Bernard Hopkins Interview Transcript

10/19/201310/18/2013 Golden Boy Promotions

005 Hopkins speed bag IMG_0736 Bernard Hopkins: It’s good to be back home in Atlantic City where my first fight was at in 1988. I’ve been there a few times, but to come there again at this stage is pretty exciting. It’s pretty exciting in a lot of ways. This never gets old for me. That’s been a love that’s still there and the energy is still there because this never gets old for me. You can’t do it all your life, but it never gets old. And when it gets old it gets kind of through the motions. When that happens there can’t be nothing positive come out of that. But I’m looking forward to next Saturday to, again, continue to add another page to this long book.

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My question for you, Bernard, we’ve been on a lot of these calls, but usually on these calls you’re either challenging for a world title or you’re fighting a big name. You, yourself, have said leading up to this fight; admittedly it’s a mandatory.

You need to get it done in order to get a bigger fight. I wonder from you Bernard, because this is probably your least recognizable opponent in I couldn’t even tell you how long, how do you still get up for this kind of fight knowing all the huge fights that you’ve had in your career?

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Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins Philadelphia media workout quotes

10/18/201310/17/2013 Golden Boy Promotions

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 17) – IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins debuted his newfound ring persona known as “The Alien” at a media workout yesterday at Joe Hand’s Boxing Gym in Philadelphia as he prepares for his Oct. 26 title defense against top rated contender Karo Murat. In true Hopkins fashion, the oldest fighter to win a world title in boxing history showcased his “out of this world” athletic abilities in front of a large amount of media eager to hear what he had to say. The fight will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“Everyone the age of 40 and over had better be on my side on October 26, or I’ll kick their ass.

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Hopkins vs Murat on October 26h

09/19/201309/18/2013 BoxNation

004 Hopkins and Murat IMG_7077 Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins’ historic IBF World Light-Heavyweight title defence against Karo Murat on Saturday 26th October from the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City will be LIVE and exclusive in the UK on the Channel Of Champions BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

In an incredible 25 year career, record-breaking Hopkins is the longest reigning middleweight champion in boxing history and became the oldest ever world champion when he won the WBC World Light-Heavyweight title against Jean Pascal in 2011. He then broke his own record when he beat Tavoris Cloud in March this year to win the IBF World Light-Heavyweight title.

Now he aims to become the oldest fighter ever, at 48, to defend a world title if he beats the mandatory and number one ranked German challenger Murat who at 29 is almost twenty years younger than the American legend.

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Bernard Hopkins To Face Mandatory Challenger Karo Murat In A Bout Rescheduled For October 26 At Boardwalk Hall In Atlantic City, NJ

08/18/201308/16/2013 Golden Boy Promotions

005 Hopkins and Murat IMG_7088 ATLANTIC CITY (August 16, 2013) – IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins will become the oldest fighter in history to make his initial title defense when he faces highest rated light heavyweight challenger Karo Murat in a rescheduled championship event taking place Saturday, October 26 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The 12-round title fight, which was postponed from July 13 due to visa issues experienced by Murat, will air live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT). With those issues cleared up, Murat has his sights set on ending the reign of the 48-year-old future Hall of Famer.

Hopkins vs. Murat, a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Caesars Atlantic City and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsors Corona and AT&T. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP).

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Hopkins vs. Murat Showtime fight on July 13 is cancelled over visa issues?

06/14/201306/14/2013 Chris Carlson

004 Hopkins and Murat IMG_7077 Veteran Scribe Steve Kim of Maxboxing.com has reported via Twitter that the scheduled fight between the Legend of Longevity Bernard Hopkins and Karo Murat has been cancelled due to Murat having visa issues.
Not long ago Kim, who can be followed on twitter @stevemaxboxing tweeted this “It looks like the Hopkins-Murat card on July 13th is off, from what I’m told. Murat has Visa issues”. Minutes later he added this, “Btw, SHO is now going ‘dark” on July 13.”

Visa issues have been a thorn in the side of many events throughout the history of boxing. With that said you can’t help but to speculate that there may be another reason for the possible cancellation of this fight. Murat’s Visa issue if he has one could be legit. It could also be perfect timing for Bernard Hopkins to move in another direction. The fight was made quickly and for a man who has limited fights left before he hits the age of 50, there could be other factors that are dictating the fight being called off.

