Fight fans say #FightPacquiao, Mayweather responds with ‘Another One Bites the Dust’

Fight fans have been flooding Floyd Mayweather’s social media stream with a #FightPacquiao following Manny Pacquiao’s dominant performance against Chris Algieri Nov. 22.

If for some strange and bizarre reason you thought Mayweather would congratulate his fairytale arch rival, you were wrong. But if you expected Mayweather to call Pacquiao “broke” or “desperate” again, guess again. On Wednesday, Mayweather posted a video on Instagram showing replays of Juan Manuel Marquez knocking down out Pacquiao during their epic fourth encounter in 2012.

To Mayweather’s credit, the video was hilarious because the usage of Queen’s popular hit “Another One Bites the Dust.”

Surprisingly Pacquiao took to Twitter and responded to the video.

“Run Silent Run Deep seems to be @FloydMayweather’s response to my challenge,” Pacquiao tweeted.

Pacquiao added the hashtags, #KhanJob #FloydRhymesWithAvoid #SixKnockdowns. In recent weeks, Pacquiao and Top Rank have been vocal about making the elusive fight with Mayweather, including a Foot Locker commercial and in the post fight press conference following the Algieri fight.

“The people deserve that fight,” Pacquiao said. “The fans deserve that fight. I think it’s time to make that fight happen.”

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum said he would contact the Mayweather camp in hopes to finally come to an agreement. Even Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya tweeted he was prepared to put up the biggest guaranteed purse in sports history to give fight fans #TheFight. Mayweather is not tied to Golden Boy Promotions, but has partnered with them for every pay-per-view since his 2007 battle with De La Hoya.

Mayweather has two fights left on a six-fight contract with CBS Sports. Various reports on social media say Mayweather would seek a rematch clause if an agreement was made. Although unconfirmed from the Mayweather camp, that would indicate the fight would be targeted for May 2015. But only time will tell if this fairytale fight will ever unfold.

Fight fans have grown tired of waiting in anticipation, but one can make the argument that the fight is probably as interesting now as it was in 2010.

-Jose Quintero / @JoseSwift8755

U.S. Editor for BehindTheGloves.com

Golden Boy Promotions fighters distribute over 500 turkeys

Golden Boy Promotions Founder and President Oscar De La Hoya has officially kicked off his namesake Foundation’s 2014 season of giving with two events focused on giving back to the community.

On Friday, Nov. 21, the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation in association with the California Municipal Finance Authority donated new, state-of-the-art boxing equipment to the youth that train at the Santa Ana Boxing Club in Santa Ana, Calif. De La Hoya was on-hand to present the donation, interact with the gym’s youth and encouraged them to train hard in school and at the gym.

“This is where you learn discipline,” De La Hoya said to the youth at Santa Ana Boxing Club before presenting the new equipment. “Boxing gives you a sense of empowerment. It makes you feel confident. It makes you be humble. That’s what boxing did for me.”

Saturday, Nov. 22, the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation hosted its 18th Annual Turkey Giveaway at Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School for community members of East Los Angeles, De La Hoya’s hometown. Oscar De La Hoya was joined by star fighters Randy “El Matador” Caballero, Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr., Gabriel “King” Rosado, Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz Jr., Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez and Diego De La Hoya at the event as they helped distribute more than 500 turkeys, fixings and other food products to the community. The 18th Annual Turkey Giveaway was sponsored by the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation, Tampico, Coca Cola, Jersey Mikes, Bonerts Pies, Davalan Fresh Sales, Mission Foods and Vallarta Markets.

“I love being able to give back, and I believe that it is better to give than to receive,” De La Hoya said. “My success in boxing and business has enabled me to give back to the community from which I came, and to support efforts that truly improve the lives of others. I’m very blessed, and I want to be able to be a blessing to others this holiday season. It is truly an honor to be able to do that.”

De La Hoya will continue giving back this holiday season with the 18th Annual Toy Giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing,

-Press Release

Quotes from Bernard Hopkins media workout

With just a little over a week until fight night, Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins worked out in front of a packed media contingent that traveled from far and wide to see the 49-year-old ageless light heavyweight champion train for his Saturday, Nov. 8 light unification bout against Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.

President and founder of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya was also in attendance to talk to the media and watch Hopkins train. Here is what the participants had to say.

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF and WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion

“To be able to bring a lot of the top writers in the out here to cover history is great. This fight has a lot of historic things about it.

“Oscar was talking about me fighting without pressure. It’s the pressure of the unknown. The unknown is the reward that comes after taking on such a challenge. For me it’s about never taking anyone lightly. I’m ready mentally and physically for this challenge, come November 8.

“I believe the difference comes in the execution. If you think about it too much beforehand it will keep you up at night. You can’t worry about things you can’t change. I prepare to do what I know how to do best. That rule of code has never betrayed me.

“There’s not one fighter I wouldn’t put my record up against. In this era – in any weight class. I put the work in to have the track record and be taken seriously.

“There are a lot of things I look at that I used to do, even though I was successful, as a waste of time. But those are the things you have to go through. We are young before we are old. We are immature before we become mature.

“When I look back at the last five years of my career, I’m spending less time in the gym than I did in the beginning of my career. I’m fighting 12-round fights, why am I training for four hours? These are the things you do when you’re young. When you get older you realize that you had to survive it, that’s how I got here.

“When you look at the things I do, the lifestyle and the discipline. You would say I’m preserved. You would say that I’m well kept. You would say I’m clean in the garage. The mechanics are all brand new, because I took care of them.

“I have the same thoughts on Kovalev that most people here do. He’s a dangerous puncher. He has an over 90 percent knockout rate and anyone who fights this guy has the opportunity to not be the same once he exits the ring. We won’t take anything away from this guy because he’s real.

“Kovalev is a threat to anybody. It won’t be an easy fight, even if it looks easy to you. I don’t just have to beat the man, but I have to beat a lot of people. They’re either going to watch me win or watch me lose, and I don’t mind playing that game. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in whoever brings the best and whoever sacrifices the most to be victorious will win.

“It doesn’t bother me if people are rooting for me or not. My family, are the only thing that matters at the end of the day. If you’re motivated by other things, you’ll never stop. No matter how many people you beat there will always be something else.

“No one expected me to be gone 10-15 years ago. I became their worst nightmare. I still have my senses and my intellect. I can still articulate. That makes me an even bigger force.”

NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ Trainer

“With some of the young guys, you have to be on them before they get comfortable. But with Bernard he comes in knowing what he wants to do and it’s just a pleasure to work with him.

“You can’t be undedicated in this job, you have to be in there and be a part of everything. We’re dealing with a freak of nature in Kovalev, he might be the hardest puncher in the history of boxing, we’ll see.

“Bernard can watch Kovalev’s tapes, but until you feel the punches you don’t know what it is. We don’t know how hard he can punch, but we’ve fought some guys who could punch. We saw with Pavlik, Tarver and Trinidad, those guys had power.

“The only thing Bernard hasn’t done in this sport is lose badly, so I told him to get out of this sport before he does everything. But he proved me wrong because then he beat Pavlik and Pascal and all of the other guys.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions
“We’ll never see anything like Bernard Hopkins again. We won’t see any athlete in any sport compete at the highest level. It’s unheard of. You can talk about any era, or any great fighter, no one has been able to compete at this level. Everybody in America should be cheering for him.

“When you take a look at Hopkins being 49-years-old, almost 50, you have basically a kid in the other corner who punches like a man. It’s a 50-50 fight.

“I haven’t counted Hopkins out since he beat me, even before that. Hopkins is a master at what he does. The question is how will Kovalev react psychologically to an ‘alien?’ He’s never fought an athlete like Hopkins. How will he react when he hits the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

“Everything he does is calculated. Everything he consumes. It’s all calculated. It’s clean living for a very long time. There’s more to it but that’s a lot of it.

“At this point. Hopkins is already in the Hall of Fame. He’s already going to be talked about as one of the greats. So he doesn’t have that added pressure of trying to prove himself. I think people already have the utmost respect for him.

“People respect the fact that at 49-years-old, he’s still going strong. There’s no sign of him slowing down. He’s getting faster, he’s getting stronger and he has more energy. He’s toying with young fighters, half his age. For Hopkins it’s starts outside the ring, he breaks you.

“What comes to mind from my fight with Hopkins, was one of his teeth fell off and he was, ‘well that’s old-age.’ Now I look back and think wow, he made me think I was fighting this old man. I had in my mind that if I just got through training camp, without doing any extra, that I could take this guy on. He made me complacent. He didn’t need to talk trash or get in my face, he’s a master.

“I believe that Hopkins focuses not on what he’s going to do physically, but on what he can do to get his opponent out of their comfort zone and what combinations does he not expect from me. I wouldn’t say he’s awkward, but he knows how to offset his opponents.

