Hopkins says he's ignored because he's black, also brags he ruined Pavlik's life

[generalbulldog]

PHILADELPHIA -- Unified light heavyweight titlist Bernard Hopkins believes race is the reason his pursuit of history hasn't been a bigger story outside of boxing.
Hopkins, who set records as the oldest boxer to win and defend world titles, will be two months shy of 50 when he faces unbeaten Sergey Kovalev in Saturday's light heavyweight title unification bout at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN.com, Hopkins was asked the reason his record-setting run in recent years hasn't transcended the sport. "[It's] because I'm black," Hopkins said before the start of his media workout at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym. "What do you think if my name was Augustine, Herzenstein, Stern? Cappello? Marciano? Don't you understand the conflict of interest?

"If I was any of those names of any other background, I'd be on every billboard and every milk carton and every place to be. If we're talking 'American Dream,' here's a guy who almost threw his life away and he took this great country's great attributes and used it -- do for self, work hard and be a law-abiding citizen. I've done that for 26 years."
Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs), who set a middleweight record with 20 title defenses from 1996 to 2005, was released from prison in 1988 after serving nearly five years for armed robbery.
"If you really look at it, I have done the 'American Dream' that people have died on boats to come here to live," Hopkins said. "I have done all of that and then you look back and say, 'Wait a minute, what's wrong here?' A lot of people are not bold to say it, but I am."
Hopkins is no stranger to speaking out about race. In 2011, he made national headlines for comments about then-Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb not being "black enough."
On Saturday, Hopkins faces possibly his most dangerous challenge in more than a decade against Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs), the feared Russian slugger whose 2011 opponent, Roman Simakov, died three days later from brain injuries suffered in the bout.
Hopkins claims a victory over the favored Kovalev wouldn't be enough to crack his top three of most significant in-ring performances. He reserves the top spot for his 2008 upset of unbeaten middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in a 170-pound catchweight bout.
"That was the greatest moment of my life because it was undeniably white against black," Hopkins said. "The American story against the thug, even though he changed his life. The convicted felon. So it was me representing an entity that had changed in spite of what they say you should be able to do. But once you do it, they really don't want you to do it.
"And so I exposed it and I beat him easily after being a 6-to-1 underdog. And, matter of fact, it even went further. I ruined his life. I ruined his career."
Pavlik was never the same after losing to Hopkins. He surrendered his middleweight title two years later to Sergio Martinez amid troubles with alcohol and retired from the sport in January 2013 at the age of 30.

Bernard Hopkins says race is reason his pursuit of history hasn't transcended boxing - ESPN

[ruthless rocco]

What a loser!

[TitoFan]

He's starting to whine just like Holmes used to.

[IamInuit]

Its so ridiculous on its base its not even funny. Here we go with the martyr card. I knew he had to play something. Talk about self absorbed. Hey Bernard the other guy is white. That stupid Alien mask is dumb enough. And please nobody say this is about drumming up business. To be honest I was waiting for some kind of race card but of all the ways to play it. Go for the jugular. Quote Kovalev's comments in the press or something. Bernard should worry a little more about remaining upright this Saturday and a little less about promotion when his cheque is already a guarantee. A little late in the day and he should have had a word with his promoter.

Never mind the physical evidence of his own career mocking what he said. He takes a leak beside Floyd Mayweather in Oscars bathroom. Yeah Bernard its because you are black.

[Beanflicker]

It's so ridiculous when guys play the race card in boxing.

Yeah, you gotta be white to make it in boxing. Mayweather, De La Hoya, Pacquiao, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Ray Leonard, Ali, Joe Louis... they never drew a dime in the sport. Everyone knows you have to be white to make money in boxing... :roll eyes:

Bernard has had one of the most spectacular careers in boxing history, but the fact remains he has a style that doesn't appeal to mainstream audiences, and unlike Mayweather, he doesn't have that coveted "0" and the "mic skills" to make people give a shit.

[El Kabong]

Yeah he's right. Nobody paid attention when George Foreman....oh wait he knocked people out, never mind

[mikeeod]

This is just Hop psyching himself up. For anyone who has watched the sport for a while, just think back to how he behaved prior to Tito and Pavilik. He gets himself worked up and increases the chip on his shoulder to get his mind right and get himself pissed off and motivated to go to war against a guy who is supposed to beat him badly. Hop always does this, and he usually performs well when he does.

I could be wrong, but I don't view Hop as a racist, and this is really no different to things Floyd has said before. Think of his comments about Jeremy Lin in basketball, or even Manny in boxing. There is a perception that because it is common for black boxers to be the most dominant, they don't generate the following that whites, hispanics, asians...etc. do because they (whites, hispanics, asians) are more of the anomaly/rarity.

You have to admit, there is some truth to what he is saying. It is remarkable what he is currently doing and there really isn't the publicity you would expect. Same with his story, the fact that he did hard time in the Pen and has been able to turn his life around completely and become a model citizen.

[Hulk]

This is just Hop psyching himself up. For anyone who has watched the sport for a while, just think back to how he behaved prior to Tito and Pavilik. He gets himself worked up and increases the chip on his shoulder to get his mind right and get himself pissed off and motivated to go to war against a guy who is supposed to beat him badly. Hop always does this, and he usually performs well when he does.

I could be wrong, but I don't view Hop as a racist, and this is really no different to things Floyd has said before. Think of his comments about Jeremy Lin in basketball, or even Manny in boxing. There is a perception that because it is common for black boxers to be the most dominant, they don't generate the following that whites, hispanics, asians...etc. do because they (whites, hispanics, asians) are more of the anomaly/rarity.

