Thread: Hopkins is heading for a fall if this is true

Ok, here's an apparent interview between Hopkins & Michael Marley. I'm always a bit sceptical where Marley because he regularly just flat out posts lies for stories (see the Floyd won't sign to fight Mosley story).

However, if this is true, Hopkins seems like a right dickhead who will end up badly hurt.

Hopkins Explodes on Golden Boy, Critics: "I Won't Retire" - Boxing News

I know people fall apart whenever fighters claim to be victimized because of race (although not when Pavlik did it recently), a bit unnecessarily so.

However, in this case it's quite right. Hopkins can't play the race card against GBP, when they managed to get him a fight against Pavlik (at that point the next boxing superstar) off a loss or that they got Mosley a fight against Mayweather.

Key quotes for those who can't be bothered to click the link.

"These motherfuckers want me out. They are trying to stop me working. They all want me out the way, it's their agenda against me"

"I will fight the system like I always have. I will fight the system and I love it. They all want to push me out the way, they want to put me in the same grave Roy Jones is in"

"I am the George Foreman of this era because I still have my skills. Sure, I've got big name value. But, Holyfield has that but nothing else, people are concerned about him (his health)"

"I am looking for all and any legitimate offers. I have not been under contract to Golden Boy since before the Pavlik fight. Shane Mosley is not under contract to Golden Boy either."

"I beat the Great White Hope Pavlik, and Shane beat Margarito, two fights they did not think we would win, but we did win them. So, after that great victory, I sat idle for 15 months and Shane sat idle for more than a year also?"

"Let's put it out there: We're both top fighters, both African Americans and we sat idle after those victories? When I beat Pavlik, that was so great a victory it should have given everybody an erection. But nothing happened. You tell me why I sat for so long then..."

"What he (Schaefer) should have done is take the podium and say I want to discuss things with Bernard Hopkins' team which means me because I am my own team. I can understand the personal concern but you don't talk like that (retirement) without talking to me"

There's a few more that make him seem a complete dick, but that's about the gist. The idea his race has held him back is bollocks. For about 6 weeks till Manny beat Oscar, he was the hottest thing in boxing, but he fucked up his own options. The only one he can blame someone else for is Calzaghe who retired. He tried to lowball Adamek and has plain ducked Dawson. He sat out because of himself not anyone else. Mosley ONLY chased a Pacquiao fight till September, turning down a deal to fight Williams, before taking forever to come to a deal with Berto. He's now got the fight he wanted so he can't complain.

He really doesn't seem to appreciate that he has a promoter who cares about him (although that was the case with DiBella before so I don't know why I'm surprised). How many other promoters would have put on a Vegas PPV just to serve his own ego & its quest for revenge.

I do agree that schaefer should of spoke to Hopkins in private about his future and not at a press conference. However Hopkins should retire. I respect his heart and desire too fight on. But he is definately a fighter in decline. U can only go one way at his age. maybe he needs saving from himself. He must be finacially secure. Maybe golden boy r doing him a favour

is gbp management slowly breaking up? gbp partners walking away 1 by 1. 1st it was barrera. now hopkins and mosley has issues with gbp.

Originally Posted by toe2toe

is gbp management slowly breaking up? gbp partners walking away 1 by 1. 1st it was barrera. now hopkins and mosley has issues with gbp.

I doubt Mosley does considering the deal they put together for him against Mayweather. In truth, those guys aren't desperately needed anyway. It's Oscar who is the selling point, as long he's there they'll be fine.

and well it wouldn't be GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS without the Golden Boy, i doubt very much that B-Hop is gonna leave, or even be booted out of GBP, same with Mosley Hopkins can still sell a fight, the Jones fight did so crappy because well everyone knew it was a farce, but put Hopkins against Johnson or Dawson and i bet you it makes up for the Jones fight

I'm not a huge hopkins fan and that's 98% because of what he does in the ring, but i will say he has always gone against the grain and done thing HIS way. And it's pretty much always worked out for him.....that's what sucks about him, there's nothing golden boy or any of these guys can do. There are only two things that will ever get rid of b hop, either getting his ass seriously KO'ed in a fight, or him just plain getting tired of pissing people off and boring us to death and retire. And we all know he aint ever fighting someone that will KO him, pavlik was our best shot and you see what happened to him. And i know everyone thinks haye would but he wouldn't either. He'll be a damn thorn in all of our asses and tarver and pavlik any of these guys they say that can, sadly he just will.

Originally Posted by Mar

I'm not a huge hopkins fan and that's 98% because of what he does in the ring, but i will say he has always gone against the grain and done thing HIS way. And it's pretty much always worked out for him.....that's what sucks about him, there's nothing golden boy or any of these guys can do. There are only two things that will ever get rid of b hop, either getting his ass seriously KO'ed in a fight, or him just plain getting tired of pissing people off and boring us to death and retire. And we all know he aint ever fighting someone that will KO him, pavlik was our best shot and you see what happened to him. And i know everyone thinks haye would but he wouldn't either. He'll be a damn thorn in all of our asses and tarver and pavlik any of these guys they say that can, sadly he just will.

If Haye can properly shake up a man who is 100lbs heavier & KO a tough HW in Ruiz, he'd stop Hopkins. Hopkins took too many shots off Ornelas & even Jones on the rare occasions when Roy actually decided to throw a punch rather than feint. I can't see who he is gonna fight now. He seems to want no part of Dawson.

