Bernard Hopkins is one who never shies away from speaking his mind. And naturally, the Executioner shared his viewpoint on the Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather: When Will It Happen? controversy.
“Floyd Mayweather would beat Manny Pacquiao because the styles that African-American fighters (use) — and I mean, black fighters from the streets or the inner cities — would be successful,” said Hopkins, in an article by Lem Satterfield at AOL’s Fanhouse.com. “I think Floyd Mayweather would pot-shot Pacquiao and bust him up in between the 4-5 punches that Pacquiao throws and then set him up later on down the line.”
Hopkins seems to be saying that black American fighters are the superior fighters in the world, that Floyd would win because Floyd will use that black style of fighting which, he believes, will inevitably be successful vs. Pacquiao in the later stages of the fight.
Hopkins also seems to be trying to instill confidence into Floyd, who as we know, is behaving like the last thing in the world he wants to do is get in a ring and fight Manny Pacquiao.
But Hopkins interesting theory does seem to have a substantial hole. The Hopkins theory the formidability of the black American fighting style originating from the streets or inner cities, does not seem to apply to the heavyweight division where there are very few world class black American heavyweight fighters of note.
But Bernard is a brilliant boxing mind and he probably has a logical explanation for the severe lack of black American challengers to the champion Klitschko Brothers and maybe at some point he will address this.
I have an idea. How about Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather working together next year on strategy and tactics regarding a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown? Bernard can help fine tune Floyd and offer helpful tips. Floyd will be able to afford paying Hopkins an appropriate fee out of the massive payday he would get to box Pacquiao, and Hopkins seems interested in helping his friend Floyd, whom he has clear faith in.