By Frank Lotierzo
Undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins is 0-2 in court versus his former advisor Lou DiBella. This came about when DiBella sued Hopkins for 4-5 counts of libel and four an eight figure some. DiBella only won one of the several counts and was awarded $610,000. The verdict was later upheld by an appellate court. With interest it's over $700,000 and counting.
This prompted Hopkins to say this week, "I take all fights personal. But this one is extremely personal. It's a fight that motivates me more than any fight I ever fought. In this fight there's no (attorneys raising) objections. There ain't no (judges) overruling. I am the judge, the jury and the executioner. This is me being able to get my vindication. It's just unfortunate for (Taylor) that he has to take the whupping."
If boxing fans are honest with themselves, what is it that we are looking forward to most about Hopkins-Taylor? How about the reaction of the winning and losing sides. Could there be a worse way for Hopkins 10-year reign as champion to end? After Holding a world title longer and defending it more times successfully than any other fighter who has held it, what could be more cutting for Hopkins than losing it to the fighter Lou DiBella has been grooming to take it from you since he turned pro.
Which is actually a scary thought if you're either Jermain Taylor or Lou DiBella. Remember, this fight is only happening because Hopkins asked for it. The way I see it, there is only one way to interpret it, losing isn't something Hopkins considers a possibility. Instead, he's looking forward to savoring the satisfaction he'll derive from winning, the only way a great champion knows how to think. By turning back Taylor's challenge, Hopkins comes out on top with HBO, Lou DiBella and anyone who believed Taylor to be his successor. Hopkins has even said this week that, "This is a great country where I can go in a ring and do something I love to do and actually assault somebody. I've got a personal reason why I want to clock this guy (Taylor), but I got it under control.
Victory for Taylor obviously would mark the high point for both his and DiBella's career in boxing. If Lou shed tears of joy the night Hopkins took apart Felix Trinidad, think about the tears he'd shed for Taylor after he took Hopkins undisputed middleweight title. DiBella has lost 50 pounds through the turmoil on what he calls his "misery and stress" diet. " What he did hurt me in every way. Look, Bernard Hopkins is a hall of fame fighter. He's the best middleweight of his era. In my estimation, he's one of the five best middleweights of all time. I'm not sure Marvin Hagler would have beaten him. But he is a vile human being. Inside the ring, he's a genius. Outside the ring, he's a hateful, lying person," DiBella said.
The stakes surrounding Hopkins-Taylor are much more than just the middleweight championship of the world. Hopkins either gets the ultimate revenge on DiBella by beating his superstar thoroughbred, dealing him and his Company a major setback or the man who used to be his advisor will go up 3-0 against him. On top of that he will have played a significant role in making him an ex-champ. Maybe the Hopkins-DiBella wasn't so bad after all?
When it comes to how the fight will turn out, I think most will agree that despite who they picked to win, the fight will probably go the distance. Although a stoppage either way is not hard to envision. Father time could aid Taylor and he just might catch Hopkins on the night he showed up and had nothing left in the form of an empty package. Hopkins winning by stoppage is also easy to see without knowing for certain how good Taylor can catch, not to mention his lack of experience. That being said, the fight going the distance is probably the more likely scenario. Which just fuels the drama extending the Hopkins- DiBella/Taylor soap opera.
What if Hopkins-Taylor goes the distance and it's close? I believe Hopkins' undisputed middleweight title will never have been in more jeopardy than if his fight with Jermain Taylor goes to the judges scorecards. Hopkins will be five months shy of turning 41 on fight night and simply may not have quite enough left physically to really separate himself from the 26 year old Taylor. It could easily be that Hopkins got the better of Taylor, but he didn't overwhelm him. If that's how the fight goes, who is the fighter more apt to get the benefit of the doubt in the close rounds? One thing that both fighters can count on is one of them will be awarded the round regardless of how close it is. Marc Ratner the head of the Las Vegas boxing commission despises even rounds. It's well known by most boxing insiders that judges who score even rounds don't score many championship fights in either Las Vegas.
The truth is, many of the more influential pillars of the boxing establishment do not want Hopkins to retire with his title. During his tenure as middleweight champ, he's exposed a lot of the bad things about the business side of boxing and the mistreatment of fighters. How many friends do you think he made doing that? Hopkins has been saying that he's not fighting at middleweight after his bout with Taylor, which makes him even more dispensable to those who might benefit promoting the undisputed middleweight champion. Just what HBO and the powers that be who control boxing want, Hopkins to beat Taylor and then six months later have Taylor meet Winky Wright or Felix Sturm for one of Hopkins vacated belts. A worst scenario couldn't exist.
Taylor may not have the star quotient that HBO would like for him to possess, but he has enough of the look, skill and personality to be one of their Marquee house fighters. To go along with that, he'll have impeccable credentials as the undisputed middleweight champion.
There's a very good chance that Hopkins 10-year reign and 20 consecutive title defenses as middleweight champ won't aid him a bit as being a possible tie-breaker in any rounds that aren't clear cut for either fighter. It may even prove to be the complete opposite. Hopkins has only had two of his title defenses fought in Las Vegas go to the judges cards. His third fight with Robert Allen in June of last year that he not only won easy, but his pending fight with Oscar De La Hoya was all but set and hinged on him winning. The only other time Hopkins title was at the mercy of Las Vegas judges was against Howard Eastman in his last fight which Hopkins won easy.
It was a little more than 19 years ago that another great champion who upset the wrong people by some things he said, was in Vegas for a big title fight. In April of 1986 Larry Holmes fought a rematch against Michael Spinks, who won a decision over Holmes to claim his title in their first fight. Holmes tore into the judges and boxing establishment regarding the decision favoring Spinks after the fight and before their rematch.
Like Hopkins, Holmes had a long title reign and made 20 straight defenses of his heavyweight title. He was also at the end of his career and no longer wanted by those who he had been bad mouthing since losing to Spinks. In the rematch, Holmes could've made history if he beat Spinks to regain his title. Holmes lost a split decision in the rematch and was denied history. To this day I haven't yet spoke with or heard of anyone who saw the fight that didn't think Holmes won. Without a doubt the decision in the second Holmes-Spinks bout is one of the worst in heavyweight title bout history.
Bernard Hopkins could very well end up just like Holmes at the end of his career. Being cheated out of history as a result of losing a decision that he deserved. I'm sure Hopkins knows this better than anyone, but his title will never be in more jeopardy than it will be if his fight with Jermain Taylor is competitive and goes to the judges cards.
Hopkins could beat Taylor from pillar to post for 12-rounds leaving no doubt as to who won. But that won't mean a thing unless the three judges appointed to score the fight also see it that way. In the worst possible scenario imaginable, Hopkins could beat Jermain Taylor and still lose his title.
