By Bill Emes
WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32KOs) is ready for battle. He faces mandatory challenger Chad Dawson (30-1, 17KOs) in a rematch on Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Hopkins, 47-years-old, is no stranger to being the underdog. Two of his biggest wins, where most experts considered him to be a heavy underdog, took place in Atlantic City.
Hopkins dominated Antonio Tarver in 2006 and then Kelly Pavlik in 2008.
Most expects view Dawson as the logical favorite in the rematch. Hopkins wants everyone to keep in mind how everyone counted him out against Pavlik and Tarver - and how the very same thing could happen on Saturday.
"I was the underdog with Tarver. I was the underdog with Pavlik. I'm not as big of an underdog [against Dawson] as I was in those fights, but I wish I was because my guys want to make money [by betting on me to win]," Hopkins said.
"The other two guys I destroyed because they couldn't get the years from me. That was Antonio Tarver. That was Kelly Pavlik - and [I did the same] to a few other guys who never even got the chance to show that they could become champion because they were ruined, physically and mentally....more mentally and spiritually."
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