Bernard Hopkins is something else, isn't he? After a magnificent performance in soundly outpointing Jean Pascal last weekend to become the oldest champion in boxing history, he is showing no sign of slowing down and is already on to the next opponent. Although post-fight he said he would like to face IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute, Hopkins recently revealed on his Facebook page that he will finally meet Chad Dawson this Fall on HBO. Though Hopkins didn't go into details, it's interesting that he's waited three years to finally face Dawson. I'm sure Dawson's loss to Pascal and his recent underwhelming victory against Adrian Diaconu surely helped his case.
Personally, I don't think Dawson deserved the win against Diaconu. I actually thought he lost the fight, or at best earned a draw. Dawson, at times, doesn't look like he is willing to let loose and fire. That inability to use footwork and athleticism in favor of just coasting through the fight is exactly what Hopkins has been looking for in past opponents. If 'ol X is saying he wants to fight Dawson, then that is reason enough to think Hopkins is going to win.
The Best of the Rest...
If you didn't see it yet, make sure to catch Vanes Martirosyan opening up a can of whoop ass on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Wild Card Gym. Both fighters are getting each other ready for their fights spaced four days apart, with Chavez fighting for a MIddleweight belt on June 4th and Martirosyan facing off against Saul Roman on the 8th, but Martirosyan was just beating the living hell out of Chavez. If this is any indication of how far Chavez will go, the answer is looking like "not very."
I don't care what the news says, so I'll say it myself: Amir Khan vs. Robert Guerrero July 23rd. Not Khan vs. Morales, not Khan vs. Judah, but instead, a guy who won't pack enough pop to crack him, but talented enough to put on a decent show. On the flip side, Judah vs. Morales might actually happen though, which might turn out to be very fun.
Although his opponent didn't want to fight him and stunk up the night, I would love to see Joel Julio in the ring again. Julio vs. Andre Berto, Julio vs. Randall Bailey or Julio vs. Victor Ortiz all have the potential of being great, but short fights.
Next week's addition to the Milk Carton Confidential: Alfredo "Perrita" Angulo.
Last weekend, we saw Roy Jones Jr. get decapitated, again, by Denis Lebedev, who was younger, faster and stronger than the future Hall of Famer. Lebedev authoritatively closed the book on the career of Jones and I have a sinking feeling that Danny Green is going to do the exact same thing to Antonio Tarver come July 20th. Just saying.
(Danny Howard can be reached at dhoward@fighthype.com, Twitter @DBHoward126, and Facebook.)
Be sure to catch Howard and Vivek Wallace every Wednesday on FightHype Radio.