Hopkins Upsets Pavlik

Hopkins gives lesson to Pavlik and doubters

From The Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — After thoroughly confusing and dominating previously unbeaten Kelly Pavlik, Bernard Hopkins walked to the edge of the ring and stared at some of his detractors in the media.
The message was obvious. Don't ever doubt me again, even at 43 years old.

"I'm tired" of having to prove himself, Hopkins said. "What do I have to do? Kill someone? I believe I am the most underrated fighter when it comes to defense, when it comes to offense, when it comes to my heart. In my heart, I fought like I had to prove something."

Hopkins (49-5-1) showed himself to be one of boxing's all-time greats Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall, taking Pavlik to school in a 12-round non-title fight in which he beat up and embarrassed the middleweight champion with skills honed in a magnificent 20-year career.

"To be 43 years old and doing anything in sports is good," Hopkins said.

The one-sided victory could set a rematch with Roy Jones Jr. early next year, provided Hopkins' longtime antagonist beats Joe Calzaghe next month in a fight in New York City. Calzaghe scored a controversial decision over Hopkins in April.

Jones beat Hopkins in a 12-round decision in 1993.

"If I am going to fight again, it has to be no later than January or February, or it's a wrap," Hopkins said, hinting at retirement. "Because of the time frame, I can't keep starting this old 1965 car and think that it is going to take me through. I know my limits."

Pavlik (34-1) will have to start again after being exposed. What's obvious is that the Youngstown, Ohio, fighter will have to stay in the middleweight ranks.

His fight against Hopkins was at 170 pounds, and Pavlik looked slow and powerless in carrying an extra nine pounds.

Pavlik is required to meet Marco Rubio of Mexico for the WBA middleweight title. Rubio maintained his status as the WBA's No. 1 contender with a split decision over Enrique Ornelas earlier on the card.

Pavlik clearly has weaknesses.

"The strategy coming in was to win the fight, back Bernard up and cut the ring off," said Jack Loew, Pavlik's trainer. "Things were just not working. We went to Game A, B, C and just nothing worked tonight."

Hopkins was a big reason for that. He watched countless hours of video on Pavlik and noticed that most of his opponents danced to his right.

Hopkins said that allowed Pavlik to jab with his left and set up his powerful right.

"I kept going to my right, which was his left and he could not handle it," Hopkins said. "His feet couldn't adjust going that way. He could not throw across his chest with his right hand."

Pavlik looked lost from the opening bell as Hopkins beat him to the punch countless times.

A left hook in the second round caused Pavlik to buckle momentarily. Hopkins drew blood from Pavlik's nose in the fifth round and taunted his foe in the seventh, winding up for punches in an impressive flurry.

The question coming into the fight was whether Pavlik could become the first man to knock out Hopkins. By the final round, Hopkins was battering his opponent and threatening to make Pavlik's first loss a knockout.

"I just wanted to step on the gas pedal," Hopkins said. "I wanted to stop him."

Hopkins threw 304 power punches in the fight and landed almost half, according to CompuBox Statistics.

Pavlik threw only 211 power punches and landed just 55.

"I knew I was a better fighter than Kelly Pavlik and I knew I could overwhelmingly outgun whatever he did," Hopkins said. "He's a straightforward guy and if you notice Bernard Hopkins is at his best when he comes to me like that."

A gracious Hopkins walked over to Pavlik after the fight and told him he would be one of the game's top fighters, provided he stayed in the middleweight ranks.

"He still is the new face of American boxing; one loss is not the end of the world," Loew added.

When asked about Hopkins, Loew gave him credit, noting he had believed that his fighter could wear the old man down.

"He surprised me, he really did," Loew said. "But again our work rate wasn't there. We couldn't get off and throw punches. Kelly was throwing one or two punches at a time."

V. Klitschko Returns - Pounds Peter - Takes WBC Belt

From Newsday
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Vitali Klitschko had not fought in nearly four years, but the mayoral candidate from Kiev pounded Samuel Peter to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title when Peter did not answer the bell for the ninth round.

It has long been Vitali's dream to hold a heavyweight title at the same time as his brother, Wladimir, who currently has the IBF and WBO belts.

