Light Heavyweight

When terms to a fight between former lineal light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and one-time IBF super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute were agreed on, all boxing fans had a compelling and significant fight to eagerly anticipate. But Pascal-Bute, naturally, was even more meaningful to Canadian fans because it finally promised a marquee domestic match-up worthy of international attention. 

And yet, one could easily make the case that Pascal-Bute is already tiptoeing around its expiration date. After losing his lineal title to Bernard Hopkins in a lackluster performance in 2011, Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KO), 30, was coming off of a gritty win over Aleksy Kuziemski in December of 2012 where he sustained yet another shoulder injury. 

Bute (31-1, 24 KO), 33, of course, made nine successful defenses of his IBF super middleweight strap before being bludgeoned by Carl Froch after finally leaving the cozy confines of Montreal’s Bell Centre and Quebec City’s Pepsi Coliseum. Bute, who looked shaky in a comeback decision victory over Denis Grachev, needs the Pascal fight to propel him back to relevance. 

Despite this perfect alignment of high stakes and historical significance, Pascal and Bute’s proposed May 25 fight has been postponed due to Bute suffering a hand injury that will require surgery (per CBC.ca): 

A spokesman for Bute's promoter InterBox said Tuesday the southpaw will need surgery this week to remove bone fragments from his left hand. The injury occurred during training in Florida.

A makeup date has yet to be determined, he said. 

So, given this frustrating turn of events, what should Jean Pascal do in the interim? Should he pursue another fight as close to the original May 25 date as possible, or should he remain idle so as to preserve the integrity of his fight against Bute? 

In a sense, waiting is perhaps Pascal’s most realistic option. A loss before fighting Bute would mean that both boxers would enter their all-Canadian super fight nursing uneven performances, which would dampen the fight’s magnitude outside of Canada. On the other hand, Pascal is likely itching to fight since he’s only been in the ring once since May of 2011. 

At this point, the extent of Bute’s injury remains murky. Obviously he will require surgery to remove the bone fragments in his hand, but it is still unclear as to whether Bute is looking at a convalescence of a couple or several months. Regardless, Bute could likely be ready to fight by the time Pascal’s most attractive options are poised to fight again. 

Pascal, understandably, will not want to let months of high-intensity training go to waste. A recent tweet asking if former foe Bernard Hopkins is ready to step in on May 25 was obviously cheeky (Hopkins is fighting Karo Murat on July 13), but it does speak to the significance of the May 25 card, which could be in jeopardy without a marquee headliner. 

Pascal-Bute was supposed to be part of a split-site card on HBO featuring the highly anticipated rematch between current IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch and WBA boss Mikkel Kessler from the O2 Arena in London. Naturally, this cross-pollination of cards would lead to speculation that the winners of the respective fights could end up clashing. 

Pascal fighting either Froch or Kessler would be tantalizing, but the soonest either could be ready for another grueling bout would be September (optimistically), at which point Bute could be ready, or nearly ready, to fight again. Plus, the layering of Pascal-Bute acting as both a historically significant bout and a stepping stone for the winner would be lost if Pascal simply bides his time for the Froch-Kessler winner. 

Plus, there is no guarantee that the winner of Froch and Kessler would opt to fight Pascal. And if they did, and if Pascal won, justifying a fight against Bute as a follow-up would be met with grumbles—at least south of the border—given that Bute is coming off of an implosion (against Froch) and an uneven victory (against Grachev). 

The point here is that Bute and Pascal are at the appropriate crossroads to be fighting, whereas Froch and Kessler are currently operating at a higher level. In order for Pascal and Bute to be taken with appropriate seriousness outside of Canada, they need to fight each other first to determine who is better. 

A similar case could be made for the upcoming June 8 fight between Chad Dawson and Adonis Stevenson. While there is no certainty that Froch or Kessler will want to move up to 175 pounds, Dawson and Stevenson will be battling for Dawson’s Ring and WBC titles. 

However, waiting to fight the winner between Dawson and Stevenson could again conflict with Bute’s return while offering potentially little reward. While Pascal has already defeated Dawson, “Bad Chad” is obviously a dangerous foe who was gaining some momentum in their fight before being stopped on a cut. A loss to Dawson would, in a sense, negate the most effective victory Pascal has scored to date. 

Obviously the promise of regaining the lineal title would appeal to Pascal. That said, both Dawson and Stevenson, despite the latter being Montreal-based, lack broad market appeal, and the fact that Pascal backed out of a second fight with Dawson to pursue a bout with Bute is telling. Pascal clearly cares about the historical implications of his fight against Bute. 

