Bernard Hopkins is all about manhood, from his days as a thug on the streets of Philly to exactly five minutes ago. Jim Brown, a Hopkins hero once proclaimed that the root of masculinity is as simple as "I can kick your ass." This probably explains a lot of the legend's own scrapes with the law. In my faith of Buddhism, patience (sopa) and humble compassion are essential to one's development- but useless in our linear reality. From the first day at kinder-garden my mother assured me that I'd be tested, and since that time (when tested) I've been less than patient.

Bernard Hopkins would appreciate this trait, but as any predator he would have to test me as an observer of the cruel game he has mastered. Through knowledge of the nuts and bolts of boxing commerce and partnerships with Golden Boy and HBO, Bernard Hopkins is attempting to challenge the consumer's intelligence. Mr. Hopkins, along with co-conspirator Mr. Jones want to redefine the definition of the word "RIVALRY" and hope you pay for the watered down version of the real passion that drives all sports.  

Me? I'm just here to remind you of the truth that you already know.  

What is A Sports Rivalry? 

First of all a rivalry is defined as intense competition for a prize and you don't have to be an athlete to experience rivalry. As a young man I wanted the love of my first wife; as in 99% of these cases there was a rival for her affection. The stakes were high, and of course this was a peer who we shall say "didn't like me no damned way." We had competed for more than the girl: pick up basketball, football team, the usual flashpoints of a young man's life. Familiarity-early recognition of the other as a potential foe or obstruction to what each young man wanted. Watch HBO's magnificent documentary on Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and you'll see that these guys played together on a Jr. USA team; and Bird in his intensity knew he didn't want to make nice with Magic. Boxing rivalries often stem from the amateurs as boys generally know who will be their main competition for future greatness. Evander Holyfield refused to be bullied by Mike Tyson at the pool table and early accounts had him eyeballing Mike from 30lbs. down the scale. The personalities of Tyson and Holyfield were ripe for conflict. Not so for Hopkins and Roy Jones, who didn't even know one another until they locked horns in 1993. Bernard is the first to tell you that he takes every fight personally, his loss to Jones did nothing to make him any “harder" than he is. He wanted to hurt William Joppy as much as he does Jones- malice in the ring is shall we say, his baseline demeanor. Boxing rivalries should follow a strict criterion that actually includes fighting, not a "clash in personality."

What should have happened between Hopkins and Jones? 

For one, Hopkins and Jones shared no proximity nor where they competing as amateurs at the same time. While Roy Jones made a name for himself, Hopkins was incarcerated, it was Tarver who viewed him from afar and resented what he had. To see esteemed writers, men who work for monoliths such as ESPN and the New York Times put the weight of their validity behind calling this a “rivalry" is a distortion that only Golden Boy Promotions can subsidize. Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearn's knew one another as amateurs. Ray even trained and sparred at Kronk according to George Kimble's “The Four Kings." When they finally met, it was an initial bout where the talk was already contentious and fans argued about the outcome from barbershop to playground. Much like the College Basketball showdown between Magic and Bird, the bout ushered in an era of Big Time boxing in the 1980's. Both men already “were" what they were made out to be, we did not need future accomplishments to put the first bout into perspective-both men were welterweight champs from major sanctioning bodies. Comparatively, Roy Jones was a sheltered phenom barely out of the grasp of a controlling father; but hardly a star. Bernard Hopkins was a tough, crude middleweight with a lot to learn-and later he would. The first bout was for a vacant IBF strap, hardly the stuff of Super Fights past. Once both men “became" what they were, they did so in separate divisions with Jones staying at Super Middleweight long enough for a cup of coffee.  

And now, history is distorted to sell a fight. Because everybody knows the word “Rivalry" moves the needle in pro sports. There's a reason why MLB and ESPN made sure opening day weekend will feature Yankees vs. Red Sox. Even a devout Cubs man like myself will be interested enough to drop by the “World Wide Leader" to take a peak. 

By the early 2000's when both men had accomplished much and had an open opportunity to take that uneventful bout and create a rivalry, they chose not to. Both men had also become Machiavellian businessmen, one militant and semi-activist, the other benefiting from an HBO deal that fed him a steady diet of substitute teachers. Power, power to make any promoter of record get off his ass and “make" a fight; that is if you despise a man enough. It never got that serious with Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins, no matter what they tell you.  What we loved about Ali is when he said “I want Joe Frazier," he meant it and he probably still means it today. Some say Bernard turned down 10 million dollars, eating salads and waiting for the Golden Boy. Some even say the difference was a mere misunderstanding as to just “who" would be paying Don King. I say what we got was two very rich men yelling “60/40 and I'll beat your ass!" on an HBO between fight interview-entertaining? Yes! But not a rivalry. Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward had the innate synergy with fans to understand that what they where doing in that ring together is a ticket to immortality. Now we have a fighter in Hopkins so willing to fight a so called “rival" after seeing him KO'd in 92 seconds. It's like Karl Malone as a Laker,  taunting Michael Jordan as a Wizard, listless and petty- and rewarding to whom? Antonio Tarver did what Bernard Hopkins in the strictest sense of rivalry criteria should have done, and that alone made it safe for Hopkins to venture up to his so-called rival's division. And once there he asked “who needs the best?" (Chad Dawson) Yet, Tarver and Glen Johnson fought the Kingpin 4 times combined. Bernard chose to pick on bloated middleweights like Winky Wright and Kelly Pavlik. He took an occasional verbal jab at Jones, but nothing more.
 

