By Mark Vester

Retired former middleweight/light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, 41-years-old  (47-4-1, 32 KOs), is still feeling the itch to come out of retirement and challenge Oleg Maskaev (33-5, 26 KOs) for the WBC heavwyeight title next year.

In a recent interview with Bernard Fernandez, Hopkins says that he has spoken to all of the higher powers about making the bout, and everyone has been delighted with the idea of a heavyweight return. Hopkins sees flaws in the blueprint of Maskaev that he can expose in the ring and win the title.

"I talked to [HBO Sports vice president] Kery Davis," Hopkins said. "I talked to [HBO Sports pay-per-view chief] Mark Taffet. I talked to [WBC president] Jose Sulaiman, who is very enthusiastic. They all know this is a fight people would want to see. Now it's up to Oscar [De La Hoya] and Richard [Schaefer] to strike a deal with Rappoport. I think it will get done and I'll shock the world again. I would not take any fight that I did not believe in my heart that I could win. Maskaev is big and strong, but I see things in him that can be exposed."

Hopkins said that it would take him at least nine months to bulk up for the fight, and come in around 200-205 pounds for the bout. Hopkins said that he talked it over with physical conditioning expert Mackie Shilstone, and he thinks Hopkins can do it. Bernard plans to do a remake of Rocky 4, coming to the ring like Apolla Creed and facing a giant Russian.

"I'm going to come in like Apollo Creed, with red, white and blue trunks, red, white and blue shoes and a red, white and blue robe," Hopkins said. "It'll be just like 'Rocky IV,' with me beating a giant Russian."

As stated in before, there are plenty of hurdles for this fight to happen. Maskaev must beat Uganda's Peter Okhello (18-4, 16 KOs) when he meets him on Dec. 10 in Moscow, and then he must face the winner of the rematch between James Toney and Samuel Peter. There is a good chance that Maskaev will not be champion by the time Hopkins wants to stage the fight, next June on HBO pay-per-view.

Hopkins went to state that if the Maskaev fight does not happen, he is going to stay retired. He has no interest in a rematch with Roy Jones, Jr. or Antonio Tarver,

"I'd stay retired," Hopkins said. "I wouldn't come back for Roy Jones. I wouldn't come back for a rematch with Tarver. That's out of my system. But to be the savior of the heavyweight division, that's worth my time and effort."