Someone like Tavoris Cloud, who lost to Hopkins in March, could be ready sooner, but what would Pascal stand to gain by fighting a now-former belt-holder who lacks popular appeal? Also, the fact that Cloud lost so convincingly to Hopkins to makes a proposed bout with Pascal far less meaningful than it would have been last summer. 

A tune-up fight offers tremendous risk without any prestige or reward for Pascal, and there is always the chance he could sustain another injury. If Bute’s injury isn’t debilitating (and that’s a big if), it might be for the best for both men to wait and not dampen the luster of a fight that could have been universally massive one or two years ago. 

Pascal-Bute will be the most important fight in Canadian boxing history. Waiting a few more months for it isn’t outrageous, and here’s hoping that Bute can recover quickly and that both men don’t do anything rash that could jeopardize this significant event. 

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The light heavyweight division is not one of boxing's best. Although most fans respect and marvel at Bernard Hopkins' accomplishments, having a 48-year-old champion only demonstrates how weak the weight class is.

Among the young fighters at 175 pounds hoping to hush such criticism is 26-year-old WBO champion Nathan Cleverly (25-0, 12 KO). Cleverly will defend his title against Robin Krasniqi (39-2, 15 KO) on Saturday at Wembley Arena in London.

The undefeated Cleverly has long been regarded as a strong young prospect, but he has been brought along slowly. He hasn't fought top competition yet, although both Hopkins and Cleverly have expressed an interest in making a unification bout happen.

For now, Cleverly must take care of business with Krasniqi.

In his last fight, Cleverly stopped Shawn Hawk in the eighth round at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It was only the second time in his career that Cleverly had fought outside of the United Kingdom.

Krasniqi is two months younger than Cleverly but has 16 more fights. He has stopped four straight opponents, including a third-round TKO of Max Heyman in November 2012.

The German hasn't lost a fight in seven years, but his record isn't littered with tough opposition. This will be a proving grounds of sorts for both men, but Cleverly is the main attraction here.

Will he be derailed from his path toward bigger fights, or will he stay unbeaten?

Here's how you can catch this bout and some deeper analysis into the matchup.

When: Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m. ET

Where: Wembley Arena in London

TV: Box Nation (Sky Sports)

Live Stream: EPIX HD (Pay service)

The Book on Cleverly

Will Cleverly Make Krasniqi Pay for Insult at Press Conference?

These two men had agreed to meet on multiple occasions before, but Cleverly pulled out each time. The cancellations caused Krasniqi to make disparaging remarks about the champion at the press conference.

He even brought a custom-made skirt with the champion's name on it and called him the Princess of Boxing, per Martin Domin of the Daily Mail.

He's obviously attempting to get under Cleverly's skin. The Welshman is usually very calm and initially seemed to take it in stride. But as he began to speak, a hint of irritation was evident.

In a fight many believe could lack spice, this bit of gamesmanship may have added the seasoning.

In Ring

Strengths: Punching Accuracy, Reach and Athleticism

Weaknesses: Unproven, May Lack Killer Instinct

Cleverly is a squeaky clean boxing technician. He doesn't pack a significant punch, but he is a solid puncher who sets up combinations well with a good jab.

Take a look at him here against Aleksy Kuziemski:

At times, Cleverly is too clean and calculated. Some of his wins lack luster because he doesn't always look to finish opponents. He coasts at times, and that can be dangerous against top-level competition.

The Book on Krasniqi

Krasniqi is Looking to Make a Name for Himself

Krasniqi may have taken an odd path to grab some attention for the pre-fight buildup, but as crude as it may have been, he accomplished his goal.

Many, such as Yardbarker's Guy Michels, predict that Cleverly will win in style. So you wonder if Krasniqi's tactics are an attempt to give himself some hope for an upset.

Only boxing savants will recognize the names of any of his past opponents, so his sparkling record isn't quite what meets the eye.

Here he is dismantling Heyman in his last bout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzbhMlZqv1U

If you take a look at footage of Krasniqi against most of his opponents, it is clear that Cleverly is a major step up in competition.

He may be better off drawing as much attention as he can now, because he could be in for a short night on Saturday.

In the Ring

Strengths: Decent Power, Constantly Comes Forward

Weaknesses: Very Much a Plodder, Slow Hands and Feet

I've never seen Krasniqi fight live, but after taking a look at three fights on YouTube, he is a bit out of his league in this one.

His feet are too slow for Cleverly. He does have some power, but he throws one shot at a time and isn't all that accurate.

