Bernard Hopkins: I would have knocked out Tommy Hearns..

[fightfan]

Bernard Hopkins once told legendary trainer Manny Steward that he would have dominated even his best middleweights.

 

"I've never faced a fighter with Emanuel Steward in his corner," said the 46-year-old veteran. "But I told Emanuel years ago that if I was around in that era, I would have knocked out every middleweight that he had, including Tommy Hearns."

 

Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 knockouts) and Steward will oppose each other as fighter and trainer for the first time in their careers when Hopkins defends his RING and WBC light heavyweight belts against 29-year-old Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 15.

 

"You beat Emanuel Steward, then you beat Chad Dawson," said Hopkins. "Chad Dawson is a dangerous fighter because he has a dangerous teacher. Notice that I didn't say trainer, I said teacher."

 

The feeling, said Steward, is mutual.

 

"I'm a big Bernard Hopkins fan, so this is a challenge for me because I have so much respect for Bernard. And for him to say that about me is unbelievable," said Steward, who is only his second fight with Dawson.

 

"I've followed Bernard's career from a distance throughout all of his fights. So this fight is important, and I know that the reality is that I'm going to be greatly responsible and accountable for the outcome."

 

Known for his gamesmanship as well as his "Executioner" nickname, Hopkins' act used to include providing his "victims" with a ceremonial "last meal" at the final press conference.

 

Hopkins promised to begin working on Dawson as early as Monday's press conference at the Staples Center, when he will come face to face with Dawson and Steward.

 

"Chad Dawson is going to have a hard time listening to Manny and focusing on Manny at the first press conference, because that's when the head games are going to start. I've watched Emanuel Steward for many years. I respect the teacher, I respect what he teaches and I've even I've even taken pages from his book," said Hopkins.

 

"So anything that Emanuel tells Chad Dawson to do, I've seen it before and I've probably done it. I know that I can adjust to any style, so whatever Chad brings to the table, I've already picked up. That's the luxury that I have compared to this younger guy."

 

Hopkins made a middleweight record 20 title defenses from January of 1996 through September of 2005 before being dethroned by Jermain Taylor in July of 2005.

 

Meanwhile, Hearns earned six career titles over as many different weight divisions from 1980 through 1999 comprised of the welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight belts.

 

"I told him that I would have knocked out Hearns, and I know that he doesn't agree with me. But I would have loved to have been in that era," said Hopkins. "I'm not bragging or boasting, but I just believe that I would have held my own in wins and losses within any era of boxing."

 

Hopkins is coming off of a unanimous decision over Canada's Jean Pascal in May, which made him the oldest fighter in the history of the sport to win a significant title belt.

 

Hopkins-Pascal was a rematch of a disputed, majority draw last December during which Hopkins rose from knockdowns in the first and third rounds for what many believed was a victory.

 

Dawson lost his title bid to Pascal (26-1-1, 16 KOs) by 11th-round technical decision a year ago in August, but rebounded with May's one-sided unanimous decision over Adrian Diaconu on the under card of Hopkins-Pascal II.

 

"Age is always a factor. So I'm always negotiating with father time, and we're sort of have a standoff right now," said Hopkins. "I'm like the old deer hunter trying to get another young buck."

 

Steward is trying to prepare Dawson mentally, physically and tactically for Hopkins.

 

"We're fighting one of the smartest and most intelligent fighters in history. Bernard knows how to fight on the inside, to counter punch and to box. Plus he makes adjustments. Against Pascal, for example, you'll see him throw the probing jab alternately with a hard jab. Plus Bernard's got a good, old-school trainer with Naazim Richardson in his corner," said Steward.

 

"My challenge is going to be to have Chad in good shape, unbelievably focused, and ready to fight a good, 12 hard rounds. Because if he has a mental lapse anywhere in the fight, then Bernard is going to take advantage of it and he's going to exploit it."

 

Steward's presence simply bolsters Hopkins' resolve.

