By Rick Reeno

This coming Saturday, two of the best ring technicians in the game will collide for the Ring magazine light heavyweight title at a catch-weight of 170-pounds.

Bernard 'The Executioner' Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 KOs) returns from a brief retirement to answer the call of slick southpaw Ronald 'Winky' Wright (51-3-1, 25 KOs).

Hopkins, 42, has not fought since his dominating decision win over Antonio Tarver last June. Wright, 35, last saw action in December when he dominated Ike Quartey.

The fight takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, live on HBO Pay-Per-View

"I'm back and my record speaks for itself," said Hopkins. "I was champion for over ten years, had 20 defenses and a win over a man they said was the best light heavyweight in the world, Antonio Tarver. Winky Wright is a good fighter, but I'm a great fighter, and I'll prove that once again on July 21st."

"I'm glad that Bernard stepped up to the plate to fight me when no one else wanted to take the challenge and I respect him for that," said Wright. "But that will all go out the window when we step into the ring on July 21st. I'm younger, faster, stronger and better than Hopkins and he knows it."

The staff of BoxingScene.com comes together to voice their opinions, predictions and strategies for the big fight.

This time the predictions were done with a twist. There was so much criticism in the media over the fight being on pay-per-view, as many felt the clash of styles will make for a boring fight. We asked the staff to honsestly answer whether or not they will cough up the $50 bucks and purchase the event on Saturday night.

Michael Katz - If I weren't going to be ringside, I'd certainly spring for the $50 to watch two of the sweetest scientists of recent years prove my theory that style isn't the only thing that makes fights - talent, skill, smarts, courage, stamina, character, pride also have some input.

I think it's going to be a lot better than many of my colleagues believe and that Ronald - can't call a grown man 'Winky' can you? - by being able to fight more than 20 seconds a round should outwork Bernard to win a very close and entertaining (if you like boxing instead of street brawls) match. Of course, it's always a question about whether he'll get the decision. They'll probably give it to Jermain Taylor.

Patrick Kehoe - If Wright can maintain his normal work rate at or near 170, he should be busy enough to over come Hopkins' sporadic combinations. The key will be Winky adapting to 167 or 68 or what ever weight he and Dan Birmingham have decided he can best carry over 12 rounds. Getting the weight issue spot on will certainly be the determining factor in the fight, a fight that should be Wright's to lose.

Keith Idec - Wright by unanimous decision. While Wright will give away some size fighting at a weight at which he has never fought, he'll be aggressive enough, yet effective enough defensively to out-point Hopkins, who will learn pretty quickly that he isn't in the ring with Antonio Tarver again. Wright has always fought his best against elite-level opponents, and Saturday night will be no different, despite Hopkins' intelligence and experience.

Mitch Abramson - Based on their quality of opposition and aggregate opponents, it should be an even fight, which makes this match-up so incredibly dull on paper. Hopkins was basically equal to Jermain Taylor when they met, and so was Wright. Both won comfortably last we saw them in a ring, in 2006, so my prediction is... Wright by DQ. I predict Hopkins, usually the master of the mental, gets frustrated, and starts belting Wright low and lower, leading to him getting thrown out on fouls late in the bout, at least that's what I hope takes place. What probably ensues is a chess match between the two boxers that has Larry Merchant calling for a six-foot ring and Hopkins, the bigger, fitter fighter, winning a decision.  

Grady "BB" Brewer, Contender Season Two Champ - I think Winky will pull it out by split decision. Winky's defense is strong and Bernard has not showed a lot of activity in recent fights- against Taylor and even Tarver, he just does enough to get by. Winky will be more aggressive and that with his defense will pull out the win.

JE Grant - No matchup in recent memory has possessed as many unknowns as this one. Hopkins has been inactive since his triumph over then-light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver. By boxing’s conventional wisdom he is also ancient at age 42. Winky Wright was a very comfortable 154-pound campaigner. He didn’t show great power at that weight or at 160. He won’t suddenly become a big hitter at the agreed catch-weight of 170. He is also pushing the age boundary at 35.

When you add to that Hopkins’ confounding style and Wright’s high-guard, southpaw defensive approach, you have a very strange brew indeed. Which of those many factors will prove decisive? The difference in this fight will hinge on Hopkins greater overall strength and punching power. His phenomenal conditioning and ability to keep Father Time at bay will allow him to outwork and possibly hurt his smaller opponent. Can anyone really see Winky powering home enough shots to get Hopkins’ respect? Not likely.

Wright, like Hopkins, does have an iron chin and Hopkins is content to go the distance. No knockdowns, no major trouble for either fighter. Hopkins edges out Wright in 12 rounds in an impressive technical, but boring decision.

