When he's done with all this prize-fighting
nonsense, Bernard Hopkins should consider entering the political arena. This
country could use a little personality in the legislature, a little ``storm the
gates,'' attitude. Need someone to filibuster? Give the floor to Hopkins, take a
few days off, come back and see how he's doing.Wednesday, in a 1 hour and 45 minute conference call with the media, we ran out of questions before Hopkins (the WBC and IBF champion) ran out of answers. When the last caller was done, Hopkins joked that he was mad it was over. Half-joked.
His middleweight unification fight with Felix Trinidad (WBA) set for Sept. 15 in New York is the biggest fight of his life. It also carries more baggage than the 4:12 to Newark, though most of the luggage appears to be piled high on the side of Trinidad.
Trinidad's personal life took a pretty good shot to the nose last week when it was reported he had gotten a girl pregnant. Bad news just about any time. Real bad news when you're married.
But Hopkins doesn't want to hear about Trinidad's personal problems. He just wants him to be ready and at 100 percent. He doesn't want excuses. He wants him to be guts and heart, at his best.
``I don't care nothing about Trinidad's personal life,'' Hopkins said when the baby issue was hinted at. ``He's having a baby out of wedlock. We don't want to hear that. We don't want any excuses.''
For a guy with a reputation for being hard to get along with, Hopkins came across candid and colorful, though the chip on his shoulder was the size of a Buick. This is someone dying for the respect he believes he has coming. He expects to wake up with that respect on the morning of Sept. 16.
``I don't want to hear the word, `upset,' '' he said at one point. ``I don't want to be second to Felix Trinidad. I've earned my way here. I'm the best middleweight in the world.''
Later, he said, ``Yes, I've seen fear in Trinidad's eyes, but that's because he's human.''
That's because Trinidad has a wife.
Overall, it sounded like Hopkins has this whole ``biggest fight of his life,'' concept under control. He's not training to fight Superman. He's doing what's always worked for him in the past.
``Instead of running six or seven miles, I'm not going to start running 15 miles,'' he said. ``I'm not changing my training. When you do that, you put yourself in the position to start thinking that he's not human. Why change? I've won 13 title defenses. Why do I suddenly have to walk different? Why do I have to talk different?''
If this fight were measured in talk, you'd have to pick Hopkins to win inside three rounds.
``Every fight you have is a dirty fight,'' he said, when asked if he expected this fight to stray a bit from the rules. ``There's no such thing as a clean fight. Look it up in the dictionary. It's fighting.''
On his own perception of who he is: ``I'm two separate people, but I can separate the two. If I couldn't separate them, I'd be incarcerated. Outside the ring I'm Bernard Hopkins, married for eight years with a lovely home in Delaware, a guy who will die for what he believes in.
``Inside the ring, I'm the Executioner. I'm ruthless. I seek and destroy.''
One of the few fighters who took the time to go to court in support of the Ali Bill, Hopkins predicted he'll win by TKO, though he'd prefer the easier route of KO.
``Trinidad's biggest attribute is his heart, not his ability,'' Hopkins said. ``It's his heart and his will and his determination. I tell you he won't quit. The referee is going to have to save him. Papa Trinidad is going to have to save him. I will win on a TKO.''
And after that? ``You might not let him back home after I whip his butt,'' Hopkins told one caller from Puerto Rico. ``You'll turn on him like a dog with rabies.''
Thanks, Senator Hopkins.