Prediction

I would be shocked if Cleverly loses this fight. It seems like a clear example of a C-class fighter taking on a much more talented opponent.

Even though Cleverly isn't a big puncher, the rate at which he'll likely land on Krasniqi's face should cause a stoppage by the fifth round.

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Recently, the respective teams of former lineal light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and ex-IBF super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute agreed to terms that will pit the two Quebec-based fighters in a historic bout.

Both Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KO) and Bute (31-1, 24 KO) have rabid Canadian fanbases and remain close enough to the broader championship picture at 168 and 175 pounds to give their matchup genuine appeal. 

Before Pascal vs. Bute was made official, the 1980 welterweight championship bout between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran at Montreal’s Olympic stadium had been the country’s most significant boxing event. That Pascal and Bute are ready to supplant that fight in the collective memory of Canadians reinforces the country’s surprising emergence as a burgeoning boxing hotbed. 

But will Pascal vs. Bute match these exceedingly high expectations and prove to be a watershed moment in Canadian boxing history? And can the fight do justice to the country’s most productive decade of professional prizefighting?  

Pascal vs. Bute, to many, will serve as a marquee event that could mark the culmination of Montreal’s emergence as one of the world’s best fight cities. After hosting the 1976 Olympic Games, which featured arguably the greatest ever American boxing squad, and the aforementioned 1980 Leonard-Duran clash, it wasn’t until the mercurial Hilton brothers and the likes of Eric Lucas that boxing in Quebec started to gather momentum. 

The relocation of fighters like Pascal, Bute, Herman Ngoudjo and Troy Ross—originally from Haiti, Romania, Cameroon and Guyana, respectively—either after the Olympics or early enough to represent Canada in international competitions has been a massive boost to the country’s fight culture. 

Combined with the emergence of Quebecois fighters like David Lemieux, Mikael Zewski and other international prospects who have settled in Montreal, this melding of established and emerging talent has turned the province and city into a fertile breeding ground for championship-caliber fighters. 

But back to Pascal vs. Bute. As the flagship fighters of the current class of Canada-based boxers and their respective promotional companies—Pascal is with Yvon Michel’s GYM Promotions while Jean Bedard of InterBox has guided Bute’s career—the fight possesses the ideal combination of hype, class and historical significance to potentially exceed expectations. 

First, one must define or establish exactly what these expectations are.

Had Pascal vs. Bute occurred in early 2011—before Pascal lost to Bernard Hopkins and Bute was bludgeoned by Carl Froch—it would have been one of the sport’s biggest fights, period. With either Pascal’s lineal title or Bute’s IBF belt at stake, the bout could have carried fringe pound-for-pound implications. 

The reality, however, is that both Pascal and Bute have slipped in recent bouts. After losing his title to Froch, Bute looked pedestrian and vulnerable in scoring a decision win over rugged Russian Denis Grachev.

Pascal, of course, struggled with his stamina against a then 46-year-old Bernard Hopkins, settling for a controversial draw to retain his title before losing a competitive but clear decision in the rematch. In his comeback bout after an extended layoff, Pascal injured his shoulder yet scored a gutsy and entertaining victory over Aleksy Kuziemski. 

It is these vulnerabilities, however, that could make Pascal vs. Bute even more compelling. 

In a sense, both fighters have been dislodged from their pedestals. And yet, the winner of Pascal vs. Bute promises to again be a relevant, championship-level fighter. The stakes for this bout are astronomical in the sense that the loser, especially if he is stopped or looks sluggish, is likely finished as an elite boxer. 

While the magnitude of Pascal vs. Bute is obvious, some of the logistics are still unclear. That said, as ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael reports, a potential television deals offers exciting possibilities: 

Although the promoters did not announce the U.S. television deal, they are in the process of finalizing an agreement with HBO, which will have a split-site doubleheader on May 25 with Pascal-Bute from Canada and the super middleweight title rematch between Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch from London. 

Pascal vs. Bute is a genuine event, and the prospect of the fight selling out the Bell Centre and a recent staredown at centre ice at a Montreal Canadiens game attest to this. Furthermore, the idea of a split-site HBO telecast involving the Froch vs. Kessler bout is an ideal way to promote a future fight between the winners. 

While the fight’s extracurricular elements imbue it with significance, as well as the opportunity to produce something memorable, the bout is also an intriguing stylistic clash. 

Pascal can take a punch and has supreme natural skills and athletic ability, yet he is prone to abandoning his fundamentals and fading late in fights. Bute has good power, hand speed and footwork, but he can be rocked and bullied.

