Hopkins vs. Dawson: The Executioner Will Defy the Odds One Last Time

When Bernard Hopkins walks into Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday, April 28, to fight Chad Dawson, he will be looking to defend his WBC light heavyweight belt.

And his 47-year-old honor.

Hopkins has been around the block plenty of times in his career, but that chip on his shoulder only grows larger as each day passes. There will come a time when Hopkins can’t do it anymore. That time is not right now.

At 29, Dawson is almost 20 years younger and is plenty tough enough to stand in and exchange shots with Hopkins. While this will be a huge test for The Executioner, Hopkins' experience will make this a great fight to watch.

Hopkins told the New York Daily News about his upcoming fight and how the business has changed.

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I’m the last of a (expletive) dying breed. When you guys want to write something, you write that. Because all of this other stuff that you’re looking at, it’s all substance and bull----. It’s all TV promotion. It’s all smoke and mirrors. They were calling me old when I beat Trinidad 11 years ago. My biggest motivation has been adversity. This fight, all you hear is 'Chad is bigger. Chad is stronger.' Not that he is more talented.

"

There aren’t too many athletes that can be successful at 47 in any sport—let alone boxing. As crazy as Hopkins has been in the past, there is no doubt that his physical abilities have to be admired.

As good as Dawson has been over his career, he has never fought a man who has the amount of experience that Hopkins has. If this fight starts to go long, Hopkins knows what he has to do and what he has to avoid to win the decision.

As hard as it is to believe, I predict the oldest man will win a major world title and will become the oldest man in history to successfully defend the title as well.

Prediction: Hopkins by unanimous decision.

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