BoxNation viewers get to witness one of the most remarkable fighters ever to lace up when Bernard Hopkins opens the defence of his IBF World Light-Heavyweight title against Karo Murat at The Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City this Saturday.
Hopkins vs Murat
Hopkins vs. Murat undercard fights for this Saturday
Taking to the ring in undercard action will be unbeatens Zachary Ochoa, Robert Easter, Dominic Wade and Bryan Cruz, as well as Puerto Rican prospect Braulio Santos.
With a perfect 4-0 (3 KO’s) record thus far as a pro, Brooklyn’s Zachary Ochoa is making plenty of noise in the area. Returning to the site of his first-round knockout of Michael Salcido last November, Ochoa recently scored a shutout four-round decision over Calvin Smith in April. He will face York, Alabama’s Michael J. Doyle (2-5, 1 KO) in a four-round junior welterweight bout.
Bernard Hopkins Interview Transcript
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.
Q
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?
Karo Murat, Kalle Sauerland Interview Transcript
Bruce Binkow
Good morning, everybody. I wanted to welcome you all to this call. We are obviously very excited and enthusiastic for what promises to be a fantastic card next weekend in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Obviously we’re here to talk to the participants in the main event, Bernard Hopkins and Karo Murat, but just for the record, the rest of the card for the evening will feature Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin fighting Gabriel Rosado in a 12-round WBO middleweight championship bout, and also heavyweights Deontay Wilder and Nicolai Firtha in a 10-round WBC Continental Americas championship bought.
Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins Philadelphia media workout quotes
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.
Hopkins vs Murat on October 26h
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.
Bernard Hopkins To Face Mandatory Challenger Karo Murat In A Bout Rescheduled For October 26 At Boardwalk Hall In Atlantic City, NJ
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).
Hopkins vs. Murat Showtime fight on July 13 is cancelled over visa issues?
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.
Hopkins/Murat Quotes and Photos
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.
Hopkins plans on going for Murat’s nose with jabs
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.”