Given their combination of positive and negative attributes, both Pascal and Bute have legitimate chances to exploit the other in what could be a back-and-forth fight. 

Will Pascal walk through Bute’s punches, corner him and bully him into submission? Or will Bute’s precise combination punching and movement keep a wild and advancing Pascal off-balance?

Either way, the fight should be filled with clean punching and consistent action. 

Pascal vs. Bute is not on the level of Leonard vs. Duran, but that doesn’t matter. Both men know the historical significance of their fight and realize that a win will rejuvenate their careers. Ultimately, what Pascal vs. Bute will offer is that which only boxing at its best can provide: high stakes, high skill level and high drama.

On Saturday night, 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins will take on IBF Light Heavyweight champ Tavoris Cloud live at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Hopkins will look to break his own record as the oldest man to win a world title in boxing history. 

For Cloud, it's a chance to beat a boxing legend and launch his career to new heights. 

So, who's going to come out victorious?

This will be a very difficult fight for Bernard Hopkins. In his prime, he would have been a shoe-in to defeat Cloud. However, he has the rare distinction of being a pro fighter closer to 60 than to 35, making this an uphill battle. Hopkins is still an excellent fighter, but he looks to have slowed down a lot due to his advanced age. 

His punch output has been rather low in his last few fights. He likes to fight in small spurts to conserve his energy and he holds more than you'd like to see.

Tavoris Cloud is an aggressive, very hard punching fighter that Hopkins in all likelihood won't be able to really hurt. In past fights, if you didn't have the power to keep Cloud off of you, he'd eventually walk you down and take you out, with 19 KO's in 24 fights. 

Can Hopkins keep Cloud off of him and box his way to a 12 round decision victory or will Cloud simply walk through him?

I think it depends a lot of Cloud's mindset coming into this fight. If he views Hopkins as a legend on another level from himself, he'll give Hopkins a better chance to win. If he just looks at this like any other fight and doesn't let the bright lights and big crowd effect his style, he could potentially steamroll Hopkins.

I expect that he'll have the latter frame of mind.

Gabriel Campillo showed in his fight with Cloud that Could can be outboxed. Cloud escaped that fight with an extremely lucky decision, as Campillo was outright robbed in the eyes of virtually everyone but the judges. 

Hopkins can take solace in the fact that there is a blueprint to beat Cloud. If he uses his jab and can keep Cloud at distance and force a slow pace, he'll have a shot. 

That said, I'd hate to pick against B-Hop. He's one of my favorites, but I just can't see him winning this fight. Cloud is just too strong, fights with too much aggression, and is too hungry to lose this fight. 

This fight has the potential to be a beatdown, and it may wind up getting stopped by the doctor/referee due to Hopkins getting hit too much in the later rounds. I just don't see any way that, at the age of 48, Hopkins can pull this one off. 

He's proven us all wrong in the past, so you never know what could happen. However, if he pulls off this victory, I'd be really surprised. 

Verdict:

Cloud TKO in the 10th. 

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The violent and ruthless nature of boxing leads to a survivalist mindset. In a sport where one loss—one punch, even—can lead to the swift decline of a fighter’s stock or serious injury, taking the most lucrative bout is in a boxer’s best interest. Whether such a fight carries historical or championship implications (or both) is often a bonus. 

Because the United States has a genuine abundance of outstanding fighters—whether they be prospects, contenders or champions—it’s hard to imagine two Americans boxing professionally in a fight with nationalistic implications.

Smaller countries with fewer champions, however, can sometimes offer fights that can define that nation’s boxing history, while simultaneously engaging the sport’s mainstream fanbase. 

Jean Pascal versus Lucian Bute can be that fight for Canada. 

The prospect of the bout finally coming to fruition is tantalizing for all boxing fans. So what’s the caveat? A scheduled May 25 rematch against Chad Dawson currently stands in the way of Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KO) making the vastly more compelling fight against Bute (31-1, 24 KO). 

Now, obviously, contracts are technically binding, but the prospect of Pascal-Dawson II has been downgraded to depressing in light of the news that Pascal and Bute have agreed to fight. As one might expect, Gary Shaw, Dawson’s promoter, is upset (per ESPN): 

I met with Yvon [Michel] this week in New York, where he told me that [Jean] Bedard had offered him a fight with Bute and he would put Dawson on the undercard, give him $600,000 and we could bring our own opponent.

I told him, "I would never do that to my fighter or HBO." We finished lunch, I asked, "Do we still have a fight," and Yvon said, "Yes," and shook my hand, and said, "We have a deal."

