• Super-middleweight

Hopkins: I'd travel by boat to fight Froch

ESPN staff
May 24, 2013
Bernard Hopkins doesn't think Carl Froch v Mikkel Kessler will even be close this weekend © AP
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Bernard Hopkins has backed Carl Froch to beat Mikkel Kessler this weekend and stated his desire to put on "one of the biggest press conferences in boxing".

Hopkins, the sport's oldest world champion at the age of 48, has his own affairs to get in order when he takes on mandatory IBF light-heavyweight challenger Karo Murat on July 13.

Once he gets through that bout the American wants Froch, who he sees as favourite for Saturday's showdown with Kessler for the IBF and WBA super-middleweight championships.

Hopkins sees the potential to grab a global audience by pitching a light-heavyweight world champion against a super-middleweight king, and he says Froch's fiery personality is perfect to promote one of the biggest bouts of the year.

"Either he'll be back over here [the States] or I'll get on a boat or a plane to have one of the biggest press conferences on both sides of the world," Hopkins told Sky Sports News.

"That's one of the fights that people will want to grab, he has a great personality. Can you imagine a Froch v Hopkins press conference? That would be huge.

"That's why I'm hoping he gets the win and then we put two of the best fighters in the weight divisions together."

Offering his opinion on the fight, Hopkins doesn't even think it will be close. Many experts are tipping a repeat of the war that Froch and Kessler put on in their first bout, but Hopkins believes the Brit will dominate.

"I don't see that Kessler has got better in the last three years, so I'm going with Froch. I believe he'll win it, it won't be close, he'll win at least eight out of 12 rounds."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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