– Press Release

Bernand Hopkins and Sergey Kovalev media conference call transcript

Kelly Swanson         

Thank you, everybody, for joining us today.  We’re very excited about this wonderful unification bout in the light heavyweight division between Bernard Hopkins and Sergey Kovalev.

Today on the phone we will have Bernard Hopkins, Sergey Kovalev, his manager, Egis Klimas, Oscar De La Hoya, President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions and Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events.

We will begin the call with Sergey first, and when we’re done with his Q&A Bernard Hopkins will be joining us immediately following Sergey’s portion of the call. First to make the introductions and to get started I’m going to introduce Oscar De La Hoya, President and Founder of Golden Boy Promotions.

Oscar De La Hoya   

Thanks very much, Kelly.  I greatly appreciate it.  We are getting close to what is probably the most anticipated event of this year, the main event, “Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergey Kovalev,” which will be a 12-round light heavyweight unification bout.  The co-feature, we’re excited to announce is Sadam Ali vs. Luis Carlos Abregu, which will be a 10-round welterweight bout, and that event is being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank taking place at Caesars Atlantic City.  We are excited to be also once again working with Corona Extra, AT&T, Hortitsia Vodka and Mexico – Live it To Believe It.

Tickets are still available but they are, as a lot of people here on this call can attest to it, going extremely, extremely well.  Obviously, it’s a testament to the great card that we have put together. Now let me, without any further ado, introduce to you a co-promoter of this magnificent event to introduce to you Kovalev, is the CEO of Main Events, Kathy Duva.

Kathy Duva  

I’m just so pleased to be involved in such an exciting fight.  I don’t think I need to say anything to sell it, because it sells itself.  It is the kind of fight that, sadly, doesn’t happen often enough, and we’re really pleased to be working with Oscar and Golden Boy and HBO and all the great sponsors involved in this fight, including our Russian sponsor, Hortitsia, to bring you such a fabulous fight.

I’m doubly proud to be able to bring it to you in my home state of New Jersey.  The people at Boardwalk Hall and the people from Atlantic City, the CRDA, and the Atlantic City Alliance, and most especially, save the best for last, Caesars Atlantic City and Ken Condon, who really should be the patron saint of boxing in New Jersey, particularly Atlantic City, where he has made it his mission to keep our sport alive there.  Everything came together just the way you’d want it to be, and it’s almost to the point where you think it’s meant to be.  As Oscar said, we keep an eye on that box office every day, it is moving steadily and it is picking up steam every single day, we are headed to a packed house full of people who are going to be going crazy.  So, it’s the kind of thing that if you can be there you’re going to want to tell your grandkids about it, so show up.

Having said that, I want to introduce to you the gentleman who I think should be the Manager of the Year in 2014 and ’15 and probably ’16.  He has done an amazing job, kind of new to the boxing scene, but he has got so many terrific fighters, like Lomachenko, Gradovich and Sullivan Barrera who is also with Main Events, a few others, Lepikhin, Mikhaylenko, it is such a pleasure to work with him and the top fighter of his stable, as far as I’m concerned, someone who I think is going to lead Egis and Main Events to a whole new level in the sport.  So I want to thank him for, as I do every day, for bringing Sergey Kovalev to my door, and I want to introduce Egis Klimas.

Egis Klimas  

Thank you, Kathy. Hello to everybody.  It is a great pleasure to participate in this conference call.  I know this is going around the world.  I just wanted to mention a couple things regarding how hard Sergey was working to get to this level, how hard he is still training, and how he is still dreaming about unifying the title. Of course it’s a very, very tough fight, it’s the toughest fight in his career and we all as a team are looking forward to it as well.

I wanted to thank everybody else, I wanted to thank our promoter, Kathy Duva, she does a very, very good job for Sergey Kovalev.  I wanted to thank Golden Boy for putting this together.  I want to thank legendary fighter Bernard Hopkins for taking this fight, because he could fight so many easy guys but he chose the most dangerous guy in the division, and I give him a lot of respect for that.  I want to thank HBO.  I wanted to thank all the sponsors.  I wanted to thank everybody who’s participating in this bout on November 8^th. It will be very, very interesting, looking forward to meet you all in Atlantic City on November 8^th.  Thank you.

1. Duva         

Thank you, Egis.  Now it is my extreme pleasure to introduce to you the WBO Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, and today much more important than that a brand new father, the father of Aleksandr Kovalev, the Light Heavyweight Champion of the World and just a spectacular athlete who keeps asking for the toughest fight; don’t give me easy ones, put me in big ones, it is such a pleasure to work with a guy like this, but again I want to publicly congratulate him now and let everybody know that Aleksandr Kovalev’s father is on the phone, Sergey Kovalev.

Sergey Kovalev        

Hello, everybody.  Thank you so much, Kathy, for the congratulations.  I’m very happy and very excited that I got my new name, “Daddy.”  It was for me the greatest day in my life.  I cried a little bit out of happiness, because it was yesterday, when I saw on Skype that the baby was born, maybe two minutes after it happened.  Natalia had to do this by herself, so most of the adoration goes to her, and she is still healthy, the baby is still healthy, and I am very happy.

This means for me everything right now, it is the most important thing in my life now and I felt it before in my head and also in my heart.  And now I embrace this next big fight which I’m going to win and give this victory to my son, Aleksandr.

Q        

If you go back in the earlier part of your career when you were fighting on untelevised shows and Egis and you were traveling around and trying to make something of your career, is this where you figured you would be, or, did you have no concept that this is where you would wind up, as one of the most significant fighters in the sport, fighting in a big fight like this and making a lot of money?

1. Kovalev     

You never know what will be tomorrow, but if you believe in it, it can happen, if I trust and believe myself and you have a goal and you’re working to this goal, then yes, this can happen.  It can happen and then you push more, then you do more, and it’s your dream to be getting close to you, closer and closer to you when you work as hard and push yourself.

When we fought three, four years ago with Egis, and we were traveling all over the country in America and fighting anyone who was ready, I didn’t think that this fight would be possible.  But I believed that I can to do it, and I tried to do it, and some very big thanks to my promoter, Kathy Duva and to Egis that they, from their conversations led me to sign a contract with the promoter,

That is when my fight began.  I’ll tell you why.  I waited a long time at this level and waited for this fight, a huge fight. When I was a child I had a dream, when I watched TV, I watched it and I had a dream.  I wanted to be there.  I wanted to be there, and I will try to be there, and I’m here.  Everything from your head and everything from your heart, if you want it, you can do it.

Q        

Sergey, was there ever a time during that period where you doubted it, that it would happen, or there was never a moment where you thought, oh boy, this is not going to work out?

1. Kovalev     

No, even right now I don’t think about that.  It’s just the next step of my career.  It’s not the finish of my career.  It’s just the next step in my career.  I’m not going to stop after this fight no matter the result, win or loss, it’s boxing and this is a sport, and if I win I will grow more experienced and if I lose I will get more experience. I will get to do more fights and interesting fights, but the next fight will be much more interesting because I will get more experience from my next huge fight.

This is for me a huge fight and this is the fight of my life.  It’s a very important fight.  I’m focused on this.  Yes, my baby was born yesterday and I remember this, and my son pushed me more and is a big motivation for me, you know it.  Now I understand who I’m doing everything in my career for.  I’m doing it now not for me.  I’m doing this for my family.

Q

Egis can you talk about the difficulties of Kovalev’s early career and what you saw in him that made you continue to do it year after year until you got to the point where Kathy signed him and you were getting bigger fights and bigger purses?

1. Klimas      

First of all, I saw in him as a good human being, a good person.  We were in very hard times, we were in hard times with him during his career where I had doubts, should we go further or should we drop it?  Do we belong here in this world?  Do we belong here in boxing, or not?  We were outsiders, like many others, like people coming from Mexico and people coming from Latin America here, and it’s hard to find.  But one time Sergey said, “America’s a country where your dreams come true.”

So, it was a hard time, but just because he is how he is, a human being and I have some other businesses, I have some other income in this world, so I was thinking about what he’s going to do, where he’s going to go if I’m going to say, okay, that’s it, we’re quitting. We’re both not quitters, we both win, through the long career we still have the best relationship and because of our relationship and our nature we’re still going.

The funniest thing was, I met Sergey in New York City, I met him in Russia before that, but when I met him in New York City and we already were going to North Carolina, Don Turner’s boxing camp, his question was, “Egis,” he says, “I don’t have power.  Can you ask the trainer to work on my punches?”  And I was like, “Okay, I will.”  And I asked Don Turner, I said, “Don, can you work with him so that he can hit harder and be stronger?”  And then we came in the first sparring he did in North Carolina Don Turner turned to me and he says, “Where the hell did you find this guy?  This is bullshit.  He doesn’t need to know how to throw punches.  He has everything he needs.”  That was a story I will remember probably through the rest of my life.

Q

Sergey, how much of an advantage is it to have John David Jackson in camp, given that he fought Bernard Hopkins and that he was with him for four years as an assistant to Naazim Richardson?  What can he teach you about Bernard Hopkins and his abilities in the ring?