Unfortunately for Shaw, he needs to realize that he promotes a fighter in Dawson (31-2, 17 KO) who is as talented as he is unappealing. This is not intended as an ad hominem attack against Dawson, who appears to be a decent guy and is a quality champion. However, HBO invested in Dawson and tried to make him marketable, and it simply hasn’t worked. 

Skirting out of his deal with Shaw would damage GYM Promotions and Michel’s reputation to a certain extent, but the consequences of not making Pascal-Bute now could be far greater. Bypassing Dawson to make this fight would be a tough break for Shaw and Dawson, but the reality is that boxing is a ruthless business. 

Should Dawson get left out and the better alternative prevail, there are still harsh realities to be dealt with. Regarding Pascal and Bute, Michel has a lucrative matchup with a rapidly approaching expiration date. 

Before turning professional, both Pascal and Bute were decorated amateurs. Pascal represented Canada at the 2004 Olympics after winning gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and Bute claimed bronze at the 1999 World Amateur Championships.

As professionals, Bute would capture and make nine defenses of the IBF 168-pound title, and Pascal would become the lineal and WBC champion at light heavyweight.  

But there is something even more significant than either man’s resume: They have both been universally embraced in the Province of Quebec. Both Pascal and Bute can pack the Bell Centre in Montreal or the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City to the tune of 15,000 rabid fans (easily). 

Fighting each other would only increase these impressive live numbers, and ESPN boxing scribe Dan Rafael astutely points out that Pascal-Bute is far more lucrative than Pascal-Dawson II (surprised?):  

"This is what we haven't decided yet. This is what we are evaluating right now," Michel said of whether to fight Bute or Dawson next. "But Pascal will make $700,000 to fight Dawson. He will make more than $2 million fighting Bute."

Pascal-Bute makes dollars and sense. Economics aside, the fight would pit two of the best ever Canadian-based fighters on home soil in what would surely be a raucous and gargantuan event. 

It is conceivable that Pascal-Bute could outgrow the Bell Centre’s 21, 273-person seating capacity and find a home in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. This would actually be a fitting tribute to the most significant fight to take place in Canada to date: Roberto Duran’s welterweight title-winning decision victory over Ray Leonard in 1980. 

The fight could also act as a symbolic passing of the torch. An undercard could easily be stacked with such established and emerging Canadian fighters as Kevin Bizier, Mikael Zewski, Pier Olivier Cote, Tony Luis, Adonis Stevenson and Troy Ross, to name a few.

All would be excellent candidates to round out the broadcast. There’s an abundance of boxing talent in Canada, and Pascal-Bute would be the ideal venue to showcase it. 

The importance of Pascal-Bute is also a sobering reminder that it would be a major crossroads fight. Bute appeared sluggish in his comeback victory over Denis Grachev after getting obliterated by Carl Froch, and Pascal suffered through an extended layoff after losing his title to Bernard Hopkins, only to reinjure his shoulder in a gutsy comeback performance against Aleksy Kuziemski in December. 

Thus, both men are fragile in their own ways, which means that they are teetering on the edge of obscurity if they each lose another important fight. 

The stakes for the winner of Pascal-Bute are extremely high. Whoever prevails will be in prime position to land at least one more major fight. If Bute were to defeat Pascal, would he finally look to avenge his defeat against Froch? And similarly, would a Pascal victory also set the stage for a rematch of his classic 2008 defeat to “The Cobra?” 

The latter scenario would obviously involve Froch moving up in weight, but the point is that the winner of Pascal-Bute would regain lost momentum and championship viability. 

Most difficult in all of this—especially for Canadians—is the reality that the loser will likely never return to championship form. That said, it’s better for the sport and for Canadian boxing if Pascal and Bute fight now, as opposed to going their separate ways, risking a loss and then quietly fading into irrelevance. 

Pascal and Bute have a chance to make history, and they’ve had careers worthy of this opportunity.

The image of an athlete trying in desperation to remain relevant despite the intervention and onslaught of time is an unfortunate one. In a sport like boxing, it can result in brutal and bloody consequences.

In deference to this possibility, on March 9, Bernard Hopkins at 48 years old, will attempt to break his own record of agelessness when he fights undefeated IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

This is a record  Hopkins set when he defeated Jean Pascal at the age of 46 years, four months and six days year old to obtain the WBC, IBO and The Ring light heavyweight belts.

Hopkins made his professional debut in October of 1988 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, losing to Clinton Mitchell. Tavoris Cloud was six years old in 1988.