Joe Harrison - Two great technical boxers go head to head for the ultimate chess match in boxing. The ageless wonder in Bernard Hopkins could have had the perfect retirement after defeating Antonio Tarver for the light heavyweight championship. Instead, he will allow age to catch up with him against a prime Winky Wright.  Six or Seven years ago, I would have picked B-Hop by a landslide. Today, we will only get a boring, but close contest with Winky coming out on top.

Alphonso Costello - Match up two of the greatest boxers of our era and what do we get? One meaningless fight. On paper Bernard Hopkins versus Winky Wright has Quaalude written all over it. But I'll go out on a limb and say this fight ends in a double knockout.
 
James Blears - Bernard's decision to reverse his retirement, was the wrong decision for the Wright reason. Sooner or late Father Time WILL catch up with him, and at 42 years old, it won't be that long. It is remarkable that he's been able to go on for such a spell, because boxers don't age like fine wines.

The ingredient for success is for Winky to insure the pace remains fast and force Bernard out of his comfort zone. Many experts have said it's going to be a technical purists' fight. But I think there's also going to be some fireworks, and Bernard will have to weather some tricky moments towards the end.

Once we get past the half way stage, it'll be interesting to assess Bernard's energy level in those ageing legs.

The fact that Winky is a southpaw won't present that much of a problem for Bernard technically, as he's fought quite a few. Rather, it'll be how he's going to cope with a long hard fight, some time after he should have hung his gloves up and put his feet up.

It might be time to change his nickname from B-Hop to Hopalong. Winky by a lopsided decision, with Bernard frustrated that his body won't obey his brain's commands.

Keith Terceira - Hopkins-Wright has the makings of either a snoozer or a war, two very defensive minded fighters that like to counter punch.  If both fighters lay back waiting to counter it could make for a long night. Personally I think Wright has more left in the tank than Bernard does and more at stake pertaining to his legacy in boxing.
 
Wright by unanimous decision.

Dave Wilcox - This fight proves nothing and will be the biggest bore in quite some time. Wright by split decision

Troy Ondrizek - Don't waste your $50 on this fight unless you ran out of Ambien and can't find another way to fall asleep.  Both men will taunt the other into throwing a punch so they can counter the other, but in the end - neither will punch.  I give the fight to Hopkins based on the fact that at times he will be willing to press the action. 

Wright will have a moment or two, but most will miss it because they will be too busy praying for Lampley to shut up and trying to mute Lederman's annoying voice. I hope I'm wrong about the action, but not the result.  Its nice to see two pound-for-pound guys square off, but why the two most boring?  Hopkins by unanimous decision.

TK Stewart - My mother always taught me that if I didn't have anything nice to say - then to say nothing.  Sorry, Mom.  This match is a joke (notice I didn't call it a fight?) and it shouldn't be happening.  The best thing about this mess was the brunch they served at the press conference to kick it off at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  Now that was good.  This match-up stinks. 

Anybody that would spend five cents on this fencing match is drunk with idiocy.  Who cares who wins?  What difference does it make?  At his age Hopkins should retire and if Winky can't beat him he should retire too.  All Winky aka "Krispy Kreme" has to do is make the old man fight, press him and make Hopkins shuffle around on those old legs.  I'll call it a controversial draw and I'll also predict that around the world people, even insomniacs, will be fast asleep in front of their TV sets.  Instead of "Coming to Fight" they should have called this thing "Going to Sleep ".

Jake Donovan - Wright by split decision. My only hesitance in picking Winky in a landslide is in not being 100% that he handles the extra weight well. They say every great fighter has one last great performance in them. I honestly believe that Bernard's came last year in embarrassing Tarver. I like Wink to outwork him in a fight that most sane people will have him winning at least 8 rounds - but this being a Golden Boy card, at least one card will be completely off the mark.

Carlos Irusta - I can't see how Wright can defeat Hopkins, especially in the light heavyweight division. I've known Winky for over a decade, since he fought Vasquez, and Winky was a real junior middleweight. This fight is really very diffciult to buy and very easy to predict. Hopkins, of course. But... Winky will not make it easy for him to arrive to a decision!

Brent Matteo Alderson - This fight is garbage.  How many of Wright's fifty something fights have been entertaining?  Maybe his fight with Vargas in December of 99 and his draw with Taylor.  Even though Hopkins' fight with Tarver was entertaining, that had more to do with the fact that the outcome was suprising and historically significant.

