By Mark Vester
WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev is willing to give former middleweight king Bernard Hopkins a chance to win his title. In the last month, Hopkins has made it clear that would be willing to come out of retirement in order to move up to heavyweight and face Maskaev for his title.
First Maskaev will have to get past Peter Okhello of Uganda, on December 9 in Moscow. Assuming he is able to get past Okhello, he must then get the WBC to allow him to face Hopkins, instead of the winner of the upcoming James Toney-Samuel Peter rematch. Hopkins will not face Maskaev if the WBC title is not involved.
Maskaev's promoter, Dennis Rappaport, told the Sacramento Bee that Hopkins' plan of moving up to heavyweight in order to face Maskaev is possibly nothing more than a publicity stunt. On the other hand, he did confirm the reps from Golden Boy Promotions have contacted him with respect to making a Maskaev-Hopkins clash.
"Bernard might be (Maskaev's) most attractive opponent," said Golden Boy Promotions adviser Don Chargin, to the Sacramento Bee.
