Bernard Hopkins will defend his IBF light heavyweight championship against mandatory contender Karo Murat this July 27th and already he has his next two opponents picked out. In a recent interview with thaboxingvoice.com Hopkins said: “I want a super fight. Murat is not a super fight, but it’s a fight that I have to win to get the super fight, and I have an obligation.” When asked, what is a super fight? Hopkins replied, “Great question. I’m hoping that Froch beats Kesssler. I’m hoping that Bute wins his fight. These are all light heavyweight fights that are taking place around the same time that I’m supposed to be fighting, so that itself to me is that it’s going to open up in the next few months of big fights going into the end of fall or early winter.”
Should Lucian Bute wins his fight with Jean Pascal on May 25th he would have his choice between another mega Canadian bout with Adonis Stevenson, a rematch with Carl Froch or possibly the biggest fight in his career against Bernard Hopkins.
Bernard Hopkins also has a lot of other options out there on the table ahead of him as well besides Froch or Bute. A fight with WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly, who is from Wales, would be a great match-up for Hopkins. It would be a huge event if it was staged over in the UK. There has also been talk in the past about Hopkins possibly moving up to heavyweight to take on WBA Champion Alexander Povetkin. That would be another impressive milestone for the ageless wonder Hopkins.
After his victory on March 9, Hopkins suddenly once again finds himself in the driver’s seat and is now the man that everyone is calling out. He will have many opportunities to further add to his legacy.
