BoxingTalk Story |
By Wil Foster
28/07/2004
His detractors say he only fights opponents when he feels he has the upperhand. This reporter agrees with that line of thought also, but at least they had a chance and not just a puncher's chance to win. Oscar's fans may disagree but it's the truth.
Timing is everything. So, why would he fight Hopkins now? The answer is simple. He knows he can beat him. He has seen something that others haven't. I watched his last couple fights and searched long and hard. I think I have found what he was looking for. Hopkins doesn't have a knockout punch. Sure he'll beat the crap out of you until someone stops the fight. But he's not going to pull a Tarver and catch you with one punch.
Argue with me on this later, but Oscar has fought more world class fighters. He goes into the fight knowing this. He easily has the upper hand when it comes to knowing how to win against a fighter who has more than a good chance of defeating him. Hopkins has not had that since knocking Felix "Tito" Trinidad out on September 29, 2001.
On Sept 18th each fighter goes in trying to prove something. Hopkins goes into the fight to prove he can defeat a world class fighter in his weight class for the second time. Oscar goes in the fight attempting do what he has done some many times in the past. Only this time it's not Tito, Vargas, Gatti or even Sweet Pea, but the far more dangerous Executioner.
Either way you slice it, picking your winner should not be as easy as most are thinking.
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