Since that loss, “The Executioner” has been grinding his wheels in the game for the past 24 years, and only suffered five additional blemishes to his record since that battle on the boardwalk in '88. However, four of those five losses have come since Hopkins’ 40th birthday in 2005.

The epitome of a Philly fighter—which is a character so relevant in the ring that Sylvester Stallone built a billion dollar franchise on the shoulders of such a persona—Hopkins has fought the best fighters of his era.  

Some of those names read like a potential candidate list for the Hall of Fame; Roy Jones Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Ronald “Winky” Wright and Joe Calzaghe among them. There were also fights after the age of 40 with young relevant opponents like Kelly Pavlik—who was still undefeated when Hopkins beat him in October of 2008—as well as Jermain Taylor, Antonio Tarver and Chad Dawson.

The questions remains however: How is agelessness defined and when is intervention required? No one wants to be the one to have to say the proverbial prom tuxedo no longer fits or that the comb over is offensive, but it is another conversation, trying to rationalize with a man who is paid to knock other men into a state of unconsciousness referred to as “queer street.”

A place to initiate the debate would seem to define the age a boxer transitions into a part of his career that makes the adjective ageless apropos?

Saoul Mamby, a former WBC light welterweight champion, began his professional career in 1969—the same year that Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first humans to place their feet against the surface of the moon. Mamby fought in Vietnam, and yet in 2008 at the age of 61, he fought a different enemy—Anthony Osbourne in the Cayman Islands and lost in a unanimous decision.

Jack Johnson, “The Galveston Giant,” and the first African American heavyweight champion, was fighting exhibitions at 67 years of age, a year before his death in a car crash in 1946.  

So the question becomes, what is the defining quality of agelessness? The sheer desire to compete—whether rational or not—or is it based on those who continue to fight and achieve some level of success? And at what age does a fighter transition into the period of his career when his deeds in the ring characterize him as ageless?

For the sake of historical debate, and to narrow the field of comparison, if we quantify agelessness in boxing as the period when fighters cross the symbolic dotted line into "fortydom," Hopkins has some intriguing competition historically in terms of success beyond that age.  

The aforementioned Mamby would probably not qualify as a contender in the discussion, as he only won 34 percent of his fights after 40, going 9-16-1.

Johnson, however, won 71 percent of his fights past the age of 40, going 12-5. Although he lost five of his last six fights beyond the age of 48, which is how old Hopkins will be when he steps through the ropes against Cloud in March.

As for Hopkins, his post-40 career has consisted of seven wins, four losses, one draw and one no-contest—translating to winning 53 percent of his bouts during this era of his career. Not a bad percentage, especially considering the quality of the competition.

Although, while Hopkins did avenge his 1993 unanimous decision loss to Roy Jones Jr. in 2010 to the diminished skills version of the same fighter, along with his wins against Pascal and Pavlik, he also lost twice to Jermain Taylor as well as losing recently to Chad Dawson.  

If the evaluation of ageless success is based on a combination of winning percentage, as well as quality of opponents, it would be difficult to deem anyone more deserving of the title of boxing’s ageless king than light heavyweight Archie Moore.  

The “Old Mongoose,” waged professional wars amongst the gauntlet of gloved gladiators for 28 years. Based on his record beyond the age of 40, it is hard to argue his claim to the crown of all-time ageless wonders in the sport.

From the time that he turned 40 in 1956 until he retired in 1963, Moore compiled a record of 26-2-2, with 16 knockouts for a winning percentage of 86.

His only losses came to some 20-year-old upstart named Cassius Clay in 1962 at the age of 46 and  in a 10-round points loss to Giulio Rinaldi. Yet he managed to win four belts in the same span, including the New York State Athletic Commission World light heavyweight title and the National Boxing Association World light heavyweight title.

After Moore, it would be difficult to give Hopkins superior rank over the man simply nicknamed “Big,” otherwise known as George Foreman. The transition into 40 reflected more than respectively on the heavyweight from Houston, as he compiled a record of 17-3, with 12 knockouts and managing to win 85 percent of his fights.

His three losses came to the likes of Evander Holyfield, Shannon Briggs and Tommy Morrison, but his win over the then-undefeated IBF and WBA heavyweight champion Michael Moorer came at the age of 45.

Beyond Moore and Foreman is the area in which Hopkins most likely resides currently. Although the immaculate “Sugar” Ray Robinson and to lesser-degree fighters like Roberto Duran and Larry Holmes—based on record and number of wins after 40—would be among the place shifters in the discussion.

