In part two of this four-part interview with Fightnews.com®, ring legend Bernard Hopkins pulls no punches as he prepares to embark on the biggest fight of his career outside the ring.
By Jeff Zimmerman
The super fight of Spence-Crawford is still not on the calendar [although media reports say November is targeted for the undisputed welterweight title]. Hopkins, however, gives high praise to WBO champion Terence Crawford and believes he is the guy to beat at 147.
“I respect the fighter that gets on TV or any other chance he gets to make it known [he wants to fight],” said Hopkins. The only person I can say right now, I’m 100% serious, then saying some BS on social media that you are willing to do this or do that. No, you’re not. You have to listen to your master. You got to listen to who’s thinking for you before you think for yourself.
“I respect Terence Crawford man. Not only has he shown up to support his stablemates, but he has shown up to say, ‘hey guys, I’m here, I got my eyes on y’all.’ And he hasn’t shown up sinning and grinning, he has shown up, ‘I’m here, I’m respected and I’m getting respect and I’ll give it back, I’m here.’”
Crawford was in the building to support Mo Hooker and keep an eye on Ortiz Jr., the mandatory to his WBO strap. Hopkins then took a shot at Tank Davis and his team, an obvious reference to the potential mega fight with Ryan Garcia that appears to be dead at this time.
“I turned around to Bud [sitting behind me], shook his hand and I said until they get past you, you are the guy, I believe. Terence Crawford, it’s my opinion,” Hopkins said. “I know Tank is there and this and that, but Tank is not the end all be all.”
Hopkins continued, “They got to get to you. He said ‘thank you.’ I said ‘no man, you earned it.’ To me, He’s not the gatekeeper he’s the gate. Terence Crawford has been around, fought everybody. I know his struggles. I know his frustrations that he takes out in the ring like he’s supposed to. They got to get past him.
“Stop the game, I don’t care. Let Floyd and all of them do what they want to do with Tank. And that shit is going to blow up, it’s just a matter of time. Let that shit air out the way it’s going to be. The shit show can do what they want to do over there.”
Hopkins shared the deal he made with Don King as an example of his personal quest for greatness.
“Nobody is bigger than boxing to hold up boxing,” Hopkins shared. “The fighter’s got the power, but they must have the business mindset also. And they must also have a conscience of where they are at this time, that is not going to last forever.
“These moments and opportunities when they come, do you think I wanted to sign a 2-fight deal with Don King to fight Keith Holmes to get in the finals and then fight Tito? It was a 2-fight deal, Keith Holmes, and the winner of William Joppy and Tito Trinidad.
“It was a deal with Don King that I did not want to do, but I wanted to be great. I dared to be great. I signed basically a 2-fight deal because I wanted to make it happen.”
Hopkins, who fought a who’s who in his storied career, including Roy Jones Jr. (2), Oscar De La Hoya, Joe Calzaghe, Antonio Tarver, and Tito Trinidad, understands the boxing landscape has changed since his heyday, but is still frustrated by the lack of big fights being made and spreads the blame around.
“A lot of people are going to read this and say they don’t make them like you no more B-Hop, true, I know I live in a microwave society of athletes,” Hopkins said. “That’s not taking away from their ability. I believe 90% of them think and react the way I do. And then there’s that other percentage, that raises its ugly head now and they normally always do when you get this type of talent, more than one.
“The Ray Leonard 47 era, the Hagler era. The junior welterweight and welterweight divisions there has been years and history made in those eras, those were tough divisions, and loaded. But steady making fights and making sense to make fights, you must be at the table. But we know who the puppet master is, or I do, so I say to anybody who disputes this we are not going to go back and forth in the media, this is to the fighters, whether it is Bob Arum, I put them all in the same bucket.
“If they got someone in the 47 that we are talking about and someone in that 40 range, thinking about moving up a notch, then they need to get the pants out of their ass and stop taking things personal, get over it. We are not going anywhere. Golden Boy Promotions is here to stay, obviously. That deal was sealed and stamped and approved this past Saturday [Aug. 6].”
Hopkins is not interested in hearing sob stories from fighters and will blast them publicly if he feels it’s necessary.