I brought my girlfriend to the Staples Center for the Hopkins fight with Howard Eastman hoping that she might experience the surreal utterly jubilant occasion of seeing a great fight live, but it wasn't to be.  I left there thinking I had wasted my money.  I'm not paying for this and I don't mind spending money on boxing. It may be a sad commentary on my stature as a fight fan, but I'd much rather watch Vargas-Mayorga.  By the way I like Winky by decision.  I think it will be competitive and maybe not as bad as I might think, but I think volume punching will allow him to escape with a close decision.   

Larry Tornambe - This fight being PPV is what is wrong with boxing in regards to losing fans and not gaining any new ones. Sure a purist will enjoy the talents of both men; however against each other this becomes the most dull matchup in 'big' boxing today.   20 yrs ago this wouldn't have made it on free network TV.  Hopkins isn't active enough and Winky is a counterpunching coaster (see vs. Taylor Round 12).  A 12 round total bore, either Hopkins wins by the slimmest of margins or
it's a draw.

Ron Gallegos - Winky may not be the most exciting boxer, but winning is his bottom line. He's strong, very smart, and knows his profession through and through.  This fight is a no-brainer, Winky by unanimous decision.  This is one prediction i feel absolutely confident about.  it's just no mystery, has no intrigue and i'll be watching the replay maybe the following week.  no pay per view for me, but as long as people continue to pay, they will continue to offer. 

Amy Green - Winky Wright and Bernard Hopkins both made  less than convincing  statements in a couple of their last fights. Hopkins was slow to start and not aggressive enough against Jermain Taylor, but redeemed himself against Antonio Tarver. Winky played it safe against Jermain Taylor in the last round of their battle, and was awarded a draw/screwing, then six months later handled Ike Quartey with no problem. Hopkins/Taylor has the makings of a an epic chess match, with whoever capitalizes first on the others mistake- winning. In a distance fight, Winky will win by split decision  by virtue of Bernard not employing  any sense of urgency from start to finish. The worst scenario- a $50+ PPV draw, in a long, drawn out battle of attrition.
 
Ernest Gabion - Yes I will buy it. Winky by unanimous decision. I am an admitted Winky fan, but I think the activity level and accuracy of Winky will make Hopkins finally look his age.

Rusty Rubin - I predict people will spend money on it. Wright by decision.

John Hively - I think Winky Wright will score a decision over Bernard Hopkins in a close fight. I don't think this fight is worth fifty dollars, and I won't even spend a dime and two hours of my time watching it. Of course, it could turn out to be a decent fight, but it's not worth wasting two hours to find out. 

Bradley Yeh - Hopkins & Wright are two great fighters. In my humble opinion Hopkins has seen better days but that doesn’t mean he’s not capable of fighting 12 rounds. He can easily do it, but just not for every round. 

Both of his fights with Jermain Taylor told us that, particularly the 2nd Taylor fight despite the fanfare and media circus after the 1st. As good as the Hop can be, currently I have doubts about his work rate and how much of an “executioner-menace” he really can be against a guy that’s not easily intimidated like Winky Wright; who himself perhaps isn’t quite as old school with his deliveries, but nonetheless has his own style and enviable efficiency factor.

Speaking of efficiency factors; that’s where I believe the difference will be for this fight. The way Hopkins’ efficiency stratagems manifest themselves, are at times as a quite unspectacular punch rate, even when in front of unforced errors. The criticism is not harsh, more the game is too tough for a middle aged executioner to stay in it without making the changes required to limit the faster and younger dog’s counterpunching opportunities.  Nevertheless Hopkins definition of stamina conservation is sometimes so lean that it becomes the dominant feature in his fight plan. And that’s not good because all the old school tricks in the world aren’t much good if you're not earning the rounds when your game doesn’t have a KO for your opponent in there.

I guess it’s obvious I'm not convinced from the Tarver dismantling that Hopkins has wound back the clock to his former devastating self.

Wright however has displayed no such concerns with his economies of motion. They have rarely observably dictated the larger part of his fight plan. That is, unless you want to call him out solely on his round 12 controversy with Taylor. Furthermore, Wright is probably a more accurate puncher, faster with his hands, fitter in a cardiovascular and coordinative sense, and on equal par with Hopkins power. Another benefit Wright has going for him is that he doesn't come undone easily with the typically successful modes of operand-us that an orthodox fighter might chose to employ against a southpaw. To me that means Hopkins has to fight hard somewhere in the fight or lose the rounds to the advantages Wright now has.

Too bad the fight wasn't 8 years ago – now that would have been good.

There's a lot of talk about how little Hopkins can do and still won rounds, and at the outset I hope that subjective dynamic doesn't enter into the scorecards. Boxing has had enough of that. I'm surprised how much I'm leaning towards Wright in this prediction because I'm seriously a big fan of the “I did it my way” Hopkins, and was one of the few that placed cash down on him against Trinidad. Perhaps therein lies the reason I'm leaning towards Winklet; if the Hopkins that consistently threw destructive punches without waiting for a vulnerable time to throw 1 or 2 well-timed shots, arrives against Wright, then my prediction would read different.

