| Watkins: Middleweight showdown is closer to reality 04/13/2001 
Bernard Hopkins just finished working out at Johnny Tocco's Gym in Las Vegas. He looked smooth in sparring, and his body was fit and trim. Hopkins is ready to fight.
Hopkins, the IBF middleweight champion, left Vegas for New York where he'll make his 13th defense of his title, facing two-time WBC middleweight champion Keith Holmes (35-2, 23 knockouts).
The Saturday night HBO fight at the Theater inside Madison Square Garden is just the beginning of a summerlong middleweight championship series promoted by Don King.
The series was created to unify the middleweight championship. In reality, it has been set up to get Hopkins (38-2-1, 28 KO) and junior middleweight champion Felix Trinidad into the ring.
Trinidad will fight WBA middleweight champion William Joppy on May 12, also in New York.
Hopkins and Trinidad are expected to win their bouts and fight Sept. 15 to unify the middleweight title.
Trinidad, coming off a December victory against Fernando Vargas, is the favorite to become the undisputed middleweight king.
Hopkins doesn't believe this. He believes he will throw a wrench into the plans of Trinidad and King.
"They don't want me to win this thing," Hopkins said after his workout. "Winning this tournament puts me into the Hall of Fame. Who can deny me that?"
Hopkins has been one of the sport's most outspoken and longest reigning champions. He won the belt in 1995 and has talked about the problems in the sport.
Hopkins has criticized King and the sanctioning bodies. But when he's not into the politics of the game, Hopkins talks about who he wants next.
Hopkins mentioned a bout with former welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya; Vargas, a former junior middleweight champion; and current welterweight champ Sugar Shane Mosley.
"There's a lot more at stake in this tournament," Hopkins said. "Trinidad brings a lot to a tournament like this. But I'll tell you what, so do I."
Boxing police blotter
Fernando Vargas has agreed to a plea bargain in connection with a 1999 beating and probably will avoid a prison term, a prosecutor said.
Vargas, 23, will plead no contest on May 7 to a single felony count of either conspiracy or assault, Hilary Dozer, a senior deputy district attorney for Santa Barbara (Calif.) County, said.
He could have faced up to nine years in prison. Vargas is scheduled to fight Wilfredo Rivera in El Paso on May 5.
Barrera-Hamed II
Kery Davis, HBO's vice president of boxing operations, said a possible rematch between Marco Antonio Barrera and Prince Naseem Hamed at featherweight could happen late this year. Barrera defeated Hamed in 12 rounds last Saturday in Las Vegas.
If Hamed doesn't want the fight, it will terminate his six-fight deal with HBO. Hamed has one fight left on the network. Hamed was terrible in the loss to Barrera. There's some concern if fight fans want to see a rematch.
"He will lose it again," matchmaker Lou DiBella said. "If Hamed fights the same way he did the first time, he will get beat. No question."
Barrera, the WBO champion at super bantamweight, could defend his title and forget about Hamed.
Barrera might unify the super bantamweight division or wait for one of the other bantamweight champions to move up to 122 pounds and fight them.
Fort Worth's Paulie Ayala, the WBA bantamweight champion, is moving up to fight Clarence "Bones" Adams at super bantamweight in August. The Ayala-Adams winner to meet Barrera looks like an interesting matchup.
Briefly ...
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, training in San Antonio, is expected to fight in June against David Izon in Washington. Tyson's camp tried to get a bout in Australia but failed for a various reasons. ... HBO will replay the Barrera-Hamed fight Saturday at 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 14 – At Madison Square Garden, New York (HBO) Bernard Hopkins (38-2-1) vs. Keith Holmes (35-2) for IBF and WBC middleweight championship.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19 – At the Beaumont Civic Center, Beaumont, Texas; Manuel Rodriguez (12-1) vs. Wayne Boudreaux (25-20). Valerie Mahfood (11-3) vs. Kendra Lenhart (6-8-1). Grady Brewer (6-1) vs. Pedro Alvarez (6-0-2).
|