Robinson was 30-10-3 with 15 knockouts,  winning 69 percent of his fights. Duran’s record was 18-7 with 9 knockouts, winning 72 percent of his bouts, although he lost two fights to Vinny Pazienza, as well as once to Hector Camacho .

The other great “Sugar,” Ray Leonard once said, “You have to know you can win. You have to think you can win. You have to feel you can win.”

And in the end, although we may be confounded as to why a boxer would want to continue to fight into the years when he could be considered ageless, there is no reason to fault the belief that allows him to try.

 

Gabriel "The Handsome Man" Campillo (21-4-1, 8 KOs) and Sergey Kovalev (19-0-1, 17 KOs) will look to add some spice to a bland light heavyweight division.

The two will battle on NBC Sports Fight Night series on Saturday.

This is a mildly intriguing fight, but I can't help but be distracted by the state of the weight class. A 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins is not only relevant in the division, but he's still among the best performers at 175 pounds.

That speaks to Hopkins' amazing longevity, but it also makes the competition look terrible. Campillo and Kovalev are among the fighters looking to break into the upper-echelon of the division.

Campillo recently had his shot at the title, but he lost a controversial split decision to IBF champion Tavoris Cloud. Kovalev's quality of competition hasn't been quite as good, so Campillo represents a significant step-up.

The 29-year-old Russian has been exciting as he's knocked out 85 percent of the fighters he's faced. If he scores yet another impressive victory, he could become the division's much-needed fresh new face.

The two men were scheduled to meet in September 2012, but Campillo suffered a back injury and was replaced by Lionell Thompson (Max Boxing). With everyone healthy, the fight can finally take place.

Here's how you can watch the fight and some deeper analysis into the matchup.

When: Saturday, Jan. 19, 9 p.m. ET

Where: Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Conn.

TV: NBC Sports

The Book on Campillo

The Handsome Man is a very slick southpaw with good hand speed and accuracy. He fights tall and has excellent foot work.

He showed a good chin, stamina and resolve against Cloud. Take a look at the video highlights of the fight below:

The champion dropped Campillo twice in the first round, which mildly explains how Campillo loss the decision. He rebounded to dominate most of the rounds the rest of the way, thus the controversy.

Kovalev is perhaps an even bigger puncher than Cloud, so Campillo can't afford another slow start. He is the more experienced and agile fighter in this fight, but he offers little in the way of power.

His modest eight KOs are proof of that.

At 6'2", he is two inches taller than his opponent; keeping the fight on the outside, tying-up on the inside, and lateral movement is a must if he plans to hand Kovalev his first defeat.

The Book on Kovalev

Kovalev doesn't have tremendous foot speed, but his punches get from A to B in a hurry. That's especially the case with his powerful straight right hand.

The Russian has devastating KO power, and he displayed that in his last fight—which was also on NBC Sports' Fight Night Series—against Thompson.

Thompson was stopped in the third round, but the significant damage was done in the second. Check out the 7:15 mark of the video:

Thompson's style is similar to Campillo, but Campillo is bigger and he's a southpaw. Both physical attributes could be problematic for Kovalev.

The longer this fight goes, the more it favors Campillo. A fight that goes beyond seven rounds would suggest that he's either taken Kovalev's shots well or his defense has confused the less-experienced fighter.

If neither is the case, Kovalev could finish him early.

Prediction

I've been impressed with both fighters lately, but Kovalev looks like the real deal.

His punching power and hand speed won't allow Campillo to slip and/or absorb his punches all night. The latter doesn't have the power to keep Kovalev at bay, and he'll ultimately be hit by a night-changing blow.

Kovalev will KO Campillo by the fourth round.

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On March 9, Bernard Hopkins will attempt to break his own record of being boxing’s oldest ever world champion when he challenges IBF light heavyweight belt-holder Tavoris Cloud. While Hopkins has nothing left to prove, at 47, he remains a live contender. 

Dissenters will point to Hopkins’ somewhat plodding performance in a decision defeat to Chad Dawson as a prime reason that Hopkins (52-6-2, 32 KO) should retire. However, it is easy to forget that Hopkins is not far removed from two intriguing and surprisingly engaging bouts against former champion Jean Pascal. 

So, does Hopkins stand a chance of dethroning Cloud (24-0, 19 KO)? If he’s going to upset yet another upstart, here’s how Hopkins can do it: 

Consistent Punch Output 

This is a perennial problem for Hopkins, a defensive wizard who is perhaps more adept at disrupting his opponent’s rhythm than initiating his own offense. 