1. Kovalev

The most important for the team and for me is just to keep going systematically, and keep disciplined, and keep working, just as Egis said. I don’t know what is the answer, just to keep going, keep working, and doing the same thing, the same that we did every day for any fight. What John David Jackson said is that it’s a secret between me and him, he has the keys to my victory. I understand that everybody wants to hear what happened in my training camp with John David Jackson, but everything you will see in November 8^th on HBO in Atlantic City.

Q        

How do you mentally combat the fact that there’s so much pressure?  If you beat Hopkins they say you were supposed to beat him because he’s 50 years old.  If you lose to him it’s even worse because he’s 50 years old.

1. Kovalev     

I don’t worry about who’s saying these things.  I am just doing my job and doing the job for me, myself, not for them. This is my career.  This is not other people’s career.

1. Duva

I’d like to make a comment on that, if I may.  I saw a poll, as I’m told about polls that are being done, and basically the press is about 50-50 on this fight, so when this is over I don’t want to hear about how old Bernard Hopkins is, no matter what the outcome.  This is a great fight between two fighters, it is competitive, it’s exciting.  Bernard’s never been stopped.  Sergey has knocked out just about everyone he’s fought.  It is a tremendous, compelling fight and I’m going to be very unhappy if the press decides that when it’s over they’re going to start raising the fact that Bernard is 50 years old, because they’re not raising it now.

Q        

Is that something that you have on your mind, that you can be able to be the first person to knock out Bernard Hopkins being as though that you come with so much power and force?

1. Kovalev     

I don’t know what I’m going to do.  I go into the ring and I get my victory at any cost.  If I need to fight, I will fight.  If I need to box, I’m going to box.  This is a fight.  You can keep in your mind one strategy but these fighters can change. I don’t have any strategy for the fight, just to go into the ring and fight like a street fight. I’m going to kick his ass because he’s my opponent.  Any of my opponents want to beat me.  If I’m not going to beat him he will beat me.

Q        

And, Sergey, now that you’ve been training with John David Jackson throughout this time, and he has a close relationship with Bernard Hopkins, have you guys taken the time to train on defensively combating his excessive holding?

1. Klimas      

Thanks for giving us the tips.

1. Kovalev     

I don’t know what will be happening in the ring. I understand that there will be three judges ringside and one referee inside the ring. Any way I need to get a victory, dirty fight or clean fight, for me it doesn’t matter.  I will fight dirty, if Hopkins will fight dirty.  I’m going to fight a clean fight, but who knows what will happen November 8^th.  It will be interesting, very interesting. I can’t imagine what will happen.  I don’t know who the referee is or who the judges are – American or international. If I win, I will get the referee to hold up my hands.  If I lose I lose.  But I’m not going to lose.

1. Klimas      

I believe we have set up that new rule that was passed for the video replay, is that correct, Kathy?

1. Duva         

Yes.  New Jersey has informed us that they’re going to use instant replay, and HBO’s working with them to mechanically implement that.  So, there will be stories about it coming out, I guess, as we get closer to the fight.  It’s up to the New Jersey Commission to make those, with its new Chairman, Larry Hazzard, to make those pronouncements, but we’ve been told this is going to happen, so we’re all very happy about that.

Q        

Sergey, you talked about how you would like to make this a street fight.  Could you tell us why specifically you would like that, given the Hopkins style of not throwing a lot of punches and evading punches in the fight, why particularly a street fight?

1. Kovalev     

This is my style. I can fight just like that.  Why do I need to throw more punches if this is my style, what I use right now gives me success.

1. Klimas      

Exactly what he is trying to say is he’s not saying the fight is going to be just like a street fight, that they’re going to use knees and elbows and all of that.  He’s just saying when you’re on the street and you run into the fighter, you don’t have a strategy for it.  You can’t say, oh, hold on a second, let me think about it, what strategy am I going to use against you.  That’s what he’s comparing it to.  He’s not comparing like we’re going to go in the ring and we’re going to fight like on the street.  We’re going to use elbows, knees, the dirty punches, hit below the belt.  No, he’s just saying I don’t have a plan.  Just like walking on the street and the fight comes in.  That’s what he meant.

Q        

Okay.  And what do you see as the weaknesses of Bernard Hopkins and where you would have advantages over him?

1. Kovalev     

I think this question is very funny.  I really like it.  Maybe I will say to you and everybody about what you’re asking about but it is my secret for the fight.

Q        

Sergey, did I hear you correctly when you said that, “I’m not going to lose, but if I lose this fight?”  Are you not 100% certain that you’re going to beat Hopkins?

1. Kovalev     

This is boxing.  I can repeat for you, special for you, that this is boxing and everything in boxing can happen.  It is not swimming.  This is not cycling.  This is not running.  This is boxing.

1. Swanson  

Okay, that was the last question for Sergey.  Kathy, do you want to wrap this portion up, and then we’ll turn it back to Oscar De La Hoya to make introductions for Bernard Hopkins.

1. Duva         

Yes, well, I think Sergey said it all. I really don’t know what I can add to that.  So I just want to thank him and everybody else for being on today, and tell everybody just to make sure you tell your readers and your listeners and your viewers to be tuning in on November 8^th.  If they get the chance to be in the vicinity of Atlantic City they really should go get one of those tickets that’s left, because they won’t regret it.  Thank you.

1. Swanson  

Okay, thank you for that portion of the call.  Now I’m going to turn it back over to Oscar De La Hoya to make the introductions for Bernard Hopkins.

1. De La Hoya         

Thank you very much, Kelly.  Now, let me introduce to you the current WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion and obviously a future first ballot Hall of Famer.  He won the Middleweight World Title in 1995, and defended that title 20 times, solidifying his place as one of the best, if not the best middleweights in boxing history.

Bernard Hopkins, not only are we talking about the fighter who is the best in this era, but can possibly be the best in any era.  When you talk about comparing the ’80s and the ’70s and the ’60s and 1990 and the 2000s, well Hopkins is a fighter you can say would have competed, if not would have been the best, in any era.  That’s what we’re talking about right here.  We’re not talking about just a fighter, any ordinary fighter.  We’re really talking about an alien, Bernard Hopkins, who at the age of 49, going on 50, is still fighting the toughest and the very best, This man tells it old school.  We will never ever in our lifetime see a fighter like Bernard Hopkins, probably ever again.

So, if anybody watched the well-produced, well put together “24/7,” you can see how Hopkins is still working hard and has never, ever lost a beat, who has captured America by storm, proving to everyone that just because you’re in your 40s it doesn’t mean anything.  It means that it’s just the beginning.  So, with a record of 55-6, 32 KOs, the oldest fighter in the history of the sport to be world champion, probably the best athlete, not fighter but athlete, in any sport, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins.

Bernard Hopkins     

Thanks, Oscar, my partner.  Everybody, thanks for being on, and I’m looking forward to it. Atlantic City is alive again, and November 8^th on HBO people who view in are going to see something special, and I hope people can come down and witness something special November 8^th.

Q

Tell me something, the name “The Alien” what does that mean?  I know it began as a nice little joke, but now it’s really picked up.  Tell me, when you hear that name “The Alien” is that better than being called “The Executioner,” or even “The Champion,” or something else?

1. Hopkins    

Well, first, it wasn’t a joke.  I’m very, very serious that I am different than human beings that I’ve talked to, and human beings that I interact with who can’t understand me, but I can understand them.  So, it’s not a joke.  It wasn’t a joke.  And it’s definitely not a joke now since they realized it’s not a joke.

When “The Executioner” executed 20-something contenders, who some one or two became champion and the rest haven’t.  So, “The Alien” is by age.  “The Alien” is the difference between the average person who has a lifestyle that’s not on the radar of an alien.  So when you can have that strong discipline to be able to not get involved in a sport and play of this world, whether you’re successful especially, or not successful, then you are looked upon as being strange, different or weird.

So, I’m neither of those things, but I am an alien.  So that’s where I came up with I have to be an alien, I was diagnosed as being an alien.  If you watch “24/7″ Dr. Pasternak explained as much as he can, and I don’t think he had his license taken since the “24/7″ was shown last week, or this past Saturday.

I really believe and understand that I am different and not a part of this world, but in the world.  So that’s why people can’t understand how I can be so disciplined around all the things, recreational things to do when you’re successful, having a little cocktail or a little party, or a little celebration, or as they say, the humans, “let your hair down.”

Q        

As you look back on all the big wins that you’ve had, is it possible in your mind for a victory against Kovalev, because of your age and unifying the titles is it possible in your mind to trump what you did with Trinidad, which I think is the fight you always have referred to as your most significant victory?

1. Hopkins    

Yes, there are multiple things that will be debated, which were more historic in boxing, when everything is said and done.  To me it’s not just another fight, because I’ve been playing it cheap, and it’s not.  This is one of the significant fights of the year, if not one of the fights of the year.  I just want to make sure that when there is debate about Bernard Hopkins’ legacy, that people will be up all hours of the night debating arguments amongst the world of the experts on trying to figure out where we put this, or do we start this new label, where to start Bernard at the top and anybody else that comes after that underneath.

