Hopkins: "I could fight another four years!"

Report by Matt Richardson
Photos by Chris Cozzone
- FightWireImages.com

"We named it ‘Coming to Fight,’ and they came to fight," said promoter Oscar De La Hoya in his opening statement at last night’s post-fight press conference following ageless Bernard Hopkins’ unanimous decision win against Ronald "Winky" Wright.

"These two fighters gave their all.”

In front of a crowd of 8,626 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Hopkins got the nod from all three judges: 117-11 twice and 116-112.

Any thoughts of another Hopkins “retirement” were put to bed last night.

“Bernard Hopkins has a lot of attractive opportunities at light heavyweight,” said De La Hoya. He wants to fight (Joe) Calzaghe at Yankee Stadium in New York. If Bernard Hopkins wants Calzaghe, then it’s our duty to go make that fight.

"Bernard Hopkins is a master in strategies.  He will fight you.  He will frustrate you.  He's a student of the game."

After a short wait, and an announcement that Wright was skipping the press conference to get the cut over his left eye stitched up, Wright spoke to the media about the fight, and his future plans.

"I always have respect for Winky," said the always-loquacious Hopkins. "I have two personalities but I can turn it off.  I know how to turn on the boxer, and how to be the business and family man.  It was a great fight. 

“I'm going to talk to Oscar.  I'm going to talk to Richard (Shaefer) (regarding my next fight) . . . If I wanted to I could fight another four years. 

“But it has to be about something.  It has to have a reason.  It has to have a purpose before I get back in the ring.  I want to bring the Calzaghe fight to the U.S., where the best fans are."

Though Wright did not attend, he did say in the ring after the verdict was announced, that he thought he’d won the fight.

"This is the hurt business," Hopkins replied when asked about the foul. 

Regarding his overall success inside the ring Hopkins commented that "for me to take the jab away, that was the fight, because that's all he had."

"The jab of Winky Wright wasn't there tonight," agreed De La Hoya.

JABZ

De La Hoya also addressed rumors regarding his own fistic career while waiting upon Hopkins' arrival.  "I'm thinking of going down to 147," he said.  "I want to leave this sport in a classic fight."

New WBC Interim featherweight champion Jorge Linares also spoke at the presser, about his 10th round beatdown of former champion Oscar Larios, who was not in attendance.

"I felt I did everything I should have done today to win the fight," he said.  

Hopkins was penalized ten percent of his purse (or $300,000) for the incident that occurred at the weigh-in Friday afternoon.  Hopkins made his case afterwards, saying that it was all in promotion for the fight.  The NSAC will rule whether to suspend Hopkins or enforce the penalty later in the summer.

HBO will replay the light heavyweight fight between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright on July 28 at 10:15 PM ET/PT. In addition to the Hopkins-Wright replay, HBO will present the previously announced "HBO Boxing After Dark" fight between junior middleweights Vernon Forrest and Carlos Baldomir from Tacoma, WA. HBO2 play dates for the entire show: July 29 (7:45 AM, 5 PM) and July 31 (12 AM). Times are ET/PT.