I find it really strange that he would say this against GBP... Was he definitely insisting it was GBP who was holding him back and not the entity of boxing in general?

I just find it strange because every big GBP event, they make sure to the absolute extreme, that Hopkins' face is in every single shot. He's right there almost standing on the scales with fighters at weighins.. He stands RIGHT in between fighters in their face off shots. In EVERY interview he nearly has his nose touching the microphone while someone ELSE is getting interviewed.. In the corner before fights he pretty much rests his chin on the fighters shoulder so his face is just as prominent..

Either he insists on doing this himself so that his face is as prominent in every single shot as possible (lame), OR GBP ensures his face is absolutely everywhere important at their events... It would seem odd that promote him in this way, yet are holding him back from the fights he wants... Oscar is a smart man, If they didn't care about Hopkins then they would make sure they have some other young hot fighter in every shot, getting their face known to help with the next big payday/cashcow...

That's just Hopkins way I think.. All that he has done, he'll probably still be in the nursing home in a wheel chair telling his grandkids and everyone in ear shot how the world f'cked him over and he could have been bigger than Tyson or Ali if it wasn't for this or that...... He's had a majorly good run with everyone, including referee's, and he's getting close to the age of retirement.. And after all he's done and all that he clearly gets from GBP, he's still complaining...

I can think of at least 10 fighters right now off the top of my head who would have more to complain about regarding not getting the fights they deserve, but they aren't saying sh!t.. And havn't gotten a quarter of the opportunities Hopkins has had in his career.

If he goes ahead and fights Haye, all of his detractors will have a lot to laugh about. He's always pulling that racism shit too, it gets old very quickly.

Originally Posted by CFH

If he goes ahead and fights Haye, all of his detractors will have a lot to laugh about. He's always pulling that racism shit too, it gets old very quickly.

Yeah, this isn't Floyd or Khan saying 'I'd be a bigger star if I was white', it's him acting like he can't get a break. Him & Pavlik should have a rematch for who can feel the most sorry for themselves.

Originally Posted by JazMerkin

Originally Posted by CFH

If he goes ahead and fights Haye, all of his detractors will have a lot to laugh about. He's always pulling that racism shit too, it gets old very quickly.

Yeah, this isn't Floyd or Khan saying 'I'd be a bigger star if I was white', it's him acting like he can't get a break. Him & Pavlik should have a rematch for who can feel the most sorry for themselves.

Maybe they could have some kind of public debate. Pavlik could claim he is being maligned because he's a "Midwestern" (meaning white) fighter, while Hopkins could beak off about how the entire boxing world goes to Klan meetings headed by Oscar Dela Hoya and Richard Schaefer.

Originally Posted by CFH

Originally Posted by JazMerkin

Originally Posted by CFH

If he goes ahead and fights Haye, all of his detractors will have a lot to laugh about. He's always pulling that racism shit too, it gets old very quickly.

Yeah, this isn't Floyd or Khan saying 'I'd be a bigger star if I was white', it's him acting like he can't get a break. Him & Pavlik should have a rematch for who can feel the most sorry for themselves.

Maybe they could have some kind of public debate. Pavlik could claim he is being maligned because he's a "Midwestern" (meaning white) fighter, while Hopkins could beak off about how the entire boxing world goes to Klan meetings headed by Oscar Dela Hoya and Richard Schaefer.

Pavlik has at least already come out and said that (talking of which, where is all the anger we get any time another guy does it?), Hopkins probably would say that because, hey Jews, Hispanics, they're all part of THE MAN. I actually wouldn't put it past Arum to go to a KKK event if he thought he could make money off it. The Jewish heritage would be put well aside.

Originally Posted by Mar

I'm not a huge hopkins fan and that's 98% because of what he does in the ring, but i will say he has always gone against the grain and done thing HIS way. And it's pretty much always worked out for him.....that's what sucks about him, there's nothing golden boy or any of these guys can do. There are only two things that will ever get rid of b hop, either getting his ass seriously KO'ed in a fight, or him just plain getting tired of pissing people off and boring us to death and retire. And we all know he aint ever fighting someone that will KO him, pavlik was our best shot and you see what happened to him. And i know everyone thinks haye would but he wouldn't either. He'll be a damn thorn in all of our asses and tarver and pavlik any of these guys they say that can, sadly he just will.

As much as I hate David Haye to suggest that a 45 year old Hopkins going the distance with a prime heavyweight with a near 90% knockout record is a mere formality is ridiculous.

Haye represents a genuine risk to any fighter on the planet, especially a 45 year old career middleweight who seems to spend more time rolling around on the floor during fights than actually punching.

Hopkins may be too smart to avoid getting one punch KO'd, (although you can't rule it out), but I can easily picture him finding a way to quit before the 12th, feigning a low blow, back of the head punch and refusing to continue.

Considering the lengthy breathers he needed against Jones and Calzaghe it's really hard to see how he could go 12 rounds with David Haye throwing bombs at him.

If he made it to the final bell it would be an achievement imo.

Lets see when Roy Jones and Bernard first fought 17 years ago they were on the UNDERCARD, so neither was a superstar (obviously both had potential). Roy Jones' career obviously took off and made him an icon and filthy rich. Bernard did his thing at middleweight but was kind of under the radar, even after trinidad, he wasnt a PPV fighter. Bernard probably hasnt made half the money Roy Jones made in his career.

I attribute the differences in their career to the fact that Bernard was black.