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At this point, anything Bernard Hopkins does in the ring – good or bad – will likely make him the oldest fighter to perform such a fight.
For his next trick, the 49-year old attempts to unify titles in the light heavyweight division. But Saturday’s showdown with Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9KO) isn’t the end of the road with a win, a loss or a draw. There exists opportunities in the immediate future, especially now the lineal light heavyweight king Adonis Stevenson has pledged his allegiance to Showtime and Al Haymon.
The winner of Saturday’s headliner at the D.C. Armory in Washington D.C. is being floated as next line for Stevenson, who still has a May 24 title defense versus Andrzej Fonfara. Many believe the Haitian-Canadian will emerge victorious and that the fight is a stay-busy affair with greater – and more lucrative – opportunities waiting in the wings.
A three-belt unification battle with Hopkins (54-6-2, 32KO) would provide a huge payday and storylines galore. That it’s even a possibility is a testament to Hopkins’ flair for self-preservation. The pride of Philly shocked a grand total of nobody by – at age 48 – dominating Tavoris Cloud last March to reclaim a piece of the light heavyweight crown. A title defense versus Karo Murat in October not only proved entertaining but served as his second fight of 2013, with Saturday’s bout marking his third fight in 13 months.
Despite 19 years of youth in his favor, Shumenov hasn’t come close to enjoying the same level of activity. The Kazakh boxer proved a precocious talent, fighting for a title in just his ninth pro bout and winning the belt in his 10th, both fights coming against then-champion Gabriel Campillo.
Just five title defenses have followed, spray-painted over a four-year stretch and none coming against opposition worth recalling. Saturday’s bout is by far his most significant to date, though an alliance with adviser Al Haymon could open the floodgates for a career makeover.
Will age prevail and Father Time come beating down the door of an aged veteran? Or will a modern-day legend once again rise to the occasion, and once again prove that youth is wasted on the young?
Read on to see how the staff at Boxingscene.com believes tonight’s action will go down.
[Click Here To Read More]
For his next trick, the 49-year old attempts to unify titles in the light heavyweight division. But Saturday’s showdown with Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9KO) isn’t the end of the road with a win, a loss or a draw. There exists opportunities in the immediate future, especially now the lineal light heavyweight king Adonis Stevenson has pledged his allegiance to Showtime and Al Haymon.
The winner of Saturday’s headliner at the D.C. Armory in Washington D.C. is being floated as next line for Stevenson, who still has a May 24 title defense versus Andrzej Fonfara. Many believe the Haitian-Canadian will emerge victorious and that the fight is a stay-busy affair with greater – and more lucrative – opportunities waiting in the wings.
A three-belt unification battle with Hopkins (54-6-2, 32KO) would provide a huge payday and storylines galore. That it’s even a possibility is a testament to Hopkins’ flair for self-preservation. The pride of Philly shocked a grand total of nobody by – at age 48 – dominating Tavoris Cloud last March to reclaim a piece of the light heavyweight crown. A title defense versus Karo Murat in October not only proved entertaining but served as his second fight of 2013, with Saturday’s bout marking his third fight in 13 months.
Despite 19 years of youth in his favor, Shumenov hasn’t come close to enjoying the same level of activity. The Kazakh boxer proved a precocious talent, fighting for a title in just his ninth pro bout and winning the belt in his 10th, both fights coming against then-champion Gabriel Campillo.
Just five title defenses have followed, spray-painted over a four-year stretch and none coming against opposition worth recalling. Saturday’s bout is by far his most significant to date, though an alliance with adviser Al Haymon could open the floodgates for a career makeover.
Will age prevail and Father Time come beating down the door of an aged veteran? Or will a modern-day legend once again rise to the occasion, and once again prove that youth is wasted on the young?
Read on to see how the staff at Boxingscene.com believes tonight’s action will go down.
[Click Here To Read More]