Hopkins Aims To Beat Kovalev Better Than Trinidad/Pavlik

By Edward Chaykovsky

IBF/WBA light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, nearly 50-years-old, is looking to make a huge statement on November 8th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Hopkins is facing WBO champion Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23KOs) in a very high stakes unification.

If Hopkins is successful, some experts will consider it the biggest victory of his long career - even bigger than his showcase wins over Felix "Tito" Trinidad, Jean Pascal and Kelly Pavlik. Hopkins is predicting a statement win, and wants to beat Kovalev in better fashion than he did Trinidad or Pavlik.

"The fans believe that Kovalev is the much more dangerous light heavyweight to beat in the division," Hopkins said. "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." 

"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.