Bernard Hopkins "Discipline" from Leigh Simons Productions on Vimeo.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Bernard Hopkins vs Jean Pascal - Ends in a Controversial draw
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Getty Images 2010-12-18 |
By Randy De La O
Sometimes fighter’s career can be defined by one fight. Put in one bad performance after a great career and that is what’s remembered. On the other hand, put in a great trilogy, for the ages, to cap off an otherwise mediocre to fair career and you get a movie made about you, as was the case with Mickey Ward. In Bernard Hopkins case, he is a future “Hall of Fame “ fighter for sure but has never been known as an all out, in your face fighter. Saturday night’s fight with Canadian Jean Pascal changed that perception for me. Hopkins laid it all on the line last night, took a lot of risks, and proved himself a warrior. It was a career defining performance.
The fight, which began at the press conference, continued in the ring. After seemingly winning the first round, Hopkins was dropped by an illegal punch behind the head, one of several Pascal would land during the fight. Referee Michael Griffin, not having the best view, ruled it a knockdown. In the third round Hopkins was again knocked down. This time it was legit. When the fourth round started Hopkins had dug himself into a hole.
Hopkins picked up the pace from the fourth round on. Going to the body, using his jab, and both physically and mentally imposing his will on Jean Pascal, whose own physical strength and will seemed to be shrinking. By the seventh round Pascal had the look of someone that had just realized the he had bitten off more than he could chew. The old man still had a lot of fight left in him. Hopkins wasn’t quite ready to give up the ghost just yet, not by a long shot. Mindful of his legacy and his place in boxing history, Hopkins at 45 years of age fought the fight of his life.
The audience, which was almost a 100% for Pascal, seemed to realize that their man was losing. Hopkins sensed victory and began to fight like a man that was confident of winning the fight, at times mugging and teasing Pascal. Pascal corner seemed desperate and from what I could hear, seemed to think there man was getting the worst of it. Pascal, despite showing fatigue did have his moments during the fight but they were few and far between.
I thought that Hopkins won every round after the third, but a couple were close and could have gone either way. Both fighters came out hard for the twelfth round and it could have gone either way. Overall, Hopkins fought the better fight, threw more punches and landed more. He was more accurate with his punches and never wavered in his plan. He had Pascal flustered and intimidated throughout the fight.
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Getty Images 2010-12-18 |
Claude Paquette scored the fight 113-113, Daniel Van de Wiele also had it even at 114-114 and Steve Morrow scored the fight 112-112. The fight, shown on Showtime Championship Boxing, took place at the Pepsi Coliseum, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Marco Antonio Barrera vs Kennedy McKinney - 1996
As long as I'm talking about the Marco Antonio Barrera vs Kennedy McKinney fight, I might as well just show you. This is the fight that made a Barrera fan out of me. He showed a lot of grit in this fight. I'll give credit to McKinney too, it takes two to make a great fight. The fight was shown on HBO and was the first telecast of "HBO After Dark". The fight took place at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California on February 3, 1996. The referee was Pat Russell, who was recently inducted into the California Hall of Fame. The fight was stopped at 2:05 of the 12rh round.
Press Conference Brawls
Watching Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal go through their little scuffle during their prefight press conference made me think of my favorite press conference fight, when Marco Antoni Barrera popped Kennedy McKinney right on the kisser for mouthing off and McKinney took it. It was too funny. Then after a tough fight Barrera kicks his ass again and stops McKinney in round 12.
In the second video Don King hosts a Top 10 Boxing Press Conference Brawls. Marco Antonio Barrera made the video along with Erik Morales. Watch how quick Morales reacts when Barrera punches him. Split second reaction. Riddick Bowe does a pretty good job on Larry Donald. I don't usually agree with Larry Merchant but he is 100% correct when he calls boxing "The Theater of the unexpected".
Bernard Hopkins vs Jean Pascal
If the press conference for Saturday night's fight between Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal is any indication, Hopkins may have just won the preflight psychological battle over Pascal. There was a brief scuffle over Pascal’s title belt in which Hopkins appeared to dominate and then in the following stare down, Pascal couldn’t or wouldn’t meet Hopkins gaze. Hopkins came off as cool and in control, while Pascal seemed flustered and intimidated. We’ll see how that plays out in the fight.
Hopkins, at 45 years of age, has been through this countless times and has a huge edge in experience, especially in the quality of opponents. But Pascal, at 28, has the advantage of youth. Hopkin’s fights can sometimes seem dull and tedious but he always has a plan and he almost always sticks with it. If Pascal goes into the fight angry it won’t take much for Hopkins to frustrate him. Hopkins knows every trick in the book and my gut feeling is that Hopkins is going to give Pascal a spanking Saturday but the fight will go the distance.
There’s no way tp honestly predict what will happen but if hard work counts for anything Hopkins should be in great shape. Hopkins has the height and reach advantage and you can bet your last dollar that he’ll use that advantage to the fullest.
If Hopkins wins, he’ll become the oldest boxer to win a prominent world title, replacing the venerable George Foreman, who recaptured the heavyweight title by knocking out Michael Moorer in 1994, twenty years after losing the title to Muhammad Ali in 1974.
I’ll be rooting for Hopkins to win this fight. If he wins it’ll be good for boxing and it’ll be good for us old guys, but win, lose or draw, you can be sure that we are seeing the end of an amazing career and one that has had it’s share of adversity. Someday he can tell his grandkids that no one ever handed him anything on a silver platter, he earned everything the hard way. Can’t fault a man like that.
Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal will fight on Satursay night at the Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Both the WBC light heavyweight title and the International Boxing Organization light heavyweight title will be at stake. The fight will be Shown on Showtime Championship Boxing.
As always, let the best man win.
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| Photo and weights courtesy of Fightnews.com |
By Dave Spencer at the scale
Photos: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
Bernard Hopkins 174.6 vs. Jean Pascal 174.10
(WBC light heavyweight championship)
Paul Malignaggi 148.8 vs. Michael Lozada 148.6
Peter Quillin 164.14 vs. Martin Desjardins 164.5
Pier Olivier Cote 138.12 vs. Cesar Soriano 138.12
Tyson Fury 268.14 vs. Zack Page 212.3
Kevin Bizier 148.10 vs. Ronnie Warrior 149.2
Daniel Jacobs 164.12 vs. Jesse Orta 164.10
Eric Martel Bahoeli 239.4 vs. Ruben Rivera 261.5
Mikael Zewski 157.3 vs. Leonardo Rojas 159.9
Sunday, December 12, 2010
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