Bernard Hopkins Wants To Be First Boxing Star To Fight At Barclays Center
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — Bernard Hopkins is moving as fast as ever.
The 46-year-old light heavyweight champ won a big bout in late May, will defend his title in October, and wants to fight again in January.
He also would like to be the first boxing star to fight at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, the future home of the Nets, set to open in 2012.
Hopkins will face 29-year-old Chad Dawson in Los Angeles on Oct. 15 with his WBC belt on the line.
"I didn't want to sit," Hopkins said Tuesday after a news conference in New York. "Not at 46."
Hopkins is already thinking about what's next. He wants a rematch against undefeated Joe Calzaghe, to whom he lost in a split decision in 2008. The only problem is the Welshman retired 2½ years ago.
But next up is Dawson, who's 30-1 with his lone loss coming to Jean Pascal last year. Hopkins beat Pascal in May to become the oldest fighter to win a major world championship.
"I don't see any way he can beat me," Dawson said.
Dawson described his boxing style as "laid back," and Hopkins immediately started talking about how he needed to get his opponent to fight out of character. That would make it a better bout, dialing up the buzz around Hopkins. And, of course, that would probably increase the odds of victory for Hopkins, who readily acknowledges trying to get into Dawson's head.
"If he's coming to the table only with the mentality that he's younger and he's stronger," Hopkins said, "then he's already lost."
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