So, it might, it might not be.  There’s so many things I’ve done in my career.  And in 2001 post 9-11 unification, in boxing we don’t get that a lot, but that’s why it was significant to me, to be able to do this 13 years later.  You’ve been around this game a long time, and this doesn’t happen the way it is happening for me at this particular time in my life.  This is nothing to sneeze at, that’s the main thing, but just being able to be around as long as I’ve been and still fresh as a daisy, I believe, and I’ll prove it November 8^th, there’s no definition really behind it. Just enjoy it, understand it, and realize that you might not be alive to see it again.  I might not be alive enough to see it again, so who knows?

Q       

I know you’re going to let the experts and historians argue, but in your opinion would a victory against Kovalev trump the Trinidad win?

1. Hopkins    

I don’t really know.  I don’t really know, because “The Executioner” really put down a profound trail to be able to just try to compete. Twenty defenses, there are 21, 22 divisions in boxing, who’s going to have 20 defenses, the way these guys jump up and down every time they fight in boxing today.

So, that is a great question that I really can’t really answer.  I’ll let the people see and debate, and this is the pleasure of being in this position. The multiple things that I achieved, the oldest fighter, breaking his own record, the first middleweight to become light heavyweight, Ray Robinson couldn’t do it because he couldn’t answer the 15-round bell. This is something that is going to be debated because there’s so many things to debate about one man’s career.  And so to me that’s definitely not a negative.  That’s a positive.

Q        

There’s a lot of people that think you’re winning the fight, that they don’t doubt you anymore.  So, my question is, what do you use, since you don’t have the media to pick on for this fight, what do you use to motivate yourself?

1. Hopkins    

The thing is that right now if I was using the media to be motivated, which I have for many, many years, that became old after a while.  You can only get so much water out of a rock before it’s dry.  I’ve been to the well so many times on that particular motivation, it ran its course.  I’ve been around so long that I just ran a course and the media doesn’t really help or hurt me as far as being motivated.

So what motivates Bernard Hopkins is now every 40 and up person out there that’s living, whatever job they have that they are afraid that this young intern is coming to take it and they can relate to that, then they will root for me and they will be for me, and I’m representing them.  And so, black, white, Chinese, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, it doesn’t make any difference, they will look at the age and they will say “Rumble, old man, rumble,” and I will do that.  And I will make them proud when I’m done November 8^th being the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world for the second time in my 20 plus year career, going on three decades.

I mean, this is sports, not just boxing, this is sports.  They’re going to have to recognize, and they will, and it’s starting to come around, but they will really come around after November 8^th.  And that’s what motivates me.  That motivates me.  I don’t need the media any more to be motivated. I have for many years, that then ran its course.

I must prove, and I will prove that this is not some promotional hype job.  This is something that’s been said about Bernard Hopkins for years and years. He can take care of himself, he can box as long as he wants, and he ruined careers.  So, I’m up to bat in a couple of weeks, I’m going to be up to bat again, and just enjoy it.  Enjoy it.  Enjoy it because you might never see it in our lifetime.

Q        

Now, when you win the fight, if you win the fight you’re not going to be undisputed, you’ll be close to it instead.

1. Hopkins    

In my mind people believe, and most minds, and you’d probably agree with this, that Stevenson somehow jumped ship because he didn’t want to fight Kovalev, and the fans believe that Kovalev is the much more dangerous light heavyweight to beat in the division.

Now, I would not go back on my word that “The man who beats the man becomes the man.”  That’s the political part.  That’s on paper.  But I gain a strong support amongst the world of boxing fans for beating Kovalev, and beating him in grand fashion will open up a lot of debate about a lot of things, and one will be in a good way for Bernard Hopkins, where I stand at the top of the division.  And if I don’t, then it will be just what it is.

But I believe this will be a bold statement, it was not only a bold statement to make, the fact that it happened in a short time fashion, but it would be even bolder with a grand performance of Bernard Hopkins, better than Pavlik, better than Tito.  To outdo yourself over and over and over again, it’s going to be an exciting night, and I’m fired up for it.  I’m really ready for this fight.  I’m ready to show people in Atlantic City that Atlantic City isn’t dead, and Bernard Hopkins definitely isn’t dead.

Q

Do you think that we’re going to have an idea of how this fight’s going to go early?  In other words, if he cracks you and you take it, that it’s going to be a long night for him?  Is that sort of the way that it’s going to be, that if you can take what he delivers, that you can do your thing and just box his ears off and win this thing easy?

1. Hopkins    

Well, I can’t play Monday morning quarterback, but if he can punch like everybody says he can punch, there might not be a second chance.  This is the great thing about November 8^th and coming down to Atlantic City or watching HBO if you have to, if you have a TV that works and you pay your cable bill you can watch it.  I mean, this is the thing; can Kovalev do what he’s been doing to 90 percent of his opponents?  Can Bernard Hopkins take a punch that he took from other known big punchers in boxing?

But I don’t go in there thinking that.  I go in there thinking that I’ve got a game plan, and whatever gun he has I’m not going to run from the gun.  I’m going to disarm him.  Anybody who knows anything about military police or anything like that, or karate, or anything they might want to say, they will understand what I mean by that.  You have a big punch – I’ll disarm you.

Now, if you have Plan B, buckle up because I’m going to get your money’s worth and now we’re fighting.  That’s the game plan that’s not even a secret.  It’s just common sense to me.  And I’m hoping it’s common sense to anybody that’s listening.  Whatever he has, I’ve done many, many times.  He’s a human, I’m not, I will disarm him and now let’s fight, let’s see your skills.

Q        

Was John David Jackson with your camp when you beat Tarver and Pavlik?  And then second, is he a factor in any way?  Is that a personal challenge to you in any way?

1. Hopkins    

It’s not a personal challenge to me – John David Jackson.  First of all, John David Jackson, I always said, is one of the elite trainers out there who never really got his respect and November 8th he wants to get that big boost to get that respect.  But, again, maybe John David Jackson will show him the fight that we fought and realize that he didn’t have the code to beat “The Executioner” at the time and now it’s “The Alien.”  So, maybe John realized how he should have ducked or how he should have fought at that time.

But to me, John isn’t fighting, John isn’t in the ring. You have to give the information to the athlete, the athlete has to be able to take that information, and be able to use it to his best ability.  Let’s see if can he do that, because John David Jackson definitely can’t fight for him.  John David Jackson had his chance.  John David Jackson got knocked out, I believe, in the ninth round.  So, to me how can a teacher teach a student and the teacher flunked the test too?

Q

Was Jackson with you when you fought Tarver and Pavlik?  Those are two of your other really big wins in Atlantic City, where you’re going to be fighting.

1. Hopkins    

Yes.  Yes, I believe, yes, he was.

Q        

Kovalev said he does not have a strategy for fighting you.  He said he’s just going to come in and fight his normal way, and whether it’s a fight, whether it’s a brawl, or street fight, it’s going to be that.  I just want your take on that.

1. Hopkins    

Well, that is the strategy.  He gave it to you already.  The strategy, he just gave it to you. Having no strategy is a strategy.  Kovalev feeds off of what you do and how you react to him.  If you’re scared he’s going to get brave.  If you’re not he’s got to sharpen up and get his stuff together.  Some fighters are like that.  I’m not.  So, I can understand that comment.  I’ve been around so long I can read these guys without even them speaking their mind, I understand just by their fighting style or how they fight how they think and what they’re thinking about.  Your reaction is how he reacts.

My thing is I don’t want to take anything away from the guy and what he’s been doing, because I don’t want anything to take what I just said and try to use it against me when I win this fight, because there’s some slippery minded people out there who’s going to be upset after November 8^th, who are going to go to bed taking a lot of drinks, shots of their whiskey bottle.

My thing is, I don’t want to take away from what’s going to happen, but he actually told you the truth, because I understand what he means when he said that to you.  He feeds off the energy of the fighters he has fought, in the amateurs, and also in the pros.  I’ve been watching this guy, I dug up amateur fights of this guy, and I know how he breathes, I know how he sits down, I know where he sits down, what he thinks, I know everything about him.

That’s what I do with every opponent that I’m getting ready to fight.  I want to know my enemy.  I want to know how he thinks.  I want to know how he sleeps.  I want to know what he’s uncomfortable with.

Q        

Do you think that you should be more so in the discussion for being the best ever, all-time great, the best fighter ever, because of what you’re doing at this age, should you be in contention for that?

1. Hopkins    

The best fighter ever is Sugar Ray Robinson.  To me the best fighter after that is Muhammad Ali, and then the debate starts from on and on from there.  My job is to go out and set a profound legacy that will be debated amongst generations where Bernard Hopkins sits in history.  Maybe it needed to be a different title, or will be a different title started because of what I’m doing.  Maybe I will be the first, and anybody else that accomplished that as years go and I’m dead in my grave will be after that.

