And how the hell did he know it wasn't going to happen since he said it BEFORE Kovalev/Cleverly was signed?
Because Richard Schaefer had already publicly poo-pooed the fight and claimed that Showtime weren't interested so then Bernard could use the whole "Oh I really want the fight BUT..." excuse. Schaefer took the heat for him.
I think Hopkins is doing what Philly fighters do. Talk! But by no means do I think he want any part of this hard punching beast. Hopkins has lost a step even if he did win against Cloud who was very predictable. Kovalev fights hard, hits hard and isn't scared and I think that alone will be a problem for Hopkins
Because Richard Schaefer had already publicly poo-pooed the fight and claimed that Showtime weren't interested so then Bernard could use the whole "Oh I really want the fight BUT..." excuse. Schaefer took the heat for him.
Espinoza too. The fight was never gonna happen and B'Hop knew it. In fact there's some claims (I'll have to dig it out but it was Duva I think) that SHO tried to slip in a last minute deal for Clev to fight B'Hop.
Not that I particularly fault B'Hop for it, he's as much promoter as fighter these days, but the trash talking when he knows the moment's gone is an unnecessary part of the game.
Politically Kathy Duva's necessarily had to sit on the fence a little, but with Main Events' biggest names at the higher weights she was always gonna have to favour HBO.
Last edited by Citizen Koba; 09-06-2013, 02:48 PM.
hopkins really contradicts himself here. talking about fighting a guy just for a belt and being a paper champion when thats exactly what he did with cloud. stevenson is the REAL champion.
B-Hop is a no-win opponent. If you beat him, chances are you won't look good doing it. If you lose, you got beat by the senior citizen of boxing. The only way Kovalev comes out of the fight with his rep intact is if he gives B-Hop the beating of his career.
Comment