“So, if they think that time works against us, they got to know that they are either smoking or drinking something or they just don’t care and that’s when the fighter has got to care on the other side,” Hopkins stated. “They have to understand when it’s all said and done, I don’t want them coming to me a year or two from now crying with their sad story, I don’t want to hear it. I am going to call them out as soon as they do it. I am going to call them out and I want you to print this just the way it is. I am going to call them out, don’t come to me, don’t send someone in between, make a call to reach out to B-Hop.
“Don’t reach out to B-Hop. I’m exposing y’all. I am exposing all of them. This has got to stop and if it doesn’t stop, we have to keep exposing them. And if anyone feel like me, the way I feel, that nine out of ten fighters want to fight the best in their division until they are influenced not to.”
Hopkins, again, takes a shot at the ones that are pulling the strings at the top and he’s putting them on notice that he’s not going away silently anytime soon.
“So that’s why I started with the influencer,” Hopkins said. “I want to start at the top range who has the majority of that talent underneath that belt of the 140 and 147lbers. See because, they are under the impression we need them, no, the fighters need to make history. I think they are telling them to get the car, get the money. But if they are not telling how to keep the money and sell the car and get something that is going to have value later, just have fun with it, lease it. Then they are telling them the wrong thing. That’s another conversation.
“I’m going to be on them like a coyote. I am going to be on their ass every time I speak. I am going to make them have to respond one way or the other. I would love for them to respond the way the fans want them to respond. If they don’t respond, I’m going to pull the dirt off them. It’s going to get pretty nasty. This is a warning, not a threat, it’s a warning, not a threat. It’s coming. This is the first with Fightnews.com® with you, but there are more episodes, absolutely.
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Part 3 of this exclusive interview with Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins will be published tomorrow.
If you missed Part 1, check it out here.
Most of these fighters, to be the way Hopkins wants them to be, need to start as amateurs at 15 (or younger), then turn pro at 19 or 20, fight as many good fighters as they can in their weight class or the one below them, then retire at 25 or 26, and hope they have a lot of their wits about them and money to do something else. If you start at 19 and have 4 or 5 fights a year, most guys would have 40 pro fights or less by 26 years old, and would have some losses. Hopkins was 16-1 by his 27th birthday. Hopkins going after big promoters and managers isn’t going to change much, unless he says to get your fighters active and retired by 28.
Tom, I agree the protection of one’s health is mandatory in this sport. As a fighter advances in age, the risk of health complications will arise. For example, Ohio requires a baseline MRI or MRA of the head, echo of the heart, and an eye exam after the age of 35 and over in order to apply for a boxing license. I am in full support of these requirements.
“as he prepares to embark on the biggest fight of his career outside the ring.” ok
Two interviews and he really hasn’t said a thing…
He didn’t sign with King to be great. He signed to get paid and then be labeled great for beating a great smaller man. Win/win situation. Hopkins’ legacy is Triniadad and DLH, 2 smaller men.
He also beat Winky Wright, Antonio Tarver, and Kelly Pavlik. All champions who were bigger than he was. He wasn’t favored to beat Tarver or Pavlik. He arguably did his best work above 160.
Winky Wright certainly was not bigger than him. He came up from 154 and is physically a smaller man.
Tarver was certainly the bigger man but Pavlik was not. They were both middleweights and their dimensions are similar. Pavlik is also not a great fighter. Winky is the best boxer out of the 3 you mentioned. Let’s also not forget, Taylor beat him 2/2.
So my statement still stands, his legacy comes from beating 2 smaller men.
I’ve ALWAYS and will ALWAYS respect BHOP for being not only an All-Time great and a fighter that could’ve fought in ANY ERA! With that being said; He’s full of crap! Again, if he wants to expose promoters and the like, well he’ll need to start with the company he works for GBP! Specifically Oscar DLH! Sorry BHOP but you ain’t fooling us! Only yourself!!!
What is B-Hop saying, exactly?
What the hell is this piece? This is just hyperverbal B-Hop talking a bunch of stuff and saying absolutely nothing. The name of this series should be called “No Punches” and that’s it. Is there really going to be two more installments of this crap? I’m saying uncle because I can’t take anymore.
Unfortunately the content of this interview doesn’t live up to it’s title. Bhop said nothing it’s as if the engine is warming up forever and we are waiting for it to be put into gear. He said nothing man is actually scared to talk if you ask me.