But right now I’m going to stack that deck so high that every reporter, every historian, everybody that studies boxing and analyzes boxing from the past to now is going to have a difficult time, and that’s the fun part about it, because I want them to have a difficult time because I didn’t have a boring career and I was blessed to have a long one.  I don’t know.  I’m not a fool.  Like some fighters would say, well, I’m greater than this man, I’m greater than that man, because there’s no 15 rounds, I wish there still was.

We’re putting on the best fights now because of Golden Boy Promotions, my partner, Oscar De La Hoya and Kathy Duva of Main Events, got the deal done and didn’t talk about it.  We were about doing a fight.  We talked about it, but we got the fight done.  We got it done. So there are a lot of little things in there that I would not brand myself that.  I would not take myself out of the conversation as one of the best that has ever done it, but I definitely would never say I’m the best.  That’s up for debate amongst history.

But I know I won’t be down to the 100 and 200 line of the letters, so I’ve just got to continue to do my work.  I think November 8^th will be another performance where people are going to say, man, “Where do we put this guy?”  Because I respect everybody, what they have, their opinion, pound for pound list, but you notice I’m not on anybody’s pound for pound list now, and that might open your eyes up.

But I don’t want to be on it after this fight is over when I win it, because to me that would be making me human.  I’d be human if I’m amongst other humans on a pound for pound list.  They might just start another list for me and they’d come up with a title of it.  Hopefully it isn’t a pound for pound list, because if I’m not on there now I don’t want to be on there November 8^th.   I’m saying that because I’m setting a different bar, and it’s going to be so high I don’t think anybody is going to reach it in my lifetime, or yours.

Q        

Do you think there’s anything you can do in the light heavyweight division being a champion at the age of 50 that could top your accomplishments at middleweight?

1. Hopkins    

Yes, the age, the age of me doing it.  The fighters I’m fighting against. I’m fighting a guy that literally smashes, the “Krusher,” listen to the name, this guy’s got loaded guns.  He can take you out with one punch.  It’s right there in front of our eyes to see the difference between now and then, you go back 15 plus years where the middleweight division was ruled by me for 12 years, and you put 15 years on that age, 35 on up, and you say, well, man, this guy’s now into another division, but you can never forget I’m doing it at the age of 49.

Anybody that tries to downplay that, I will not debate with them, they will just make themselves look very foolish, because one of the things you all humans pay attention to, women or men, whatever it is, and you know I’m telling the truth when I say this – it’s age.  You get to look in the mirror and see little wrinkles that you might be getting because you’re not in your 20s any more.  So the difference between now and the difference between then is time, and as time is everybody’s enemy that’s human, then why is it being so friendly to me?  And I’ll tell you November 8^th on HBO you’ll see why time is my friend and not my enemy.

Q

If you lose, will you be the first one to stand up and say “Well, look, he beat one of the best guys out there.  He beat Bernard Hopkins.”

1. Hopkins    

Absolutely, why wouldn’t I?  I’ve said that many times when fighters, I believe won the fight.  Absolutely, you’ve got to give credit where credit is due.  But he will also, I hope, pay homage to the ‘OG.’  You have to understand that when you recognize talent, you recognize that you didn’t do what you said you were going to do, or couldn’t do, however it worked out for you or didn’t work out, you’ve got to pay homage to that.

But let’s not forget it works both ways.  Normally fighters, nine out of 10, you know and I know we respect each other after all it’s said and done.  We can talk all we talk, and at the end of the day 99.9 percent of the time, we hug each other, we do what we’ve got to do, you do your interview and you go back in your dressing room.

See, it isn’t the fighters.  It’s the persons with the pen, the computers, the laptops, they sit down there and they squat down in their chair and try to hide their face behind their laptop because they’re so foolish, they went out and boldly predict what they think they are God.

So, you can’t put that on the fighters, and I’m not really saying you are, but it isn’t the fighters.  Look at every fight.  Look at the one last week.  Look at the one before, the guy got knocked down, he hugged the guy, great fight, man.  They wouldn’t even let go of each other.

So, it isn’t the fighters.  It’s the ones that don’t fight who want to write everything thinking they can write, thinking they know, thinking they know boxing better than the guys that go in the ring and do it.  It’s the people that watch that are the ones that don’t give credit to the fighters.  The fighters will give credit, nine out of 10 to whoever dethroned them, or whoever became victorious.  I’ve seen it many years.  I’ve been in the game almost three decades, and I know I’m telling the truth.

You all have to pay homage after November 8^th, you all, not the fighters, you all pay homage.  The only thing is you’re not in the ring, but you all really got the voice, and sometimes the last voice.  But that’s what people read and that’s what people see, and they know the truth, and that’s what makes the fans one of the greatest fans in sports, boxing fans, as far as I’m concerned, and I’m biased.

Q

Mr. Hopkins, you have a brave heart for fighting “Krusher” Kovalev at an ageless 49.  You’re in effect fighting the Gennady Golovkin of your weight class.

1. Hopkins    

Yes.  Hey, listen, man, this is a unique situation and this is a challenge to me, because I feel like if you are in the game, you might as well be in the game on top.  I always look for the best.  I always wanted to take on the toughest, the most dangerous, and what else is new?  If this was something that’s sprung up in my career, everybody would be shocked.  But they know I took on some bad-asses in the last 27 years of my career where I really didn’t have to fight people but I did. That’s the old school.  That’s the old throwback type of mentality that I’ve been taught, brought up with, and understand that’s important to me.

Q

With this being the biggest fight of Kovalev’s career, do you think that as you prepare and get ready for fight week and during fight week that you’ll be able to kind of throw Kovalev off his game, as you guys head towards November 8^th?

1. Hopkins    

No.  I speak what I believe, and I’m asking what I believe, and somehow that weakens your confidence, I don’t consider that getting into somebody’s head.  I’m not going to apologize for being, I guess you could say confident of my hard work and my discipline and believing in what I’m going to do. I understand most humans don’t really believe what they’re going to do, even though a lot of them say it, whether it’s boxing or anything in life, I just never looked at things like that.

So when I speak with confidence, I speak with fairness, and if that’s how I’m getting in somebody’s head, this is boxing.  You have to be able to promote a fight.  You have to be able to say what you really mean, and if you’re going to have some fun, then have some fun in good taste.  But in the same token, it might be in bad taste.

I really don’t know when people, where humans get that from, is that how I’m getting in the guy’s head, so maybe that’s why I won so many fights over the years. To me that’s the lame excuse for being not as confident as your next guy or next opponent, or the champion or non-champion.  To me that’s a lame way of saying, look, yeah, he beat me, but he got in my head.  Or they’re setting up something later on to write, as I mentioned to the last caller, some reporter or somebody out there that has a bad night because somehow they’ve got to go to bed and think about writing about me tomorrow, they’ve got to feel I got in the guy’s head and so I beat him.

You give credit where credit’s due, but humans normally don’t think that way, and I understand it.  I know them.  They don’t know me.  I understand them.  They don’t understand me.

I don’t look at all of my victories, or even one of my victories out of 60-something fights, as getting in somebody’s head.  I look at it as being the better fighter, better plan, better preparation and I took care of my business.

Q        

If you are able to take his best shot do you think that you’re going to make him doubt himself as you go ahead and as the fight progresses?

1. Hopkins    

I don’t know what’s in his head.  That’s something that everybody’s going to be watching.  The best puncher’s coming up with one of the best defenses in boxing, that’s why I can still talk and hold a sentence with you without you having to figure out what I’m saying.  This all came from being smart in the ring and understanding the sweet science of boxing.

So, I don’t know what this man wants to do.  I don’t know what’s in his head, other than November 8^th, I hope, on HBO.  But that’s the million, billion dollar question, what’s going to happen when he hits Bernard? What’s going to happen when he does this to Bernard?  If they watched and saw other fighters over the past, who to me were just as strong as punches as he was and I took it right on the chin if I had to. I’m in this contest to show that I’ve got a better chin, but what I can say to you is that there’s a chance of being knocked down, there’s a chance I get up; there’s a chance he can get knocked down, as we see in the last fight.  The best man at the end of the day will raise his hand and to me, the undisputed best in the light heavyweight division, and that’s important to me.  Right now in my life that’s important.

Q        

Kovalev is a favorite of this fight. What is the point of you being such an experienced guy, but Kovalev is a favorite?

1. Hopkins    

That’s not new to me.  A lot of guys have been the favorite over Bernard Hopkins.  The people who make the odds are not boxing people.  They are people that set the odds so you can bet.  And if you think it’s 4:1, 3:1, 2.5:1, I don’t know what the odds are, but the odds have never been for Bernard Hopkins.  I made the odds for me by putting my work in and beating fighters that I shouldn’t have beaten, they say, and I did it in grand fashion.