Peter chose not to come back out after eight rounds of heavy pressure from Klitschko. The bout took place in Berlin in front of more than 12,000 people at the new O2 World Arena. It was televised on Showtime.

"If Samuel Peter didn't stop the fight, I have the feeling in the next two rounds, I would have knocked him out," Klitschko said to the AP. "He got more and more punches, and his chin (was) not so strong as the first rounds."

Wladimir Klitschko dealt Peter his only previous loss, in September 2005 in a 12-round unanimous decision in Atlantic City. The Klitschkos have long said they would never fight each other.

Vitali Klitschko also held the WBC belt in 2004.

In an undercard fight, Cuban heavyweight Odlanier Solis improved to 12-0 and captured the WBC international heavyweight belt by beating American Chauncy Welliver. Solis, a former gold medalist, defected from Cuba with teammates Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy.

In another bout televised by Showtime last night -- but from Las Vegas -- Chad Dawson beat veteran Antonio Tarver.

Holyfield v Valuev in December. One Last Shot For The Champ!

From ESPN.com

Evander Holyfield has accepted an offer to challenge Nikolai Valuev for his heavyweight world title, the former four-time champion told ESPN.com Wednesday night.

Holyfield (42-9-2, 27 KOs) said his attorney is reviewing a contract from Valuev promoter Sauerland Event for a fight that would take place Dec. 20 in either Germany or Switzerland.

"It's solid. They asked if I will take the fight for the offer they made and if everything is straight up, I will take that fight," Holyfield said. "My lawyer is looking at it."

If Evander Holyfield does fight Nikolai Valuev and win the world heavyweight title, he would be the oldest champion since George Foreman.

Although Holyfield will turn 46 on Oct. 19, he said other people make more of a big deal about his age than he does. If he wins the fight, Holyfield would become the oldest heavyweight champion in history, even older than George Foreman, who was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994 in one of boxing's greatest upsets.

"They said I was too old when I was 34 and was getting ready to fight Mike Tyson for the first time," said Holyfield, who knocked out Tyson in a huge upset to win a title. "There's nothing new with what people say. I have a desire and I am the one who got to train and I am willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be the best. Just imagine a 46-year-old guy being heavyweight champ of the world?"

It would be Holyfield's first fight in 14 months. In his last bout, he lost a unanimous decision in Moscow to Sultan Ibragimov for a version of the title in October 2007.

Many figured that would be Holyfield's last shot at a championship, but he said he never lost faith.

"I felt that I would get another opportunity," Holyfield said. "I don't believe in that fight with Ibragimov that I did enough to take the fight. He moved a lot and I didn't take the title from him. It was what it was. I was hoping I would get another opportunity and here it is. I'm thankful to God. Nobody mentioned my name about nothing, but this opportunity is here now."

Holyfield, who is 6-foot-2 and about 215 pounds, will be at a massive size disadvantage in the fight, like most of Valuev's opponents.

Russia's Valuev (49-1, 34 KOs), who regained a vacant belt by outpointing John Ruiz in a rematch on Aug. 30, is the biggest titleholder in history. He is 7-feet and weighs about 320 pounds. Holyfield, a light heavyweight in the 1984 Olympics and former cruiserweight world champion, said the size difference doesn't bother him.

"Of course, he will be the biggest guy I have fought but it's something that could be very interesting," Holyfield said. "I will have a big target. I have to do the things I believe he can't do. He can't move laterally. I got to get in quick, fight and don't stand still too long. I just have to be in tremendous shape to outmaneuver him."

Holyfield said he was looking for a new trainer to prepare him for the fight after working most recently with Ronnie Shields.

"I always keep myself in shape," he said. "I'm probably looking for another trainer. Ronnie left after Ibragimov. I haven't made arrangements yet on a trainer. I hadn't really thought of who would be the right person."

Holyfield made news in July when his financial problems were made public after the mother of one of his children took him to court over missing child support payments. There were also threats of foreclosure on his sprawling, 54,000-square-foot suburban Atlanta estate.

Holyfield would not disclose his purse for the bout, although it is less than $750,000.

"Whatever it is, I'm honored to get the opportunity," he said. "It is the lowest amount I ever made for a championship fight, but I am just appreciative I got the opportunity."