Game 7 for Hopkins

There is a long list of things motivating for his December 18 title bout with Jean Pascal but etched at the top is making history.

“You can’t make history all the time,” Hopkins said. “You can have a winning record, a winning season, but to actually make history — a baseball player hitting 500 home runs or something like that — these things don’t happen all the time.”

“I get a chance to be the oldest boxer on record in history to win a title,” Hopkins continued. “And history making hasn’t ran out for Bernard Hopkins.”

A win in Quebec City against Pascal would result in Hopkins laying claim to both the WBC and Ring Magazine titles. It would also erase George Foreman’s name from the history books next to “Oldest Fighter To Win a Major Championship” and replace it with the Executioner’s.

“I’ll walk through fire with gasoline shoes on to get that,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins (51-5-1, 31 KO), who turns 46 on January 15, is convinced he has seen it all inside the ropes, and doesn’t believe Pascal (26-1, 16 KO) stands out as a superior talent.

“I’ve watched this guy’s [Pascal’s] defense,” Hopkins said. “I’ve watched how he swings with his head down. I’ve watched how he throws wild punches.”

Hopkins continued, “Then I looked at the fighters who have fought me the same way over the years — the Antwun Echols — the guys who threw punches to knock you out. Those punches don’t hit Bernard Hopkins.”

Hopkins, although seventeen years his counterpart’s senior, is convinced he has taken the necessary steps to ensure that he’ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Pascal over the potential thirty six minutes in the ring.

“I’m here because I am the most health conscious, clean-living person. No wine, no champagne; no anniversary, no birthday parties, no New Year’s — no sips,” Hopkins said of his strict zero-alcohol policy. “When you have that mentality, it buys you more time.”

If The Executioner was the least bit unsure he could beat Pascal, he wouldn’t be in the ring, his place in boxing history means too much to him.

“[I’ll fight] as long as it doesn’t take away from my legacy, as long as it doesn’t embarrass my legacy,” Hopkins said.

In less than three weeks, in a bout televised live on Showtime, Hopkins will have the opportunity to continue decorating his already Hall of Fame enshrined resume.

But for an aging prizefighter, one slip up can spell the end of a career — even for fighter as celebrated as Hopkins.

It is for that reason, Hopkins has allowed making history to be his carrot on a stick.

A win for Hopkins reserves another place in the all-important history books for Philadelphia’s finest, while a loss for the man they call ‘B-Hop’ could mean his career is history.

“I know it’s win and go further or lose and go home,” Hopkins said. “It’s the playoffs, baby.”

Thoughts on select fights this past weekend:

Carl Froch vs. I’m having trouble coming to grips that the same guy who showed unbelievable courage and heart by fighting eight-plus rounds with a broken jaw against Edison Miranda took such few risks against Carl Froch.

I also don’t understand how there’s no ‘Plan B’ to Abraham’s strategy. In March, provided the blueprint on how to beat Abraham — on Saturday, Froch perfected it. The result: ‘2’ in the loss column for King Arthur.

While he seems to have retained his power moving up in weight — KO’ing — and flooring Dirrell twice in Detroit (neither of which counted, one was generously ruled a slip, the other was illegal and left Dirrell out cold) — the problem is that Abraham’s power punches land few and far between.

At super , he’s just too small in stature to effectively implement his strategy. The taller opponents have been able to keep Abraham on the outside with relative ease. Further, it’s a nice luxury for a boxer to know that when you fire punches Abraham’s way, there will be none coming back at you. For whatever reason, Abraham is either incapable or unwilling to counterpunch.

Although contractually obligated, I do admire how Abraham already stated that he will stay in the Super Six and do battle with in the semi-finals.

While Ward has been more of a brawler than a boxer of late, previous fights and his amateur pedigree leave no doubt that he can box when he has to/wants to. I’d imagine Ward will do his best to adopt the Dirrell-Froch strategy, despite only sporting a one inch reach advantage over the Armenian-born German.

Lastly, I felt really bad for the blonde girl who had to sit behind Nikolai Valuev in Helsinki. Paid top-dollar for a sixth row seat and got planted right behind the 7’2” Russian. Ouch. Celestino Caballero vs. Jason Litzau

Classic case of underestimation — and struggling with weight apparently. But more importantly, two weeks ago Celestino Caballero uploaded a forty-six second Youtube video in which the lanky Panamanian called out JuanMa Lopez. Caballero called Lopez a “big chicken” with “no heart” & “no cojones” — whatever they are. He was apparently looking forward to a clash with top-notch featherweights and junior lightweights, while overlooking Litzau.

Also, previous to that, he posted a video directed at Litzau telling him the he was going to “break his face” and “kick his ass.”

Whoops.

Andre Berto vs. Freddy Hernandez

According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Andre Berto made $915,000 for his two minute and seven second fight with Freddy Hernandez. That’s approaching the money Sergio Martinez received for his rematch against Paul Williams. Think about it…