You see, if Hopkins now had devastating power then his “wait and see” old school technique would be something to make an analyst pensive as he writes his prediction.

(Thought I might sneak this in) Congratulations to Danny Green on his win Wednesday night against Otis Griffin. Green was offered to fight Victor Ogonov for free recently when Siaca pulled out, but declined apparently because Oganov hadn’t really proved himself worthy. Green went on to fight the more dangerous and proven Otis Griffin. A great win that places Danny 1 step closer to an IBO world title.

Ronnie Nathanielsz - For Filipino boxing fans who have suddenly seen their fighters win two world titles - IBF minimumweight champion Florante Condes and IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, the interest lies in the undercard where Czar Amonsot fights Michael Katisidis and Oscar Larios who became very popular among Filipinos when he fought Manny Pacquiao last year, takes on Jorge Linares. We will be rooting for Amonsot and Larios but they both have a tough task, especially Amonsot.
 
As for Hopkins I cant understand why he is the underdog when Wright is moving up and Hopkins is always in great shape. Hopkins is too crafty, avoids punches with ease and is likely to outbox Wright.
 
This may well turn in to a classic because both men are proud but it could go the other way and turn into a tactical, unexciting battle. We hope it wont. In the end Hopkins should prevail handily. 

Sammy Rozenberg - Hopkins by split decision in a boring battle filled with counters and jabs.

Cliff Rold - I'm ordering it. Wright wins by spilt decision over Hopkins:  I expect it to be close with arguments on both sides, but with a gun to my head Winky's age and width give him the edge.  Width is what struck me at their pre-fight presser.  Winky is huge from shoulder to shoulder.  His arms are also exceptionally long.  While Hopkins has a few inches on him, Wright's ability to absorb shots and out throw Hopkins, combined with fresher legs and a tad more speed, should give him the edge over twelve in a bout that will surprise and leave the question of a rematch on the table

Dave Sholler - Sometimes picking the outcome of a fight can be a bit grueling. A big part of you emphasizes the importance of studying film and breaking down the combatants’ strengths and weaknesses, while the other part tries to dissect the emotional atmosphere surrounding the fight. Like a chemist trying to gain an understanding of a complex formula, selecting the winning fighter is a lot like solving a lengthy equation.

Bernard Hopkins vs. Winky Wright is about as difficult a boxing equation as they come. On one side of the ring is a rugged former middleweight stud, a 42-year old gritty Philadelphian with a penchant for exploiting opponents both mentally and physically. Now a light heavyweight, Hopkins has extended his career by becoming a cerebral assassin and by understanding the importance of imposing his will onto others.

Across from Hopkins stands a defense-oriented southpaw who has carved out a successful career by using swift counterpunching and effective combinations.  As he has progressed in his career, Wright has become a dangerous foe and nearly captured the middleweight title from Jermain Taylor last year.

Still, as July 21 grows closer, critics become more vocal in their thoughts that this fight will be a snooze fest. In a bout that features two boxers who can become dependent on counterpunching and lack decisive knockout ability, it’s hard to argue those sentiments. However, those same critics also fail to see some of the upside in this fight. Bernard Hopkins is a versatile competitor and can adapt his style based on the flow of a fight. Likewise, Wright is crafty, and contrary to popular belief, won’t just sit back and wait for the action to come to him.

At the end of the night, the same things that critics say make this fight boring might just make it fun to watch. While the $50 price tag is never fun to swallow, Hopkins vs. Wright should actually be entertaining. Simply put, it’s going to be a bout where both fighters use boxing booby traps to try and lure one another in. For the sweet science lover, it should be fun to watch. It may not be Gatti-Ward, but if will feature smart, skillful boxing.

Prediction: The Executioner says we will all see “a younger, more fit Bernard Hopkins.” He also says he will knock Wright out. With the way Hopkins approaches the fight game at age 42, it’s hard for me to doubt him.

Hopkins by 11th round TKO

Rick Reeno - I'm doing the round by round, so yes I will order the event. I went against Hopkins when he fought Trinidad. I went against Hopkins when he fought Tarver. I'm tired of losing money and betting against the old man. I think the size advantage of Hopkins will play a role in the fight. Winky was never a hitter at 154, he was never a hitter at 160 and he will never be a hitter at 170. Unless Winky lives up to his promise of pressing the fight with a high volume of punches in each and every round, I see Hopkins winning a close decision.