bittin off more then he can chew this time. Chad had one off night and now everybody thinks he can't fight Oct 15 he will turn u non believer into believer watch.

Wow we're actually in agreement for once lol. People forget that Hopkins ducked Dawson for the longest time.

Radam G says:

WOW! Ali, you are so full of it. "Hide for a few days," my arse! Big HOMMIE, FYI, I won BIG MONEY betting that my boy Money May was going win that bout in a controversial ending. What's WRONG with you, dude? Do you need to go to the Land of Oz, and get a brain? I got a few bucks of my winning left, and will rent you a room at Emerald City Palace. Hehehehe! You cannot read my scribble or sumptin!'

Well, I understand that, because in the old Universe you were Ali Baba and the 40 idiots. WTF! Only two of your dimwitted cohorts -- a birdbrain and a salty sucka with high blood pressure -- have occasionally popped up in this NEW UNIVERSE. Whaddup with dat? They are struck in the cave of idiots, because you didn't holla "IDIOT CESS-SA-ME" to pop the lid open and let their dumb, smelly, a$$es see da light of CHANGE and PROCESS and air out da stink on them. Hehehehe! Shame on you, Big HOMMIE! Where is da LUV? Holla!

ali says:

WOW! Ali, you are so full of it. "Hide for a few days," my arse! Big HOMMIE, FYI, I won BIG MONEY betting that my boy Money May was going win that bout in a controversial ending. What's WRONG with you, dude? Do you need to go to the Land of Oz, and get a brain? I got a few bucks of my winning left, and will rent you a room at Emerald City Palace. Hehehehe! You cannot read my scribble or sumptin!'

Well, I understand that, because in the old Universe you were Ali Baba and the 40 idiots. WTF! Only two of your dimwitted cohorts -- a birdbrain and a salty sucka with high blood pressure -- have occasionally popped up in this NEW UNIVERSE. Whaddup with dat? They are stuck in the cave of idiots, because you didn't holla "IDIOT CESS-SA-ME" to pop the lid open and let their dumb, smelly, a$$es see da light of CHANGE and PROCESS and air out da stink on them. Hehehehe! Shame on you, Big HOMMIE! Where is da LUV? Holla!

I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. LOL...Man up when your fight prediction is wrong its obvious u don't know sh#$ about boxing when u said Mayweather would take a lot o punishment vs Ortiz HA HA!!!....Your going to be wrong again and when u r don't be a good sport and come on TSS and say Ali knows a lot about boxing then I do and I will do the same if I'm wrong... do we have deal....

Radam G says:

Ali, quit being a piece of ____ on a dog's playground. Apparently you indeed have a reading disorder. All one has to do, is READ what I POSTED. Every pimp and his b*****s know what I wrote about Money May. [Besides, I got paid. You didn't get syet, but satisfaction of being a nuthugger.] This is why Money May doesn't like ya' a$$. I can see his point now. Money May is always sayin' dat he "cam't [sic] stand a dumba$$ ______, cause dey always makin' up sh*t and lying dey a$$ off!" Then he'd say you have be a N-word to understand that. Maybe I don't understand the N-word action, but I understand Money May's point and anger. We have a couple of Pinoys who are undercover haters, troublemakers, agitators and all the jive that Money May points out and get angry about. But when a bad-acting Pinoy come out with his undercover sickness and behavior, we put the beatdown -- culturally, physically and emotionally -- on dat arse.

Ditto Money May about your type, ali. Are you that DUMB? First of all, ______, don't get a whuppin' mixed up with your lying jive about "a lot of punishment..." You cannot find in one of my more than 1,100 posts an iota of your whacked-out bullspit. But FYI, dummy! Money May did take punishment. He got hurt in the body and he got his fudging lip cut up on the outside and inside from a Tim-Bradley-like dome blast. What is that, JOKER? I think PUNISHMENT! No matter how you try twist it. Fighters shake their heads to bluff you from throwing the same shots that are hurting them. Money May was head shaking like a bytch every time that Vicious Vic tagged that torso. Taking punishment comes with da territory of whuparse, dude. Do you really think that a fighter is going to show you that he is hurting?

Ali, you oughta quit being such a FAKER! Because you are far from being a shaker. You know boksing about as well as you know Engish composition. Who did you learn your boxing from? Probably from one of your imagery _____ trainers or one of your school teachers, who taught you how to write. He was probably a friend of the late Jimmy "The Greek." YUP! That superority balderbash about ____ being superior athletes is bunk! Ali, I would beat you in any position on the field in American football on my worst day. Ali, if you are ever in Las Vegas, holla at Money May's gym and see how many Pinoys are there. You may just run into your's truly. Hehehehe! I be the quiet-arse Pinoy until you get me started, then it is sh*t-talk paradise. Uncle Roger is a good teacher. Holla!

the Roast says:

Yeah come on ali, re-read the 1,000 posts by Radam. Clearly he said that Ortiz was going to kick Floyds ass but not win the fight and that Floyd would win by controversial KO while Vic was not looking. Clearly.

Radam G says:

Hehehehehe! The Roast, ya crazeeeeeee! Cut out the rib-breaking comedy. Wow! Are you and Bobby C, a couple? Say like Albert and Castello! "Kick Floyds a$$" is on third base, "Clearly." "...not looking" is on second base. Referee dumba$$ Joe Cortez is at home. Literally at home. The WBO dumped and bumped his arse from refereeing anymore of their bouts for the time being. GREAT! Because I didn't want to see him in the P-Islands.

I doubt that the long-in-da-tooth ref JC now knows the difference from a baseball bat and a pair of boxing gloves. He is firm like an old choo-choo train, but fairly lamed in the brain.

Ali is aight! Though he cannot "Float like a butterfly and string like a bee," as could da real [GOAT] Ali. I was just gettin' on my bullspit with read ali. Dude loves to be all up in my koolaid and grill tryin' get paid and a thrill. Holla!

Radam G says:

C'mon, the Roast! It is time to step up your TTS jokes -- I mean game -- and join me at over a thousand posts. And @B-Sug, U 2, catch up! Can a P-bro get some company? Yall kno' what time it is! Holla!

the Roast says:

Joe Cortez has been screwing up for a long time. I was just flipping though a Ring Mag article about welterweight upsets and Cortez was the ref for the Marlon Starling-Tomas Molinares fight. Cortez missed that punch after the bell. Oh well Joe, that fight did produce one of my all time favorite quotes when Marlon said, "Knocked out? I wasnt even knocked down!"

the Roast says:

@Radam, you are in a class by yourself my brother. I do have thoughts on last nights contoversial Shobox fight. Sharif wont like it. And you probably know what I'm gonna say about Bradley vs Casamayor. It will include a BOOM.

mortcola says:

Tiptoe-ing around the Radam-Ali minefield......Hopkins will lose to Dawson for the same reason he lost to Taylor. He won't land enough, even though he'll have moments where he looks like the boxing Ph.D. he is. Dawson wins on movement and volume. And I won't like it.

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