Final NY Boxing Press Conference: Pavlik v Hopkins

ByJim Everett

**With Slideshow**

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

On Saturday October 18, 2008 one of boxing’s legends will step into the ring at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, NJ to face one of the hardest hitting young champions in the sport today. The same city where he lost his professional debut twenty years ago could very well be where his career comes full circle and end by being knocked out, which would be the first time in his long career.

Bernard Hopkins 48-5-1 (32) has accomplished more in his career than most fighters can dream. He became the middleweight champion in 1994 and defended his title a record twenty times through 2005 before finally losing to Jermain Taylor in two controversial decisions. The forty-three year old veteran is 2-3 in his last five fights; after facing Taylor he won unanimous decision victories over Antonio Tarver and Winky Wright and most recently a split decision loss to Joe Calzaghe earlier this year.

Enter Kelly Pavlik 34-0 (30) who is the biggest puncher Hopkins has faced since defeating Felix Trinidad in 2001. With a knockout percentage of 88% Pavlik packs a bigger punch than any opponent he has ever faced.

During this week’s final press conference at BB King’s Blues Club in New York City Hopkins attempted to goad Pavlik into a wager about the possibility of him getting knocked out.

“The media has said Kelly wants to do something that no one else has come close to doing in twenty plus years,” grinned Hopkins “I’m not saying that no one can be knocked out, but he believes he can do it. The last person to say he was going to knock me out sacrificed $250,000, which was Tarver in Atlantic City. If he really feels he can do that, that would not only help motivate pay per view sales, it would really show that he means what he says.”

Hopkins even went as far as to say Pavlik should be the one worried about getting knocked out, “I’m going to go back to what I’m comfortable doing and that’s knocking people out. It’s going to be a great fight. I know my style which is many, and we know his style which is a few. I’m looking to put on a great show!”

Pavlik seemed unphased by the antics of Hopkins and responded with a reality check to not only Hopkins but the media. “On the comment that Hopkins made about somebody in the media saying about the knockout, I haven’t in one fight ever predicted a KO,” stated Pavlik. “I don’t train eight hard weeks with a brutal workout regiment and put my body through what I do just to knock somebody out. I go in there to win twelve rounds and if the knockout comes than that’s great.”

“I’m definitely ready, this is my chance now, Bernard is a legend and he’s had a great career and he will go down in the books as one of the greatest middleweights, I have a goal of the same thing,” continued Pavlik. “I want my legacy to be great also. I’m ready to go; I think it’s going to be an exciting show.”

Although Pavlik downplayed the possibility of a knockout many of the media members were buzzing that if anyone could knockout Hopkins, Pavlik would be the one to do so. We will have to wait to see if a new legend begins on Saturday while another comes to an end.