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Hopkins/Murat Quotes and Photos

06/06/2013 Golden Boy Promotions

005 Hopkins and Murat IMG_7088 BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“I just found out a month ago, the doctor will be here before the [fight week] press conference hopefully to explain this, but I must confess that I am not human. I am an alien. No, seriously. I realize that Pluto is no longer a planet now, so I’m from Mars. I’ve definitely retired the ‘Executioner.’ You will not hear me mention the Executioner.

“Now, I’m in this world but I’m not of this world. There is no aging process for me.

“The breaking news is that I am an alien.

“I reflect a little bit in my mind about not only defending my title, but also defending my historic career.

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Hopkins plans on going for Murat’s nose with jabs

06/07/201306/05/2013 Jeff Sorby

001Espinoza-Hopkins-Murat IMG_6968 48-year-old IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2, 32 KO’s) says he’s going to go right after his opponent Karo Murat’s nose right off the bat on July 13th in their fight at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, USA. This will be Hopkins’ first defense of his title after beating Tavoris Cloud by a 12 round unanimous decision last March to take his title.

Hopkins was hoping to get a bigger fight against the likes of Carl Froch but he had no other choice but to face Murat (25-1-1, 15 KO’s), as he was his mandatory challenger and it was either fight him or risk losing the title by having it stripped from him.

Hopkins said to fightnews.com “He eats jabs. He doesn’t move his head…I will be working on the beak.”

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Forget a Ward-Froch Rematch! Bring on Hopkins-Froch!

09/14/201605/26/2013 Geoffrey Ciani

Bernard Hopkins vs Carl Froch Carl Froch represents everything that fans typically admire in a boxer. He can fight, he can punch, he can take a hell of shot, he can brawl, he is not afraid to let his hands go, and his fights are usually of a very entertaining variety. Additionally, he is a proven warrior who consistently challenges himself against the very best in the world. He is, quite literally, ready to fight anyone anywhere. The Cobra is also an extremely dedicated and incredibly well conditioned athlete. Most importantly perhaps, however, he always gives it absolutely everything he has. All of this was on full display when Froch defeated Mikkel Kessler by unanimous decision, reversing the outcome from their first bout three years ago when Kessler beat Froch in Group Stage 2 of the Super Six Boxing Classic. Just like last time, Kessler and Froch once again both put on an amazing show, with each combatant exhibiting good punching power, a solid chin, and tremendous courage amid heated back and forth action. Froch steadily outworked Kessler over the long haul and was able to control a lot of the activity with his effective rangy jab. Carl and Mikkel have now won one apiece, each man holding a victory on his home turf, and each man having once traveled to the other’s backyard.

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Bernard Hopkins: Not even father time can stop the one and only B- Hop

03/13/2013 ESB

by Andrew Picken: In another display of defiance Hopkins now, (53-6-2, 32 KO wins) rolls back the years and defies the critics by comprehensively beating Tavoris Cloud, (won 24 (KO 19) + lost 1 (KO 0) + drawn 0), to claim the IBF Light Heavyweight title of the world on Saturday night. If there’s a nickname he could steal it would have to be Paulie Malignaggis “magic man” as B Hop is still able to talk the talk and walk the walk, magic indeed at 48 years old!

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Hopkins The Master Does It Again, Takes Another One To School!

03/10/201303/10/2013 ESB

hop9 hop9 By James Slater – Living legend Bernard Hopkins did it again last night in New York: he took a good, strong unbeaten young fighter to school and relieved him of his world title. Arguably putting on his best show since taking away Kelly Pavlik’s perfect record in 2008, the amazing 48-year-old totally confused the powerful and dangerous Tavoris Cloud over 12 enthralling rounds to take the IBF 175-pound belt.

Enthralling rounds? Well, it’s certainly been said that Hopkins is a boring fighter, but if you do not enjoy ring mastery, ring brilliance and, yes, sheer genius unfolding before your eyes, then maybe the problem is more with you and less with ‘Nard. And Hopkins, now 53-6-2(32) sure put all his ring craft, all his savvy and experience and all his boxing brains on display last night. Scoring more rounds for defence perhaps (B-Hop cares less about punch stats and more about history stats!), Hopkins bamboozled Cloud, he had him tied up in knots (as ring caller Dave Bontempo stated on air) and he had Cloud bleeding and well beaten.

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