• Light-heavyweight

Stevenson wants bout with 'old man' Hopkins

ESPN staff
September 28, 2013
Adonis Stevenson jumped for joy after he knocked Chad Dawson out in the first round to win the WBC title © AP
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WBC light-heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson has revealed he wants to fight IBF champion Bernard Hopkins.

Stevenson, 36, shocked Chad Dawson with a first round knockout to claim the WBC belt in June and will make his first title defence against Tavoris Cloud in Montreal on Saturday.

However, while stating his mind is firmly focused on fighting Cloud at the Bell Centre, Stevenson admitted he would relish a showdown with Hopkins.

"[If I could fight anyone] I would like to fight Bernard Hopkins," Stevenson told BoxingScene.com. "He is the IBF champion and in Montreal he has a big name. It is an interesting fight.

"You have the power puncher against the old man who has the skill and craftiness of Bernard Hopkins. But I need to take care of business on September 28 [against Cloud]. I don't have any other opponents in my head right now."

In 2011, Hopkins made history by becoming the oldest boxer to capture a world title; at the age of 46, Hopkins defeated Jean Pascal by unanimous decision to claim the WBC belt and eclipse George Foreman's previous record.

The American then lost world champion status to Dawson in April 2012 before Dawson relinquished the belt to Stevenson earlier this year.

Hopkins impressed in his last outing against Cloud to win the IBF title and break the record he set 21 months earlier, this time at 48-years-old. He defends the belt against Karo Murat in Atlantic City on October 26.

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