BERNARD HOPKINS may be 49 years old but he has unified the WBA and IBF light-heavyweight titles and on November 8 engages WBO champion Sergey Kovalev in a fascinating clash at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
While Hopkins may be one of the most cunning operators in the sport, Kovalev is one boxingโs most feared punchers. The Russianโs trainer, John David Jackson told Boxing News how Kovalev would approach a fight with Hopkins. โSergeyโs fighting an old man. Heโs got to treat him like an old man. He canโt give him the respect that most guys give him. Sergey couldnโt care less about how old Bernard is. ‘Itโs just my job to him. If I can hurt him, I can hurt him โ thatโs my job,’โ said Jackson, who knows Hopkins well – he fought him in 1997.
โItโs like when [Kovalev] fought Nathan [Cleverly]. Hit him in his arms, hit him in the shoulders, hit him in his body, hit him wherever you can hit him. An old body canโt take that kind of punishment. A young body isnโt meant to take that kind of punishment. Think how an older bodyโs going to take it โ not well. Thatโs what youโve got to do. Youโve got to apply that pressure and make that old man work. Youโve got to treat him as what he is. Heโs an old fighter, youโve got to treat him as an old fighter. You canโt give him respect, you canโt just let him do what he wants to do. Youโve got to make him work three minutes of every round. The bodyโs not built for that, especially at his age. Heโs never fought three minutes of every round.
โHe is going to prove that he is the best at 175lbs.โ