You have to admit, there is some truth to what he is saying. It is remarkable what he is currently doing and there really isn't the publicity you would expect. Same with his story, the fact that he did hard time in the Pen and has been able to turn his life around completely and become a model citizen.

I agree completely about him psyching himself up. He says outrageous things and acts like a jerk leading up to big fights. Let him do it as long as he keeps on winning and proving critics wrong.


I'm white and I don't take it personally.


There was a very touching article years ago about how kindly Bernard treated a terminally ill white teenager. He treated the kid like gold and the kid passed away at home watching Bernard beat Pavlik as I recall.

[Spicoli]

Hopkins being Hopkins really nothing new. He doesn't care one way or another what fans or opponents think of him. He's a 50 yr old geezer who wears a Halloween mask to the ring and embarrasses kids half his age. More power to him....Kovalev was reached earlier for a response

[holmcall]

Chip on shoulder time. This guys makes me sick with his whining. He is worse than Holmes, Chavez, Sr, and JMM combined.

[beenKOed]

It's so ridiculous when guys play the race card in boxing.

Yeah, you gotta be white to make it in boxing. Mayweather, De La Hoya, Pacquiao, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Ray Leonard, Ali, Joe Louis... they never drew a dime in the sport. Everyone knows you have to be white to make money in boxing... :roll eyes:

Bernard has had one of the most spectacular careers in boxing history, but the fact remains he has a style that doesn't appeal to mainstream audiences, and unlike Mayweather, he doesn't have that coveted "0" and the "mic skills" to make people give a shit.

Agree completely, good post, you said it much better than I could have.
I never expected to see a pussyfied side to Hopkins.

[erics44]

hes probly right about pavlik

[denilson200]

PHILADELPHIA -- Unified light heavyweight titlist Bernard Hopkins believes race is the reason his pursuit of history hasn't been a bigger story outside of boxing.
Hopkins, who set records as the oldest boxer to win and defend world titles, will be two months shy of 50 when he faces unbeaten Sergey Kovalev in Saturday's light heavyweight title unification bout at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN.com, Hopkins was asked the reason his record-setting run in recent years hasn't transcended the sport. "[It's] because I'm black," Hopkins said before the start of his media workout at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym. "What do you think if my name was Augustine, Herzenstein, Stern? Cappello? Marciano? Don't you understand the conflict of interest?

"If I was any of those names of any other background, I'd be on every billboard and every milk carton and every place to be. If we're talking 'American Dream,' here's a guy who almost threw his life away and he took this great country's great attributes and used it -- do for self, work hard and be a law-abiding citizen. I've done that for 26 years."
Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs), who set a middleweight record with 20 title defenses from 1996 to 2005, was released from prison in 1988 after serving nearly five years for armed robbery.
"If you really look at it, I have done the 'American Dream' that people have died on boats to come here to live," Hopkins said. "I have done all of that and then you look back and say, 'Wait a minute, what's wrong here?' A lot of people are not bold to say it, but I am."
Hopkins is no stranger to speaking out about race. In 2011, he made national headlines for comments about then-Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb not being "black enough."
On Saturday, Hopkins faces possibly his most dangerous challenge in more than a decade against Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs), the feared Russian slugger whose 2011 opponent, Roman Simakov, died three days later from brain injuries suffered in the bout.
Hopkins claims a victory over the favored Kovalev wouldn't be enough to crack his top three of most significant in-ring performances. He reserves the top spot for his 2008 upset of unbeaten middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in a 170-pound catchweight bout.
"That was the greatest moment of my life because it was undeniably white against black," Hopkins said. "The American story against the thug, even though he changed his life. The convicted felon. So it was me representing an entity that had changed in spite of what they say you should be able to do. But once you do it, they really don't want you to do it.
"And so I exposed it and I beat him easily after being a 6-to-1 underdog. And, matter of fact, it even went further. I ruined his life. I ruined his career."
Pavlik was never the same after losing to Hopkins. He surrendered his middleweight title two years later to Sergio Martinez amid troubles with alcohol and retired from the sport in January 2013 at the age of 30.

Bernard Hopkins says race is reason his pursuit of history hasn't transcended boxing - ESPN

Race matters in other sports. Why not Boxing ?

Look at the fallout when Barry Bonds become the all-time home run king of Major League Baseball and ppl said he used steds ? So non-black baseball fans demanded that an asterisk be placed by Bonds name in the record books.

Yet DiMaggio, Williams, Ruth benefited from the racist exclusion of black athletes from the major leagues ?

And yes, that Hank Aaron (A black guy) was the guy who records Bonds broken means nothing, just because you like certain black athletes, doesn’t mean that racism are not in the equation on the occasions when you feel otherwise.

Whites have long demonstrated a preference for smiling black folks. If black folks play by the script set up by whites – don’t be angry, don’t question authority, don’t be arrogant, don’t be political then everything will be O.K.

But if blacks deviate, non-blacks often see it as a racial challenge (in ways they wouldn’t if another white person did it), and react angrily.

Black athletes should not have to kiss your asses

Hopkins is right.

[Beanz]

Hopkins like you is acting dumb and becoming his own self fulfilling prophecy.

[Mark TKO]

I thought the Bonds issue was because he was a blatant cheat ?

I thought the race card argument in boxing kind of went out the window 50-60 years ago ??

certainly never heard it in my lifetime

Hopkins is talking bollocks. Fact