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B-Hop versus Adonis Stevenson after Karo Murat? Barclays or Bell Centre Dream Fight

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Fighters like Joe Calzaghe gave it up when life and the ring seemed to offer no more challenges. Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins, age 48, remains a modern marvel of the boxing ring. Hopkins holds the International Boxing Federation World Light Heavyweight title, which he won by defeating 24-0 Tavoris Cloud on March 9, 2013, at Barclays Center. B-Hop will defend his title against challenger Karo Murat of Germany. In his only two big money fights, Murat, 29, and inactive for over a year, holds a 12 round draw with Gabriel Campillo in an IBF eliminator bout, and a tenth round stoppage loss to Nathan Cleverly in England in a WBO eliminator bout. Hopkins should outclass Murat and decision him in their October 19, 2013, main event bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Meanwhile, Cloud is scheduled to return to the ring at Bell Centre in in Montreal, Canada, on September 28, 2013, against 35 year old Haitian southpaw Adonis Stevenson of Canada, who holds the World Boxing Council World Light Heavyweight title he won from Chad Dawson at Bell Centre by first round knockout on June 8, 2013. If Stevenson gets by Cloud, it would set up a world title unification dream fight between Stevenson and Hopkins for the WBC and IBF World Light Heavyweight titles.

B-Hop is a master technical fighter, who still could not beat Chad Dawson in two opportunities. Stevenson finished Dawson in the first round. Hopkins versus Stevenson would be a dream match of ring technician versus the monster power hitter. Hopkins sells big on the American side, while Dawson sells big on the Canadian side. Stevenson, who will turn 36 years old on September 22, 2013, had trouble with David Whittom in 2007 (Win 10), Darnell Boone in 2010 (TKO by 2 in their first match), Don George in 2013 (Win TKO 12 in the IBF title eliminator, Marlon Hayes in 2007 (Win 8), 12-12-2 Carl Cockerham in 2007 (Win 6), and Aaron Pryor Jr. in 2011 (Win TKO 9),

For Stevenson to fight Hopkins, he will have to take his game up one notch to the super Floyd Mayweather Jr. equivalent level. Hopkins is the BoxRec number one, Stevenson the number two. Stevenson has just become a world champion or the first time at nearly 36 year old. If he can knock out Hopkins and finish him, fine. If Stevenson cannot, it is bound to be a long night. Stevenson’s win over Dawson occurred after he dumped longtime trainer John Scully for Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Since Dawson did not make it out of the first round, his trainer change and training camp remains highly suspect, and it might be more a case of Dawson losing rather than Stevenson winning. Former WBC World Light Heavyweight champion Donnie LaLonde one only one round on one scorecard in his last bout, a ten round loss to Virgil Hill in Canada in 2003. The odds of Stevenson knocking out Hopkins is one for the bookies. The game plan will determine who wins the most rounds if Hopkins versus Dawson takes place in late 2013 or early 2014.

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