It’s the opinions of what they feel and they’re normally right, but not with me.  I’ve proven them wrong more than they’ve proven me wrong.  So when you look at the odds and you look at favorites, take heed of that but also understand when it comes to Bernard Hopkins, you’ve got to look at the history of the underdog and how I made a career out of being not the favorite. In a lot of big fights out there I haven’t been the favorite, even in the De La Hoya fight, my partner, I was the underdog.  This is something that I embrace.

Anybody that knows Bernard Hopkins, anybody that followed “The Alien” and “The Executioner,” they know I love this. I wouldn’t be talking different if I was the favorite.  I wouldn’t feel right.  I’d have a stomachache and everything.  This is beautiful.

Q

Is there something that Kovalev has and you look at it and think maybe I should pay more attention at it?

Bernard Hopkins     

No.  I mean, I’ve been in the game so many years and I understand, I look at myself as a student and a teacher in the game, and still active.  Three things, and after a while you see what you see and you get to business, and you learn how to make those adjustments, and you make those adjustments as rounds go.  So, I know what I’ve got to work with, I know what I’ve got to see, and I know what I’ve got to expect. So this is going to be a fight where whoever has the best plan, whoever has the best chin, whoever has the best plan and strategy will win the fight.

Q

At the age of 49 what is your biggest asset?

1. Hopkins    

Everything.

Q        

The question I have, we know Kovalev’s record, he’s got a whole bunch of knockouts in a row, but do you view him as a kind of one-dimensional fighter?

1. Hopkins    

No.  He has a long history of amateur pedigree, and he has John David Jackson, who if he seems one-dimensional, he changed that and made some adjustments.  Just like John has been around me, I’ve been around him, and so it works both ways, it goes two ways.  One thing about me is that I’m not just a fighter, and I never represented myself like that.  I always take a page out of old and new trainers’ books and understand the good and separate what’s not so good about certain individuals.

He only had to be one-dimensional because the guys he fought he knocked out.  But now you’re stepping up to a different level, you’re stepping up to the professor, “The Alien,” the teacher, you’re stepping up into a different neighborhood.  The other neighborhoods you understood, but this neighborhood is kind of strange.

See, one thing about Bernard Hopkins’ fights, normally anybody that’s going to get on the next call they can tell me if they’ve been watching me long enough, and maybe you yourself, you can sort of get a sense how this fight’s going to go after so many rounds, whatever that round is, one, two, three, four, five, whatever.  Now, let’s not get mistaken, the fight’s not over until somebody gets knocked out, or 12 rounds ends, but there’s a pattern where you understand that Kovalev is not being the guy he was 10, five, four, three fights ago.  So when I disarm him don’t be upset, just enjoy the art work, enjoy Miles Davis, enjoy the jazz that will be played amongst the breeze in the air at Boardwalk Hall November 8^th on HBO.  Enjoy.  The concert is going to be great.

Q        

Larry Hazzard has returned as the head of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board.  Do you have any comments on that, because of course he was head of that for 20-something years and then they took him out, and now he’s just come back a couple of weeks ago.  Any comment on that?

1. Hopkins    

Well, I think it’s a great thing for Atlantic City.  He’s always been a great ambassador and commissioner for boxing, and always been fair from the outsiders to the insiders, and no matter where you’re from he ran the rules and he told everybody how he felt, and he is strong.  So to me it’s going to be in the best hands, because Atlantic City has sort of fell off in boxing in many years, and a lot of that probably had to do because of Mr. Hazzard wasn’t at the helm.  But, yes, I heard that months ago, I’m glad that somebody somewhere reconsidered putting him back in position to run and get back to the boxing in New Jersey, Atlantic City.  So, it’s a good thing.  It’s a good thing for boxing, man, and it’s a good thing for him.

1. Swanson  

Okay, that was our last question for Bernard.  Thank you so much, Bernard.  And if you or Oscar have any final comments, you can make them now and we’ll hang up.

1. Hopkins    

Thank you very much.

1. De La Hoya         

Thank you very much to all the media.  Thanks, Champ.  November 8^th, you don’t want to miss it, live on HBO World Championship Boxing.  Thank you very much.

Alien vs. Krusher: Hopkins vs. Kovalev” is a 12-round unification bout for the IBF, WBA and WBO Light Heavyweight World titles, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Corona Extra, AT&T, Hortitsia Vodka and Mexico, Live it To Believe It!. Ali vs. Abregu is a 10-round welterweight bout for the WBO Intercontinental Welterweight title and is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank.

The HBO World Championship Boxing telecast begins at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50, plus applicable fees and service charges, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com, www.hbo.com/boxing or http://www.boardwalkhall.com/.

– PRESS RELEASE

 Christmas to come early for fight fans

 Fight fans are in for a early Christmas gift Dec. 13 when two of the biggest names in the welterweight division possibly take center stage in separate venues in Las Vegas.

Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya made a shocking statement to Kevin Iole Monday, saying Amir Khan and Devon Alexander will finally face off against each other headlining a Showtime card that could feature Keith Thurman on the undercard. The bigger news, it would be on the same night that Timothy Bradley Jr. returns to the ring against Diego Chaves.

De La Hoya told Iole Monday he was not looking to counter-promote the Top Rank card, instead he will have fighters on both cards Dec.13 and he would plan on attending both venues. Bradley vs. Chavez will be held at the Cosmopolotin, while Khan vs. Alexander could take place down the street at the Mandalay Bay.

“We at Golden Boy are partners with everyone and this is what you see here,” De La Hoya told Iole. “It couldn’t be avoided [having the shows on the same night], so there will be different start times. I’ve talked to HBO about it. I’ve talked to [Top Rank president] Todd duBoef about it. I’ve talked to Showtime. We have so many dates and so many fighters, this couldn’t be avoided, but the good thing is, we’re giving the fans a great show and that’s the most important thing.”

De La Hoya appears to be holding true on his statements about giving fight fans fights they want to see. Last year, Alexander and Khan were scheduled to clash last December, but Khan pulled out of the bout and Shawn Porter took on Alexander for the IBF welterweight title. Alexander was defeated by Porter but bounced back with a victory over Jesus Soto Karass in June. Since pulling out of the Alexander fight last year, Khan has fought just three times since being knocked out by Danny Garcia in 2012. His last performance was a unanimous decision over Luis Collazo in May.

The fight has the regards of being an eliminator for the Floyd Mayweather sweepstakes. Mayweather still finds himself without an opponent for his scheduled May 2 date and has been linked to both fighters in the past. Many suspected Mayweather would take on Khan last May, but he opted to fight Marcos Maidana. Khan’s name has been tied to the May 2 as his opponents, most notably by Mayweather who said his father and trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., wants to see his son shut Khan up. Before fighting Robert Guerrero in 2013, Mayweather tweeted out he would be fighting Alexander, drawing criticism from the boxing world.

The winner of the bout could see themselves in the running to oppose Mayweather. But then again, Mayweather could throw fight fans a bone and take on Miguel Cotto or Manny Pacquiao. The future is not set in stone, but Alexander and Khan control their own destiny.

Meanwhile, Bradley and Chaves will be featured on HBO in what many expect to be an all-out war. That is if the slugging version, that fight fans have come to admire, of Chaves shows up to Las Vegas Dec. 13. Chaves was criticized for his performance against Brandon Rios in August where he was disqualified after numerous warnings to stop holding Rios.

“If you throw dirt on me, I’ll throw dirt on you, that’s just how I do it,” Bradley said during a press conference Monday. “(Chavez) just needs to know right off hand, don’t be dirty and I won’t get dirty. And if he decides to go that route because I’m beating on him, I’ll get dirty with him. It might not be a boxing match. It will turn into a wrestling match, WWE in there. Hey man, just be calm, box and I’ll do the same.”

When Bradley is against a slugger, you can expect Bradley to sit in the pocket and exchange punch combinations as he did against Ruslan Provodnikov in 2013. Bradley finds himself looking to get back in the win column after suffering the first loss of his career to Pacquiao, in a rematch from their controversial 2012 encounter.

But the most interesting thing about the night will be how De La Hoya manages to be at both venues that December night. Mauricio Herrera, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, will be featured on the HBO card as he battles Top Rank’s Jose Benavidez.

De La Hoya is further proving to fight fans the “Cold War” is over by working with Bob Arum to pit their fighters against each other.

“I’m sticking by my promise to make the fights the fans want to see, as often as I can,” De La Hoya said. We still have a couple of months left in the year and there will be other good fights, but I’m going to commit to establishing and maintaining relationships in boxing with all the networks and all the promoters so we can keep our promise to the fans and keep this sport at a high level.”

– Jose Quintero @JoseSwift8755

US Editor for www.BehindTheGloves.com

Is Alvarez vs. Cotto possible for May?

When Golden Boy Promotions announced Saul Alvarez return to HBO last month, the door to great possible match ups opened up.

