By Luke Furman
50-year-old Bernard Hopkins is targeting one final world title and WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (43-4, 29KOs) is the prime target of that quest.
But Abraham's promoter, Wilfried Sauerland, is now pushing for his fighter to face Felix Sturm (39-5-3, 18KOs) in an all-German showdown and he wants it to take place before the end of the year.
Sturm is winless since 2013, going 0-2-1 in his last three fights, but a bout with Abraham is still a very lucrative event in Germany.
Hopkins, who won world titles at 160 and 175, wants to end his career by attempting to win a world belt at super middleweight - which he skipped over when he moved up from middleweight.
If Sturm accepts the challenge, it may close the door for Hopkins who was hoping to face Abraham no later than January of 2016 (when Hopkins turns 51).
"This fight should take place no later than this year. Because after [this year], Arthur Abraham has other obligations like a mandatory defense. It's not too late to carry out the fight between Arbaham and Sturm, but if it doesn’t take place in 2015 - then likely it will not take place at all," Sauerland told German outlet Bild.
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.