By Mike Cassell

I recently got to sit down with Light Heavyweight Champion, Bernard Hopkins. He was his usual honest self, talking about The De La Hoya photo scandal, as well as the future of the middleweight division. He was at Comcast Sports Net, helping to promote the “Fighting City” series of matches recently recorded for broadcast, in which he was a guest analyst. He doesn’t always say what you want to hear, but he always says what he believes, and you have to respect that.

Mike Cassell:

What is going on with those pictures of Oscar De La Hoya on the internet. The media is really grabbing onto it. Are those pictures real?

Bernard Hopkins:

My opinion is, It’s the price of fame. It’s the price of being in the spotlight. You know, a lot of things come along. If you do not have thick skin in this business, you will not make it. What if They come out next week with Bernard Hopkins in a wig and a dress. That comes along with the territory. I’m not asking for it, but you have to pick and choose your battles. I talked to Oscar, and he told me that, absolutely, 100%, those pictures were Photoshop, and the people involve wanted money.

Mike Cassell

So they are allegedly extorting Oscar?

Bernard Hopkins

They got paid. They got money from the tabloids, TV. Now the people involved recently came out and said they weren’t real.

Mike Cassell

Kelly Pavlik. The kid filled Boardwalk Hall, and destroyed Jermain Taylor. Is this the real deal?

Bernard Hopkins

Its hype, because he was in there with a guy who was made, or created. Dont get me wrong, Pavlik is good, but he was in there with a guy (Taylor) that was made by the industry, with talent, but still a creation. In the end, Pavlik was good enough to go in there and expose Taylor, and take him out. And it goes to show you, if Pavlik didn’t knock him out, the judges had Taylor ahead, and he was on his way to another bogus victory. I watched that fight 8 or 9 times since Saturday. I couldn’t believe they had Taylor ahead.

Mike Cassell

So Taylor is an industry created guy that got a lot of breaks?

Bernard Hopkins

Absolutely, I believe he got a huge break in the Winky Wright fight. He fought to what they said was a draw. He didn’t lose his belts. The fact is that, if you didn’t knock Jermain Taylor out, you weren’t going to win. The worst thing that would happen is a draw. A draw is a win for him. A draw in our first fight would have been a win for me. I could have kept my titles. They kept those belts around him, milingk that status until he can move up in weight and fight Joe Calzaghe. Now that’s out the window.

Mike Cassell

Bernard, it seemed as if after Taylor went 24 rounds with you, he was not the same fighter.  He was tearing everybody up, and then seemed to stall in his last few fights.

Bernard Hopkins

One word, gun shy... Watching him, it reminded me of a basketball player tearing through a guard, and he just backs up out of the way, and not just this fight, but the fight before it. Cory Spinks, a smaller guy, had him backing up, and so did Kassim Ouma. Twenty four rounds with me, took a lot of confidence out of him, and changed him physically. An athlete, a true athlete may say and do what they say and do in front of the media. But when we are alone, we know in our heart the truth. It bothers us, you know? He knows that his fights with me, the Winky fight, and his fights with Ouma and Spinks, were not good fights, and deep in his heart, he knows he lost a few. He cant run from that, and he carried that into the ring with him. Had had that doubt. 

Mike Cassell

Okay, I am going to give you some names as possible opponents for Kelly Pavlik. Tell me who would win and why. Winky Wright and Kelly Pavlik. Who wins?

Bernard Hopkins

I like Pavlik, and I think Pavlik would stop Winky. I think he would beat him up real bad. Do you know why? Because I had Winky first. (LAUGHS) I took Winky OLD PHILLY style. It wasn’t pretty, but I did it like they did it in the old days. I mugged him.

Mike Cassell

Okay, how about the Viking Warrior. Mikkell Kessler

Bernard Hopkins

Very very tough fight. I believe Kessler would win it though. But tough to call.

Mike Cassell

How about Joe Calzaghe?

Bernard Hopkins

I like Joe Calzaghe to beat Pavlik if they fought. Calzaghe throws a lot of punches. He gets in close, and would take away the range of Pavlik. Those long arms need space to build power. Calzaghe would smother him.

Mike Cassell

What do you think of Bob Arum hinting that Pavlik may fight John Duddy in Madison Square Garden next. Is that fight good for boxing?

Bernard Hopkins

No. Its bad. That is just Bob Arum sticking it to Lou Dibella, because Dibella threatened to take the belts off the table if the rematch clause wasn’t in there on the Sept 29th fight.. So Lou Dibella strong armed Bob Arum originally, saying we want the rematch over 160lbs. That’s why Arum wants the Duddy fight in NY.  It doesn’t matter though, I  think Pavlik would beat him up even worse at 168. 

Mike Cassell

You sat in and did some commentating with me for Comcast Sports Net in September at the Blue Horizon. How surreal was that?

Bernard Hopkins

You know Mike, if you can fight at the Blue Horizon, you can fight in any venue in the world. I made my bones there, it is where I started, I’ve come full circle.  It was an honor to sit with you guys, and get exposure for young talent. Its needed, and I was proud to be apart of it.

Mike Cassell

It was our honor, thanks for your time.