 

"Chad beat Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson, but he struggled with them and I beat them easily. But having Emanuel there is a game-changer because he's a legend and he's seen everything, which makes Chad Dawson a serious fighter," said Hopkins.

 

"But I'm motivated by the fact that I can beat an Emanuel Steward-trained fighter. It's like going up against Angelo Dundee or a Freddie Roach. To get a victory against somebody with a mindset like them, that's another big notch on my belt."#

 

 

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/168435-hopkins-i-would-have-knocked-out-hearns

[RAZZ-MCFC]

nice article, although there is no chance in hell Hopkins beats Hearns inside the distance, and i'm a massive Hopkins fan!

 

Hopkins hardly ever stops his opponents, and to say he'd stop somebody as elite as Tommy, who'd head and shoulders be the best name on Hopkins record, is ludicrous in my opinion haha

 

Hearns beats Hopkins i reckon, but it might not be as one sided as a lot of people may think due to Bernard's spoiling and rough house tactics

[davemurphy]

BHOP is NOT a knockout puncher, a lot worse fighters than Tommy Hearns have gone the distance with him. I think BHOP might've had some trouble with the Hearns' reach (3 inch advantage despite their being the same height) and I think Tommy was a bit faster........BHOP is looking at the early career Chin before Hearns learned to hold on.

[The Galveston Giant]

Would agree that Tommy's reach and speed would be the key factor, Tommy would box his head off, Kelly Pavlik or Jean Pascal are no Thomas Hearns.

[McBride]

Tommy by very wide UD or perhaps even a late stoppage. Hopkins in his prime had no answer to the boxing skills of Jones Jr. Nothing I've seen of him since makes me think he would have had the answer to Tommy's.

[donlevy]

Well a younger Hopkins(like the one that fought Glen Johnson) is a different fighter to the older,more cautious one that he became as he grew older.He never had big power but he was very sharp and had much better workrate than the older version,and he was alot more aggressive too.And I think Hopkins would be smart enough to realize that boxing Hearns at a distance isnt a good idea and he'd look to stay on the inside and wear him down with body punches.

[McBride]

Tommy hit with enough authority to keep Hopkins on the end of his jab, and / or his right hand in his prime. At Middle he was not the weight drained freak he was at Welter when fatigue allowed Ray Leonard to drag him in to a brawl.

 

Plus no one in their right mind would consider Hopkins to be the Hagler that stood and had a 3 round war with Tommy. No one would have taken those shots the way Marvin did and come back with bigger ones.

[donlevy]

Weight drained freak? What do you base this on? Emanuel Steward never stated Hearns had an issue making the weight.And he wasn't the dominant force at Middleweight that he was at 147 and 154 either.Hopkins wouldn't have to necessarily engage Hearns in a war to beat him.

[davemurphy]

Well a younger Hopkins(like the one that fought Glen Johnson) is a different fighter to the older,more cautious one that he became as he grew older.He never had big power but he was very sharp and had much better workrate than the older version,and he was alot more aggressive too.And I think Hopkins would be smart enough to realize that boxing Hearns at a distance isnt a good idea and he'd look to stay on the inside and wear him down with body punches.

 

Totally agree, Don. For those that can't keep the two different Hopkins' apart, they need to go on You Tube and watch the first fight with Segundo Mercado. He was a totally different fighter, better in terms of increased volume, but also a LOT worse in terms of being Ring Savvy/Ring Smarts. He's been around so long that few even remember the early version of BHOP.

[Wheelchair]

An on form Hearns would keep Hopkins at bay all night long with the jab, and it likely would have been a boring fight due to Hopkins going into his shell, not wanting to be stopped. A landslide UD for Tommy with consummate ease.

[londoner]

There are two different versions of Hopkins as mentioned above. There was the "Executioner" character from Hopkins' reign at MW. And now we have the "B-Hop" character who is far more cautious and a wily old pro. But even at MW, Hopkins wouldn't have knocked out Hearns. The latter was far too good IMO, even at MW which wasn't his best weight. He'd have outboxed Hopkins over 12 rounds IMO.