The excitement shook up the boxing world and left everybody talking about who would be the next opponent for Alvarez. Fight fans were slightly disappointed to hear that it was Joshua Clottey. The last time many U.S. boxing fans saw Clottey, was the slaughter by Manny Pacquiao in 2010. Although he is on a three fight win streak against Average Joes, the announcement wasn’t ground breaking, that of all opponents, ‘The Grandmaster’ was going to be the guy. The fight was confirmed for Dec. 6, at an undetermined site in Texas.

But Golden Boy Promotions announced Monday that Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) had to withdraw from his bout with Clottey due to an ankle injury. A statement released by his team stated, “He (Canelo) thanks his fans for their support and looks forward to big things in 2015.”

Enter Miguel Cotto.

One of the biggest rumored match ups when the news broke that Alvarez was to switch back to HBO, is with Top Rank fighter Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs). Cotto won the WBC World middleweight title in June against Sergio Martinez, who retired in the tenth. The fight was Cotto’s debut in the middleweight division.

While Cotto showed impressive boxing range, thanks to his new trainer, many were not impressed with his win. Some felt an outdated Martinez entered the ring that night and Cotto capitalized on a fighter with bad knees. Others felt this was the most impressive Cotto fight fans have seen in a while.

After the loss to Austin Trout in 2012, Cotto felt the need to take his career in a new direction and bring on hall of fame trainer, Freddie Roach. Together the new Cotto team is 2-0 with a TKO victory over Delvin Rodriguez and the win over Martinez. Roach always states he did not change anything about Cotto, just simply brought the old Cotto back. Cotto has not been in the ring since June and no news or rumors have spotlighted anyone for his return.

Alvarez’ last match was with Erislandy Lara in July, when he won by split decision in Las Vegas. The bout was the headline of an Showtime pay-per-view and was anything but spectacular. Alvarez’ come forward, hard hitting, brawler type style gave him many difficulties against the runner Lara. Alvarez landed more punches and also the cleaner punches. Lara picked his shots but with high output kept Alvarez at safe distance and danced around every inch of the ring. Many felt the win could have went to Lara, others say a draw, but most agree it wasn’t Alvarez’ best.

Alvarez stated he plans to take back Mexican holidays by fighting in May and September, even though Floyd Mayweather is the usual Mexican holiday headliner. Fight fans were left to draw up their own assumption that Cotto was the target for the Cinco de Mayo fight, allegedly in Texas. The match up would bring huge crowds, and quite the rivalry against Puerto Rican and Mexican fans. The bout would have ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it and like Oscar De La Hoya thinks, could break 1 million PPV buys.

Leaving both their careers at exactly where they are now, makes for an even playing field for both Cotto and Alvarez. Would the fight with Clottey be too much of a risk for Alvarez? Did Alvarez realize that a possible loss by Clottey could jeopardize a chance to face Cotto in May?

Whether the ankle injury is true or not, the answer to both questions is yes. A win for Alvarez would have given him a slight edge over Cotto but a loss would have taken away all hope for Alvarez to face the WBC middleweight champ. However if both men entered the ring in May 2015, that would be an 11-month layoff for Cotto and 10 months for Alvarez. With 7 months until Cinco de Mayo weekend, that gives both men plenty of time and preparation for what could easily be one of the biggest fights of this generation.

What the end of the “Cold War” means for Boxing

If the adage, a journey begins with a single step can be applied to boxing, we may look back years from now and see the Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Gary Russell Jr. fight in June, as the step that opened the door for potential classic matchups.

Golden Boy Promotion’s Russell was facing Top Rank Promotion’s Lomachenko for the vacant WBO featherweight title after Golden Boy won the purse bid over Top Rank to promote the fight. Both men should be commended for daring to be great and fighting each other regardless of the politics of the situation. This turn of events, signaled that maybe, just maybe, progress could be made in ending the discord between the promotional giants, better known as “The Cold War.”

On a recent Jim Lampley’s HBO show The Fight Game, Lampley had Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya and Top Rank Chief Executive Officer Bob Arum on to inquire about social media exchanges between the two which implied that fights between their fighters could be a possibility going forward.

The following is a transcript of the interview in its entirety.

Lampley to De La Hoya, “The irony of course is that you became a ring legend in professional boxing while promoted by Arum, and fighting over and over against the best opponents available regardless of who promoted them, regardless of whether you were favored in the fight, is that the kind of competition fans can now look for in this new environment?”

 

De La Hoya – “Well obviously that’s the mission, That’s the objective of meeting Bob and having this open dialogue with Bob, I love the fact that I was able to fight the very best, and go against the toughest challenge and I believe it’s up to the promoters, Golden Boy and Top Rank, to make sure we continue that tradition, with the best fighting the best because my philosophy has always been in order to satisfy the millions of fans who love boxing, we must set our egos aside, and make these big fights happen.”

 

Lampley to Arum- “Do you agree Bob and does this mean that your top fighters Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will be free to compete against Golden Boy promoted fighters?”

 

Arum- “I couldn’t agree more with Oscar, it’s really been a travesty for boxing, that the best don’t fight the best. In what other sport does this happen? Only in boxing if there are wars between promoters, and in all the years I’ve been in the sport which is 50 years, I’ve never seen anything like when a major promotion company says they won’t deal with another company, that’s idiocy, but that’s been the case for the past three or four years.”
Lampley- “So, what fights come to mind Bob as you consider what business can now be accomplished with Oscar’s partnership?”

 

Arum- “Well, we’re going to talk, Oscar and I are going to talk later this week, but certainly one of them that comes to is one that every fight fan wants to see, and that’s middle weight champion Miguel Cotto against Canelo Alvarez.”

 

Lampley- “I agree, everyone wants to see that fight, one large obstacle Oscar, is that Al Haymon advises or manages a huge percentage of the fighters who appear under Golden Boy Promotions and there is abundant recent evidence that his advising is preventing a lot of desirable matchups from happening. How can you generate the kind of persuasion that is necessary to get Haymon’s fighters to take big fights?”

 

De La Hoya – “Under my helm, my leadership at Golden Boy, a lot has changed. The fact that I was a fighter for many years, I understand what the consumer desires. I understand what the fans are looking for; they are looking for the best fights possible. I have talked to Al Haymon about various possibilities, various fights that we can make, he has expressed a lot of interest. One thing Jim, about me, is that I want to satisfy the consumer, that’s the bottom line. Because the fans deserve the very best, and this is not easy to put together. This relationship between Bob and I is not an easy one where we can just make fights happen. The great thing about this relationship is that we already started the dialogue. The door is wide open to do some business in the future so, this will take time, but I can assure you and all the fans out there that we will make this happen.”

Golden Boy has been promoting quality fight cards so De La Hoya seems true to his word on giving the fans what they want as he continues to find a way to work through the political red tape with his former promoter. Conversely, Arum’s comments would imply that he seems to be ready to move in the same direction with the departure of former Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer no doubt softening up Arum’s position.

So, let’s pretend for a moment that the elephant in the room goes away and the promotional entities make the dream fights we all have been waiting for. Playing matchmaker for a moment, let’s delve in a bit deeper to dissect what fights might be possible.

Of course the crown jewel is the fight most are waiting for, Floyd Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, so for the sake of not beating a dead horse, let’s move on from that one and look at some other intriguing matchups in a few of the divisions.

Junior Featherweight/Featherweight – Leo Santa Cruz is going to be a busy man. Santa Cruz vs. Lomachenko, Mikey Garcia or Guillermo Rigondeaux would all be worth the price of admission. Russell vs. Garcia, Rigondeaux or Nonito Donaire. Can we finally see Abner Mares vs. Donaire?

Lightweight- Omar Figueroa Jr. vs. Mikey Garcia or Terrence Crawford, one word-explosive! Somebody’s O is going to go.

Let’s Have Some Fun At 140-147 – The biggest impact of co-promoted fights between Golden Boy and Top Rank would be felt here. While not feasible to list every possible matchup, I have selected a few fighters and listed potential opponents. Any of these matchups are must see TV.

Timothy Bradley vs. Mayweather, Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse, or Robert Guerrero. Marcos Maidana vs. Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Bradley, or Mike Alvarado. Adrien Broner vs. Brandon Rios, Marquez or Bradley. Danny Garcia vs. Pacquiao, Marquez or Rios. Amir Khan vs. Pacquiao, Bradley or Marquez. Keith Thurman vs. Bradley, Marquez or Pacquiao.

Middleweight/Super Middles
Golden Boy holds most of the cards with Alvarez, Jermell Charlo, Daniel Jacobs, Peter Quillin, and Gabriel Rosado but potential matchups with Top Rank’s Cotto, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Glen Tapia or Matt Korobov could be intriguing.

Of course as mentioned by Arum, Cotto vs. Alvarez is a fan friendly fight that would be welcome. In addition, matchups with fighters north of this division either at division weights or catch weights opens up countless top level matchups.

