Hopkins: Canelo Handled 'Grim Reaper,' Rematch Will Be Easier

[Ruthless-RKO]

“Canelo handled ‘The Grim Reaper’ very well,” Hopkins said during the post-fight press conference. “And when it happens again, it will be much easier [for Canelo]. But that’s another story.”

Bernard Hopkins was impressed with how Canelo Alvarez dealt with a powerful opponent plenty of fans and media expected to knock him out.

“I think that, as Oscar said and [Golden Boy president] Eric [Gomez] said, this fight,” Hopkins said, “the middleweight division, one of the reasons I’ve got a tuxedo on is because I know how significant this is in history and the history of the middleweight division that I was part of for 12 years. So I seen an excellent fight tonight. I seen a fight with two guys wanting to be the best and undisputed and represent [the middleweight division] moving forward.

“And, you know, we’ve just gotta get over with whatever the controversy is or whatever the disagreement is. But at the end of the day, no one that will leave this building will have the right to say that they didn’t enjoy the fight itself. Take everything else to the side. We can deal with that one way or the other. But the fight itself wasn’t a failure.”

By retaining his four 160-pound championships, the 35-year-old Golovkin made the 19th consecutive defense of the WBA middleweight title he won seven years ago. The Kazakhstan native needs just one more defense to tie Hopkins’ middleweight record of 20 straight defenses (1996-2005).

[Tanzio]

GBP shill

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hopkins is just a bitter old man, who for the last 3 years has been constantly against GGG. He has been afraid that GGG would break his record. I hope GGG matches in his December defence. Hopkins will then shut up! (i still doubt it)

Hopkins can never say GGG fought week opposition. Because compared to him, GGG has reached this many defences in a shorter time and fought similar opposition, if not, maybe better.

[Ossyrules]

Nice impartial opinion

Not

[Enlightened-One]

Canelo proved to me that he possesses the heart of a lion, a granite chin, but he needs to improve his conditioning. The Mexican seems capable of defeating Golovkin, but he had no gas in the tank for much of the contest, allowing GGG to gain the winning momentum during the middle rounds.

Canelo clearly learned from his defeat to Mayweather Jr., because he boxed a smart fight, blocked shots well and landed clean eye-catching point-scoring combos. However, his stamina issues are REAL and this led to him losing rounds!

I believe that Canelo needs to stand his ground a little more in the rematch, due to having confidence about being able to withstand Golovkin’s blows, coupled with focussing on addressing his stamina issues, rather than raw power… and the Mexican can do much better against GGG in a potential second fight.

I think there’s more scope for Canelo to improve more than Golovkin can in their rematch.

Their first fight was excellent, but I feel the rematch will be even better!

[filibert]

Canelo proved to me that he possesses the heart of a lion, a granite chin, but he needs to improve his conditioning. The Mexican seems capable of defeating Golovkin, but he had no gas in the tank for much of the contest, allowing GGG to gain the winning momentum during the middle rounds.

Canelo clearly learned from his defeat to Mayweather Jr., because he boxed a smart fight, blocked shots well and landed clean eye-catching point-scoring combos. However, his stamina issues are REAL and this led to him losing rounds!

I believe that Canelo needs to stand his ground a little more in the rematch, due to having confidence about being able to withstand Golovkin’s blows, coupled with focussing on addressing his stamina issues, rather than raw power… and the Mexican can do much better against GGG in a potential second fight.

I think there’s more scope for Canelo to improve more than Golovkin can in their rematch.

Their first fight was excellent, but I feel the rematch will be even better!

Well said

[gilgamesh]

If deserving to lose a guy is "handling" him, and ensuring the judges are paid off even more next time means it becomes easier...then yes.

[greg]

...
I believe that Canelo needs to stand his ground a little more in the rematch, due to having confidence about being able to withstand Golovkin’s blows, coupled with focussing on addressing his stamina issues, rather than raw power… and the Mexican can do much better against GGG in a potential second fight...

...as if the top boxer isn't aware of his stamina and other problems..obviously it's easier said than done..

[SFW]

I believe the exact opposite. GGG had nerves bad at the beginning, completely ignored the body head hunted all night, fought lower than his capabilities and still deserved a win. Unless age really really rears its head he will still DESERVE a win over Canelo getting the honest decision is the harder part.

[gilgamesh]

I believe the exact opposite. GGG had nerves bad at the beginning, completely ignored the body head hunted all night, fought lower than his capabilities and still deserved a win. Unless age really really rears its head he will still DESERVE a win over Canelo getting the honest decision is the harder part.

Yeah. That's the one thing that gives me slight hope that GGG can possibly perform better in the rematch. He won't have that same nervous energy next time I don't figure because he'll have faced this guy, and this big fight situation once before so it won't seem as daunting next time.

[FastestHandsInThewest]

It will be the same result but a bit easier.

[gilgamesh]

It will be the same result but a bit easier.

How can a 2nd draw be a bit easier?

[Cent0089]

I believe the exact opposite. GGG had nerves bad at the beginning, completely ignored the body head hunted all night, fought lower than his capabilities and still deserved a win. Unless age really really rears its head he will still DESERVE a win over Canelo getting the honest decision is the harder part.

Disagree, if you are going to the body of shorter oponent, you are vulnerable to counterpunch more than if you go upstairs. It was even more dangerous when you consider speed and power of Alvarez counterpunches. GGG fought smart fight

[p4p1]

It will be the same result but a bit easier.

