Comments Thread For: Hopkins: I Wanted Kovalev, Smart Move To Pick Cleverly

[Citizen Koba]

Yep. This is what happened. Duva went the Cleverly fight because she felt it was a sure thing and Hopkins was not. He never said he was going to release his title. And I dont think he ever WOULD have. The IBF is very good about forcing their champions to fight their mandatories, so it was slim to no chance that had Kovalev been the mandatory that the fight would not happen.

The suggestion was that Hopkins might vacate to fight Cleverly (which woulda been a bigger fight anyway as Kovalev was still relatively unknown and without a strap)... everyone wins ...except Kovalev who gets to fight for a vacant belt.

Hopkins woulda just sold a Cleverly fight as his desire to fight 'the best' - 'the champions' - as opposed to a relatively unknown challenger and told everyone that stripping him was criminal - and he woulda walked away smelling of roses.

Why would Kovalev do that when the Cleverly fight was already arranged (and just awaiting the White win) whilst BHop was stalling and apparntly had fired a proposal to Warren himself?

When Espinoza said no it's hard to argue that he wasn't expressing Hopkins' wishes.

[yoz]

Typical bull from Hopkins.

[skinnystev]

after loses to jermain taylor (twice) bad chad and slappy joe just how good can popkins be

[Citizen Koba]

after loses to jermain taylor (twice) bad chad and slappy joe just how good can popkins be

No, he's very, very good...just getting old, and speed and activity are his vulnerabilities. I'll say that BHop is being disingnenious on this occasion, also that I favour Kovalev to beat him (though I ain't taking bets on that one)... but to question that Hopkins was once great, and remains very hard to beat, is just...well.. wrong.

[Carlos Alberto]

All these athletes who are achieving these amazing things must get tested by WADA. It isn't uncommon for these athletes to test positive for PEDs [McGuire, Moseley, Sosa, Canseco, Armstrong, the list goes on and on].

[MDPopescu]

... " I wanted to be Kovalev..."

Gimme a break...

[BattlingNelson]

I'm sure Hopkins can get Kovalev after he has beaten Shumenov.

[Dr Rumack]

Who does Hopkins think he's fooling with this stuff?

[Mr. Philadel]

Frankenstein can fight Adonis after BHop undress the ex pimp and hit a walk off home run....they can battle for the vacated straps!!....BHop is taking a victory lap.....grandpa only got about 24 rounds left in him....don't act like yall can't see it....if Frankenstein had trucked Chad then he would've been on the radar....BHop just wants the main man and his title.....don't matter who, just so happened to be Adonis

[MDPopescu]

Frankenstein can fight Adonis after BHop undress the ex pimp and hit a walk off home run....they can battle for the vacated straps!!....BHop is taking a victory lap.....grandpa only got about 24 rounds left in him....don't act like yall can't see it....if Frankenstein had trucked Chad then he would've been on the radar....BHop just wants the main man and his title.....don't matter who, just so happened to be Adonis

That's my guess too. In fact is pretty transparent...