By Media Report, (May 25, 2006)
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Bernard Hopkins
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Middleweight great BERNARD “The Executioner” HOPKINS spoke to a group of middle-school young men yesterday during an open media workout at his New Orleans training camp where he’s preparing for a June 10 light heavyweight showdown with Champion Antonio Tarver.
Before introducing his complete training team and getting down to serious business, Hopkins spent 15 minutes talking to the young men from Banneker School, who made signs for the middleweight great to show support of his upcoming fight and thanking him for choosing New Orleans as his training base.
Hopkins also revealed his secret weapon—Popeye and a special can of his spinach—that he said has been helping him train for the past six weeks. “Popeye was always strong to the finish because he ate his spinach,” said Hopkins. “For the last fight of my career, which is appropriately named Fight to the Finish, I plan to have Popeye strength and fight to the very end. And then I will win.”
Hopkins, who has been in New Orleans for the past five weeks, will wrap up camp on June 2 before heading to Atlantic City for his June 10th fight. “I think it’s great that I will end my career where it started. It will be a legendary ending and one that boxing fans will never forget.”
OTHER BERNARD HOPKINS MEDIA DAY QUOTES
MESSAGE TO THE YOUNG STUDENTS
“They had to persevere through Katrina and it is the first major lesson of their young lives. Their teachers and parents are similar to my coaches and all they have to do is listen to them, stay out of harms way and they can be anything they want.
“My life is no different than yours. Like boxing, in life you have to duck. Duck the bad situations you
see, duck the bad people trying to tell you wrong, duck the corners round the way that lead to nowhere.
“And just like my boxing trainers, your teachers and parents are like your trainers and coaches, trying to tell you the right thing so you don’t get knocked out and find yourself in prison, dead or walking dead, which means you are on drugs.
“To not get knocked out and so you can be a great athlete, professional or anything else you want to be. You have to stay in the game, be true to yourself and be someone. But your team, like mine, are your coaches, teachers and parents—listen and let them be your guide.”
ON HIS PREPARATION
“I knew I had to add the pieces to my puzzle to be successful for this fight. I knew I could have stayed in Philly and ate my way to 176 pounds. But I wanted to do it right and fortunately I can afford to go out and get the best, the very best to make this happen. Mackie Shilstone has an undefeated record with fighters and is really the best with getting a fighter ready at a new weight. He’s the best and he’s not cheap either.
“John David Jackson is a former middleweight champion and a great fighter. He is a very respected trainer in the game and I’m so happy he’s here to help me. He’s a southpaw too and that’s one of the reasons I asked him to help me.
“I know I will be competitive at the weight and certainly my ring savvy will play a major part too. Remember, bigger is not always better. I am getting ready, changing my weight in the right way. It’s a very comfortable process.
“This will be my last fight. There’s nothing else out there for me to do. This is the best way for me to go out. Also, end it all where I started. It’s the perfect omen story unless I am the luckiest person alive.
“I’ve always loved a challenge and this is another one to add to my record.”
ON ANTONIO TARVER
“He’s picking arguments and talking about petty things to hype himself up. What side of the tv screen is he on? C’mon, man! That’s ridiculous.
“I heard there’s a scene in the Rocky Movie where Tarver, the champion, looks up at the marquee for the fight and sees Rocky’s name first. He gets mad in the movie too. What is going on? I think he is still acting? “This ain’t Hollywood and everyone knows what the record is for fighters who went off and made movies.
“He uses all that nonsense to induce his own hype and motivation. He is trying to use the fact that he thinks he gets disrespected by the industry to be physically and mentally up and to get ready for the fight.
“I understand his psyche but who cares about the small things. I hope he keeps worrying about all the small things—if my ringwalk is better than his, if my outfit is going to outshine his. I hope he’s worrying about what kind of shorts I’m wearing instead of keeping his hands up. That’s what I hope he’s worrying about the night we are fighting. It will be an easy night for me.
“A bigger man coming to me. A big polar bear trying to stop me and it’s not his fight style either. He can bring the fight to me. I’m won’t be going anywhere either. He’s got a $250,000 bet in the contract that says he will knock-out me out before the sixth round. Talk about having to worry about something else. We’re talking about a quarter of a million dollars. You know why he made that bet, which he probably secretly regrets. He made it because he knows that if he doesn’t get me in the early rounds, he’s done. And I mean done.”
“FIGHT TO THE FINISH”— After dominating the middleweight division for the past decade, Bernard Hopkins (46-4-1 32KOs) will move up in weight to challenge light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver (24-3-0 24KOs) in 12-round light heavyweight championship June 10 in at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The event is presented by Star Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions and Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. Tickets for the Tarver vs. Hopkins "Fight To The Finish" are priced at $750, $600, $400, $200, $100 and $50, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations by calling 800-736-1420 or at www.ticketmaster.com and televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