How can a 2nd draw be a bit easier?

You don't have to pay the judges to score as many rounds wrong?

[SFW]

I believe the exact opposite. GGG had nerves bad at the beginning, completely ignored the body head hunted all night, fought lower than his capabilities and still deserved a win. Unless age really really rears its head he will still DESERVE a win over Canelo getting the honest decision is the harder part.

Disagree, if you are going to the body of shorter oponent, you are vulnerable to counterpunch more than if you go upstairs. It was even more dangerous when you consider speed and power of Alvarez counterpunches. GGG fought smart fight

Body shots would have landed and tired Canelo out even more, and having a better variety of punches would make it harder to counter anyway since it's harder to figure what's coming when your getting hit upstairs and down. It was a mistake not touching the body more, and would definitely help GGG in a rematch. No, he wasn't that smart didn't double up the jab much ignored the body, he has more dimensions didn't use them. That's not exactly smart. But he still won, mistakes and all.

[FastestHandsInThewest]

It will be the same result but a bit easier.

How can a 2nd draw be a bit easier?

I'm saying it will be easier for Canelo but the fight will be the same. Meaning GGG should get a decision like he should've on Saturday.

[pizzakid13]

I believe the exact opposite. GGG had nerves bad at the beginning, completely ignored the body head hunted all night, fought lower than his capabilities and still deserved a win. Unless age really really rears its head he will still DESERVE a win over Canelo getting the honest decision is the harder part.

Yeah. That's the one thing that gives me slight hope that GGG can possibly perform better in the rematch. He won't have that same nervous energy next time I don't figure because he'll have faced this guy, and this big fight situation once before so it won't seem as daunting next time.

He'll most likely be more aggressive too. He knows what alvarez has in power now.

In a rematch, I hope for the fight that I thought we would get this time.

[montrealsuper]

Hopkins is just a bitter old man, who for the last 3 years has been constantly against GGG. He has been afraid that GGG would break his record. I hope GGG matches in his December defence. Hopkins will then shut up! (i still doubt it)

Hopkins can never say GGG fought week opposition. Because compared to him, GGG has reached this many defences in a shorter time and fought similar opposition, if not, maybe better.

No MW challenger ducked a title shot vs Hopkins. Oscar was the only one to duck Hopkins. Unlike GGG who was ducked by Floyd cotto sergio and canelo for two years.

Hopkins is a sellout. He sold out to the establishment he fought against his entire career. I repeat, bernard Hopkins sold out. The rebel surrendered and joined the establishment.

[Best Coast]

Very predictable...B-Hop is a good company man who can be counted upon to parrot the company line.

[BitPlayer]

They both showed a lot of class.

I think Canelo would need to just get better to do better, because I think he exacuted his plan about as well as he could, and I think it was the right one (other than hanging around too long on the ropes).

[tigermoth87]

After that interview Hopkins took a drink of water to wash away the taste of Canelo's spunk.

[rab]

i was actually impressed with canelos stamina in the fight. no one else has put him under that much pressure in a fight ,given how he has taken a lot more time off in rounds against lesser opposition the fact he managed to cover more miles in the ring than he has against any other opponent without completely gassing out surprised me. i was expecting him to be at a virtual standstill come the 10 th round. he certainly made a huge improvement to his fitness for this fight,imo of course.
he also knows he can take golovkins punches ,albeit not many big shots landed flush and from a few moments in the early rounds it looked like if he could keep golovkin on the back foot he might be able to take away most of what he has. being able to do that for an entire fight is another thing altogether though.
if the rematch happens a year or more down the line i can't see it doing golovkin any favours ,there were signs he is just starting to drop off his peak in the fight,again imo. i just can't see golovkin knocking him out next time, and if he can't he isn't getting a win.

[caldo2025]

No way, Bhop agrees with the decision and thinks we should all get over it? Wow, can't believe he would take THAT stance. What a bunch of drivel.

Bhop and Oscar have built their own little Floyd from scratch in their garage the last 7 or 8 years. They fixed the fights they had to fix. They paid the people that they had to pay. And now, Canelo is pretty much Floyd. He owns Vegas and you won't see him away from that location.

[Badhusker]

Cry baby Hopkins is delusional. Took too many shots to the head over the years, and now he knows nothing other than to be told he had better support Goldenboy. I watched an interview where he said Canelo "BEAT THE BRAKES OFF GGG!" What an biased idiot. At least Oscar said it was a close fight, but he thought Canelo won by a round or two, and said the 118-110 card was ridiculous.

I sincerely hope GGG collects the belt from BJS, then either retires or fights anyone but Canelo. I would remind Canelo of his comments after the Lara fight, when he commented about Lara not deserving the win because he was always backing away. He told Lara no rematch until he learns how to fight. What Canelo did (backing away most of the fight) is disgraceful according to his own boasts about being a Mexican warrior. According to his own standards, he fought like a coward.

Anyway, GGG needs to publicly slam Canelo for fighting just like Lara did. GGG needs to also tell the world Canelo isn't worthy of a rematch. Canelo lied saying he never felt GGG's power. He did or he wouldn't have been backing away.

[Grailer]

GGG too strong too much pressure for Canelo. He will never beat GGG in rematch