Eastman: "Hopkins Did Not Fight Like A Champion"

By Sammy Rozenberg

BoxingScene was in full force at the Bernard Hopkins-Howard Eastman middleweight showdown at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. We had a chance to catch up with challenger Howard Eastman and get his thoughts on the fight with Hoipkins.

BoxingScene: How do you feel about your performance tonight?

Eastman: I did the best I could given the circumstances. I could not do what I had to do in the fight because the referee was giving me problems which made it hard for me to do what I had to do.

BoxingScene: What do you mean?

Eastman: When I would get in close to Hopkins and fight on the inside the ref would break us apart everytime. I trained hard for this fight, my job was to get close and fight him on the inside. When I would get close, Hopkins would grab me and the ref would yell break. I was not given a chance to fight my way out, the ref would just break us as soon as Hopkins would grab me.

BoxingScene: You said earlier that Hopkins did not fight like a champion.

Eastman: Yes, he was running the entire fight. I thought that he would fight me like a champion and not run.

BoxingScene: So you werent ready for a running Hopkins because you expected a fighting Hopkins?

Eastman: I was ready for him to run. We knew that he might run to get away from my shots so I trained to cut the ring and fight him on the inside, but the ref would not let us fight on the inside.

BoxingScene: Who do you want to fight next?

Eastman: I would like to fight Bernard Hopkins again in a rematch. I want a chance to even things up.

BoxingScene: If you don't get a rematch with Hopkins, is there anyone else you would want to fight?

Eastman: I'll fight anyone anytime.

BoxingScene: If there was an opportunity to fight either Felix Trinidad or Jermain Taylor you would take it?

Eastman: I would fight Trinidad and Taylor, but I would like to fight Hopkins again if he gives me the opportunity to have a rematch.