So where is the “Intensity" coming from? 

Well, it's easy to see where it's coming from now, as both men are matching resumes and over the years they've learned to dislike one another. Both men fear being usurped by the other, so as the day draws near raw nerves are being tweaked. But honestly, once an elite fighter reaches a certain age how many of us hold losses against them? Both men are past the age Ali was when he was beaten by Trevor Berbick! Would Hopkins really be any less of a legend for losing to Jones at 45? Really? Old Men are always intense when it comes to debating what they “were" and rarely are they as honest about what they are. I'm sure Bert Sugar is sitting ready to take historical points from the loser Saturday, if he hasn't found something better to do. This intensity comes from pride in one's achievements and both men want to believe that what they've accomplished is greater historically. Frazier and Ali didn't give a damn about history, they wanted to beat one another and they wanted the world to see who the better man was, not the better byline. Boxing is simple, paid assault in fact! And if two men are viable (that's for the business men), within a division of one another and have true “intense" dislike they find a way to fight. Neither Hopkins nor Jones disliked one another enough to NOT pick on a welterweight or potshot a sluggish heavyweight- it was Rivalry be damned, I'm getting paid. Now, through the magic of boxing promotion we have two men who have to add a financial incentive to go for a KO. How indicative of the reason they failed at making it a rivalry in the first place. Graziano and Zale must be rolling over in their graves. 

So what do we have here? 

I don't have to tell you, a clear example of misrepresentation and fulfillment of Bernard Hopkins demand to make more money. Even HBO, Golden Boy's unofficial partners refuse to carry the full freight on this rouse-so what does that tell you? Golden Boy in their eminent wisdom knew what they were doing when it comes to Hopkins/Jones in the eyes of the media. They announced early knowing we would denounce early, but over time with enough exposure accessibility and tough talk we would evolve from disgusted to intrigued. The assault on you is now softened by comparisons to Leonard vs. Hearns 2 and the “Thrilla in Manila" when both fighters have built their legacies on caution in the ring. The sound bites are flying and press credentials are being secured. The fight will even be shown in selected theatres so you can see the crow's-feet in HD! After 12 rounds of pecking, poking and glaring the winner of this non-rivalry will announce plans to keep gauging you with not a mention of Glen Johnson or Chad Dawson. The word I've come to in description of this bout is “Curiosity" but nobody associated with this bout had the integrity to call it what it is. If you're curious as to what will happen, then you are the guy who watched Azumah Nelson vs. Jeff Fenech 3 and more power to you. If you are looking for a rivalry by all means Israel Vasquez vs. Rafael Marquez 4 should help you out on May 22^nd.  

Bernard Hopkins crowed that if "Magic" Johnson and Michael Jordan suddenly started going at it 1on 1 people would watch- suggesting the two men somehow had some kind of shared history that would stop traffic. That tells you all you need to know fight fans, MJ and Magic were contemporaries (Like Hopkins and Jones) but Magic and Bird (in truth) were RIVALS.

 
It Happened in Detroit 

What happened to Andre Dirrell was despicable and I hope the youngster can continue but I would make SHOWTIME wait a year. There is no “Super Six", there's a Super Two Dirrell and Ward. In three consecutive bouts the European arm of this tourney showed an alarming inability to deal with movement and speed. Only Jermain Taylor, not exactly a "slickster" was available for the generic approach provided by Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch. To make matters worse Froch, Abraham and Kessler all exhibited a lack of class when being completely schooled by American counterparts. Froch was a “sore winner" who knew he didn't pass the eyeball test as Dirrell won going away to me. Abraham who longed for the Calzaghe treatment was a poor excuse for a “Champion" hitting Dirrell when he was on the ground and then dismissing the act by calling Dirrell a “good actor." 

First of all, Calzaghe was a special fighter who could get it done in every direction who didn't fight in straight lines. This Pedestrian threesome seem to believe opponents should just stand there and allow themselves to be hit- because they have no plan B. Sauerland would be wise to cut his losses and take this crew back to Europe to better maximize his earnings because they aren't elite on this side of the pond. Stop protesting the obvious misconduct of your fighter who was unraveling emotionally. Stop smearing Andre Ward with steroid accusations, the ludicrous claims only make what should be embarrassing, emasculating to your fighter. They got “clowned", by two kids with no championship experience and a world of talent-that won't be dissipating anytime soon. 

So try again when you have something of an Elite Caliber.