By: Hans Themistode
David Benavidez? Nope. Caleb Plant? Nope. Demetrius Andrade? Nope. Billy Joe Saunders? Nope? Not even a third contest with Gennadiy Golovkin would truly pique Bernard Hopkin’s interest. If it was up to the newly inducted hall of famer, only one fighter’s name should be mentioned above all others in terms of who Canelo Alvarez should face next.
“There’s one fighter I want to see him fight, Jermall Charlo,” said Hopkins during an interview with FightHype. “Nothing else matters to me right now.”
For the former multiple division belt holder, he’s still getting used to life without Alvarez. For years the pound-for-pound star was represented by Golden Boy Promotions, a company Hopkins is apart of. Although Hopkins helped Alvarez and the promotional company in its efforts in making some of the biggest fights possible for Alvarez, a showdown with WBC middleweight belt holder Jermall Charlo never came to fruition.
Now, even with both sides no longer working with one another, Hopkins would still love for both fighters to face one another in the ring.
“I wanted that fight before the Golden Boy split. I want that fight now, I want that fight in the next year and a half or earlier. The reason I say a year and a half is not because neither guy isn’t ready but it’s because of the politics. The politics have to get on the same page first and then the fight happens. Hopefully, the politics don’t take too long between both sides.”
While Alvarez has received universal praise for what he has accomplished across multiple weight classes, Hopkins views Charlo as a legitimate threat. At one point, a showdown between them simply boiled down to the negotiating table, however, with Alvarez officially stating that he will campaign solely at super middleweight, one weight class above Charlo, a showdown between them appears to be a long shot.
With that said, the Houston native has indicated that he would be willing to chase Alvarez to super middleweight or even higher if need be. If the words of the 30-year-old Charlo ring true, then Hopkins would be glued to his seat from the opening bell.
In terms of who would have the advantage in the ring, Hopkins pauses and thinks for a moment before ultimately giving his answer.
“On paper, you have to give the razor edge to Canelo. This fight is so even. The experience has to go to Canelo, the achievements up until now have to go to Canelo.”