To say Hopkins should simply follow Gabriel Campillo’s tactical blueprint against Cloud would be unfair. Campillo (21-4-1, 8 KO) is a younger, fresher fighter with greater hand speed than Hopkins at this juncture. That said, Hopkins must pick his spots and throw combinations. Campillo showed that Cloud can become gun-shy and susceptible to aimless stalking when bombarded by three or more consecutive punches.   

If Hopkins refuses to throw combinations, Cloud will simply stalk forward and unload with his powerful left hook and straight right hand. Even if Hopkins blocks or slips most of these shots, he will gradually fall behind on points. While it would be surprising if Hopkins outworked Cloud, it behooves Hopkins to offer consistent offensive spurts.   

Now, consider this: According to CompuBox, Hopkins only averaged 33 punches thrown per round in his defeat to Chad Dawson (per BoxingScene.com). Dawson also threw 31 more punches (431 to 400) and landed 45 more punches (150 to 106) than Hopkins. 

Conversely, in his first fight against Jean Pascal, Hopkins threw 152 more punches than his opponent (502 to 350) and landed 153 total shots compared to Pascal’s 86 (per BoxingScene.com). In the subsequent rematch, which Hopkins won, he again threw more punches than Pascal (409 to 377), landing 131 blows to Pascal’s 77 (per DogHouseBoxing.com). 

Recent trends suggest that when Hopkins is aggressive, his opponent’s punch output and number of connects suffer.   

Lateral Movement 

Obviously, at 48, Hopkins isn’t going to be able to circle and retreat the same way Campillo did against Cloud. Hopkins’ ability to pace himself and control the tempo of a given round is grounded in subtleties. Whether it’s how he fights in the clinch or his foot movement in tight spaces, Hopkins is the ultimate craftsman. 

Thus, given Hopkins’ boxing acumen, precise and timely lateral movement should be enough to disrupt Cloud’s rhythm. 

Cloud is somewhat of a straightforward fighter who likes to engage as he advances. Applying steady pressure only seems to enhance Cloud’s power, as long as his opponent retreats in predictable patterns. Thus, moving laterally will both disrupt Cloud’s pressure and provide Hopkins with unique angles for landing his own punches. 

Campillo used lateral movement to befuddle and outbox Cloud. By using feints to lure Cloud forward, Hopkins can create situations where he is the better-balanced and more mobile fighter. Then, Hopkins should be able to slip Cloud’s punches, turn his man and unload with crisp combinations. 

For Hopkins to win, he will have to play matador to Cloud’s bull. 

Mix Counter-Punching and Initiating Offense 

Against Cloud, Campillo had sustained success because he forced Cloud to fight off of his back foot. While Cloud is an aggressive, powerful fighter, he is not known for his counter-punching or his movement. 

Hopkins, of course, is one of boxing’s premier tacticians and counter-punchers. However, he has a tendency to neglect combination punching and forward movement at the expense of negating his opponent’s offense. To beat Cloud, Hopkins must make a concerted effort to beat Cloud to the punch. 

If Hopkins simply retreats and tries to counter Cloud, he will be crowded and perhaps drawn into an unwanted slugfest. While it is not in Hopkins’ nature to be overly aggressive and stalk forward, he would be wise to regularly initiate exchanges against Cloud. 

Hopkins can use his ability to counter Cloud to jumpstart his offense. When Hopkins stings Cloud with a counter right hand, for instance, he should consider following up with pressure and a fast three-punch combination. Cloud froze when Campillo made quick transitions to combination punching, and this tactic will keep Cloud off balance. 

To keep Cloud exclusively off of his front foot, Hopkins must vary his attack. 

Throw to the Body

Campillo had tremendous success when he incorporated repeated hooks to Cloud’s body. Punching downstairs was often part of Campillo’s bursts of flashy combinations, and the blows were able to slow Cloud’s stalking. 

Using feints and foot movement is also important to create openings for body shots. This, of course, will be more difficult for Hopkins than it was for Campillo. It seems likely that Cloud will be able to crowd and smother Hopkins at some point, yet it is here where Hopkins can turn the tide with body blows. 

Making Cloud pay for getting inside is paramount, and Hopkins would be wise to throw crisp hooks and sharp uppercuts to Cloud’s midsection at close quarters. This can occur in the clinch or after Hopkins slips Cloud’s punches as the champion stalks forward. Regardless, Hopkins will have to slow his younger opponent down in order to win. 

With Cloud’s aggression and relentless pressure, Hopkins will be forced to fight. Before bemoaning Hopkins’ choice to continue boxing, consider that Cloud might be an ideal foil to force Hopkins into a bout as compelling as his clashes against Pascal.