The Heavies – Golden Boy’s Deontay Wilder or Luis Ortiz vs. Top Rank’s Andy Ruiz Jr. Another co-promoted fight between Golden Boy and Top Rank has occurred, this one in the welterweight division. Golden Boy’s Sadam Ali facing Top Rank’s Luis Carlos Abregu on November 8th on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins and Sergey Kovalev. Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti was quoted as saying that negotiating the bout with Golden Boy vice president Eric Gomez was “easy,” another positive sign.

This article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning a new kind of elephant in the room that could possibly derail this exciting new journey happening in the sweet science. Additional promotional competitors who don’t play well in the sandbox together.

What’s the angle of new promotional company Roc Nation? What if Jay-Z becomes an influential player?

In it’s second day in the boxing world, Roc Nation recently out bided both Golden Boy and Top Rank by nearly two million dollars on a purse bid for the rights to the fight between Golden Boy’s Peter Quillin and Top Rank’s Matt Korobov. Even though this fight will not take place due to Quillin vacating his title, the message sent by Roc Nation was loud and clear.

How about an empire built through a merger of Haymon and Schaefer, man your battle stations if that happens, assuming that Golden Boy’s contract stipulations that forbid Schafer to work with another promoter until 2018 are amended.

What if, after Mayweather retires and he raises Mayweather Promotions to the best in the game? Or, Mike Tyson says not so fast and becomes yet another threat, this time outside of the ring.

And let’s not forget the major player from across the pond, Matchroom Boxing. If these scenarios played out and increased the promotional landscape negatively, the Cold War era would seem serene compared to a next generation conflict between promoters.

In an age where pay-per-view boxing events cost consumers north of $50, the fans deserve nothing but the best matchups that can be made when spending their hard-earned cash which allows the sport to prosper. To keep the sport booming with new generations of fans and alongside new extreme sports, promotional squabbles must end and go back to a time when the best fought the best leaving one champion and a long line of contenders.

To quote lyrics from the legend Sam Cooke, “it’s been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.”

– Rick Guerrero / @lapittrick

– Contributor to www.BehindtheGloves.com

Oscar De La Hoya has been known to send a couple shockwaves through the Boxing world, a recent tweet has fight fans buzzing about an epic showdown in the 122 pound division.

On Sept. 18, De La Hoya tweeted, “Mi gallo Leo Santa Cruz esta disponible a pelear con quién sea. Abner Mares o Rigo desde el Staples center en Los Angeles, que les parece” De La Hoya is letting his followers know that his guy, Santa Cruz, is able to fight against anyone, including Mares or Guillermo Rigondeaux from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Santa Cruz (28-0, 16 KOs) has never been one to give excuses to why he cannot fight certain fighters, so if De La Hoya is serious about the Santa Cruz-Mares matchup, it would be a favorable fight and an immense seller in Los Angeles, where both fighters are well known.

After Santa Cruz’ knockout victory in the second round against Manuel Roman (17-3-3, 6 KOs) fight fans did not seem to be impressed with the matchup, especially on the Mayweather-Maidana undercard.

Santa Cruz had stated that Roman used to be a sparring partner and he was a tough guy. He felt Roman deserved the chance to go up against him as his first 12 round bout in his professional career. The fight ended shortly after Santa Cruz caught Roman with a straight right and knocked him down, ending the fight. Santa Cruz stated later on during a press conference that night that he wants Rigondeaux, Scott Quigg or Carl Frampton next.

The most exciting fight for boxing fans that would happen between the three of Leo’s choices of contenders would have to be Rigondeaux (14-0, 9 KOs.). Rigondeaux, a 33-year-old out of Cuba, also has Santa Cruz under his radar. Rigondeaux is a tough contender who brings the heat every time he steps into the ring. Like Santa Cruz, Rigondeaux lands his shots very precisely, where he wants them to be landed. This would be an interesting fight to make, however it would not sell in Los Angeles like Santa Cruz vs. Mares would.

Santa Cruz, 26, is out of Michoacán, Mexico and ready for whatever fight he has set up for him in the future. He has never been the type of fighter to pick and choose who he wants to fight but he takes the fights that are presented to him. He recently vacated his bantamweight title in order to move up in weight and is looking for the next best fight.

Mares (27-1, 14 KOs) is coming off a win against Jonathan Oquendo back in July, Most boxing fans were disappointed with Mares’ performance, claiming that if this is the “new Mares,” they did not like what they saw. Mares recently began training out of the Bay Area with Virgil Hunter, who also trains well-known names such as Amir Khan, Alfredo Angulo and Andre Ward.

Santa Cruz is currently the WBC junior featherweight champion. He has stated in many interviews that he is ready for whatever fight comes his way and he works hard to prove that he is the best. With Santa Cruz’s style of fighting, he steps inside the ring to deliver many fast, landing punches in order to bring the crowd an entertaining fight.

A fight between Santa Cruz and Mares would be an exciting fight for both fighters fans, having been disappointed with both their previous match-ups. With De La Hoya putting Mares’ name on the table, Santa Cruz should stick to his “ready-to-go” attitude and pick up this fight if it is offered in Los Angeles, where both fighters have a huge fan base.

– Kiana Medina

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has signed a multi-fight deal with HBO which was officially announced today. Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo and Ken Hershman (President of HBO Sports) spoke in a media press conference today outlining their delight at the deal.

“Today is a historical day for boxing in general. It is my pleasure to always be working with a great young fighter like Canelo. We started promoting Canelo in 2010 and we always agreed that there is something very special about Canelo. At the tender age of 24 years old, which he just turned, this is the new beginning for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and is my pleasure to announce to you Canelo will be fighting on HBO network” stated Oscar De La Hoya who officially announced the deal.

Saul Alvarez could not contain his excitement of the deal affirming he is “super excited” and was motivated towards this agreement with HBO with the major factor being recouping the Mexican dates of Cinco de Mayo (May 5) and Sept. 16 as his fight dates. With the deal possibly opening up the route of fighting Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao and Julio Chavez Jr, Canelo confirmed that he wants those fights “Obviously those are the names, those are the guys I would like to fight. Yeah the possibilities are enhanced now being with HBO”.

Oscar De La Hoya stated that Canelo requested the Mexican dates of May and September as his fighting dates in a bid to recoup the Mexican dates. “Canelo Alvarez gave me my marching orders and that is fighting May of next year and September of next year so as his promoter I have to do whatever I can to make that happen for him.”

Canelo reiterated this by stating (with Oscar De La Hoya’s translation) “He’s always wanted to fight Cinco de Mayo and September 16 because him being a Mexican national that he has always celebrated and his countryman have celebrated so he’s excited that he can now finally fulfil his dreams of continuing that tradition.”

These dates are well known as dates that pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather uses for his fights and there will be an all out tussle on who can pull out the bigger event although Canelo affirmed that he wanted to give them dates to the Mexican people. “Obviously those two dates are very important, they’re Mexican dates, I want to recoup that. I want to recuperate those dates, take them back for the Mexican people and there should always be a Mexican fighting on those dates.”

Oscar went confirmed that Canelo wants a December fight and wants to fight in Texas. Ahead of rumours that Canelo could be fighting Clottey, De La Hoya could not disclose Canelo’s opponent his HBO fight in December. “We will have more details next week, we’re working on the site, we’re working on the opponent so that announcement will come shortly.”

Ken Hershman, Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya could not disclose the length of the deal stating it was a long term deal. Oscar De La Hoya stated it was difficult keeping the deal under wraps. “As you know with boxing it is difficult to keep anything under wrap, but we were all in agreement that we had to make this announcement very special.”

De La Hoya went on to confirm that a verbal agreement was not agreed with Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza, although the latter has stated there was. “No, no verbal agreement (with Stephen Espinoza). I obviously am doing what Canelo is asking of me. Canelo has expressed many months ago that he would love to explore the possibility of fighting on HBO and as his promoter I have to obviously do whatever possible to grant his wishes”

“I obviously sure hope that this doesn’t ruin any type of relationship, this is actually a great thing. This is a great thing for the sport of boxing, this is a great thing for the fans so I’m assuming and I’m hoping that it affects nothing.”

This deal has created a buzz in boxing like none other, and with the possibilities of big fights for Canelo the future of boxing looks very bright.

– Oun Abbas Hussain / @ouney86

– UK Correspondent for Behind the Gloves.

Nevada State Senator Ruben Kihuen and Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly have proclaimed Saturday as “Oscar De La Hoya Day.”

The proclamation is the county’s and state’s appreciation for nearly $1 billion in tourism revenue Oscar De La Hoya has generated in Las Vegas during his 16-year professional career.

A podium presentation to De La Hoya on Saturday will kick-start Nevada’s celebration of Mexican Independence Day. The event is free to the public and will commence at 1 p.m. at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign, located at 5100 Las Vegas Blvd.

De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, is scheduled to attend the event, hours before the Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana rematch taking place at the MGM Grand. De La Hoya is a gold medalist in the 1992 Olympic, a 10-time world champion is six weight divisions and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame earlier this year.