Comments Thread For: Kovalev's Manager Claims Hopkins Had No Other Choice

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

While appreciative of the potentially career-changing opportunity Sergey Kovalev will receive Nov. 8, Kovalev’s manager claims Bernard Hopkins doesn’t deserve too much credit for facing his fighter.

Egis Klimas maintains Hopkins simply felt as though he had no other alternative nearly three months ago than to embrace a difficult fight the 49-year-old legend will enter as about a 2-1 underdog. Promoters needed only approximately 30 hours to negotiate terms for the Hopkins-Kovalev clash largely because Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs, 2 NC) faced an IBF deadline that would’ve forced him to make a mundane mandatory defense of his IBF 175-pound crown against France’s Nadjib Mohammedi (35-3, 21 KOs) had he not agreed to a unification fight against Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs).
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[MisanthropicNY]

I've never really liked Hopkins other than the fact that he has never ducked an opponent ever, so that alone outweighs all of my dislikes about him, so I respect him a lot... I wish more boxers were cut from the same cloth as B-Hop.. that being said..

I find it amazing that he gets a pass without ever testing for PEDs (he wouldn't amend to add testing in the Pascal contract) at 49... Roger Clemens clearly comes to mind... I know him being dominated by Dawson makes the PED claim seem silly but a slick boxer could nullify someone juicing..js...

That being said props to Hopkins (with or without PEDs) for taking this Kovalev fight... I have Kovalev actually knocking Hopkins down several times before the ref calls for the TKO...I don't think Hopkins can run for 12 rounds at his age against the constant Kovalev pressure..but we'll see if B-Hop proves me wrong once again...

[jas]

So Showtime shows Garcia vs salka but wouldn't show bhop mandatory or Stevenson according to Kovalev's manager...

[Detroit29]

Kovalevs managers so misinformed about Hops situation. Hopkins told this very site in great detail that Al Haymon people were delaying negotiations so they could position one of Haymons fighter in position to fight for Hopkins IBF strap should he vacate. Hops people did make an effort though. Hopkins was smarter than that and positioned himself for a big fight with Krusher. Two, Kovalev was the number one MANDATORY CHALLENGER to Hops IBF title, but he ran and dought Clevery. Oh what a short memory he has.

[BTL]

so showtime turned down the stevenson vs hopkins fight?... is tht why the fight wasnt made?

[Check_hooks]

SHO and Al Haymon were trying to screw him and this should make Main Events drop their lawsuit against GBP

BHop making chess moves as usual

It was the smartest thing BHop could do. The riskiest but also the smartest financially and legacy wise

[Hougigo]

Kovalevs managers so misinformed about Hops situation. Hopkins told this very site in great detail that Al Haymon people were delaying negotiations so they could position one of Haymons fighter in position to fight for Hopkins IBF strap should he vacate. Hops people did make an effort though. Hopkins was smarter than that and positioned himself for a big fight with Krusher. Two, Kovalev was the number one MANDATORY CHALLENGER to Hops IBF title, but he ran and dought Clevery. Oh what a short memory he has.

lol at manager being misinformed... then I read the last part

[texasboi15]

In my opinion there is only one challenge left that's worth the attention of the great Bernard Hopkins:

dethrone Andre Ward and become the greatest of all time.

[mrpizza-nd_beer]

I still give him props for deciding quickly unlike another champ who would prefer to build up a no hoper or all together just give up the belt. Speaks to you about the courage of Hopkins.

Kovalev by TKO.

[Francis M.]

People are too much into the soap opera side of boxing nowadays....

All the back on forth of who's ducking who.
All the reasons why the A side fighters are paying for in ring advantages.
We are now in the questioning someone taking on a real challenge?

I don't care for the reasoning, B-hop who has a lot of easy choices picked the fight everyone wanted to see. I wish I could say the same for PAC, Floyd, Danny Garcia, and Adonis.