GL: Winky, I spoke with Bernard Hopkins recently and since he's not in the heavyweight title hunt any longer, he's decided to explore other options and apparently you're one of them. You were one of the first names on his list Wink, so tell us how you feel about moving up to light heavyweight to challenge Bernard Hopkins? "I''ve gone from 154 to 160 and if skip from 160 to fight him at 175 then I'd have to be considered the baddest man on the planet. But 175 might be too much for me, 168 I can see, but 175? That's crazy?

GL: Winky, Hopkins has only fought once above 160 and that was in his last fight with Tarver.

Winky Wright: "It doesn't matter because he was a 160 pounder forever. He's a naturally bigger person, but I can't be at 175 and be in my best shape."

GL: But you would be able to fight him at 168, correct?

WW: "I think that weight would be perfect and it would give me the chance to prove that I'm the best fighter out there. I have a lot of respect for B-Hop and I like B-Hop, but at the end of the day I feel I can beat anybody I get in the ring with."

GL: Just not at 175?

WW: "I'm not saying I can't beat him at 175, I won't be in shape at 175 and my body frame won't hold that weight and be in shape. If we could do 168, I think I could do that. But it's all about what HBO wants to do and if they're willing to let me know that's what they want then it can happen."

GL: You've already made it clear that you're not accepting anything less than 50-50 for a rematch with Jermain Taylor, would you take less than parity to fight Hopkins?

WW: "Why would I do that?"

GL: Becasue he's the light heavyweight champion of the world.

WW: "We wouldn't be fighting at light heavyweight, so give me another reason why I would do that."

GL: Because he just beat Tarver and he's got wins over Oscar and Trinidad.

WW: "I got a win over Trinidad and two over Shane Mosley. Why would I do that? Let me just cut that short, I already told y'all I'm not taking shorts from nobody except for one dude and we all know who that dude is."

GL: That dude would be Oscar De La Hoya.

WW: "And that's it."

GL: If the headline of this interview read Winky to Hopkins, 50-50 at 168 and we could get it on, would that be accurate?

WW: "At 50-50 at 168 that fight could happen."

GL: Do you think a fight between you and Bernard would be bigger than the rematch with Taylor?

WW: "I don't know about that, because me and Taylor is the fight that people want to see. I think people would want to see me and Bernard too because they've seen him beat Tarver and they've seen me beat Jermain Taylor."

GL: Which fight do you think does more PPV fights?

WW: "I don't know, but it comes down to what do the people want. Let them write in to Boxingtalk to tell you what they want to see and whoever is willing to come to the table, then that could happen."

GL: How does a fight with you and Hopkins play out at 168?

WW: "Any fight I get in, it's going to end the same way, with Winky Wright's hand getting raised. No disrespect to B-Hop, but I felt I could beat him at 160 I just never got the chance to. It's not disrespect, we just both believe in our ability and at 168 I still believe I would get my hand raised."

GL: Has there been any update as to when you're next fight might take place?

WW: No, because it's the Holiday season and nobody is talking about boxing...

GL: (cutting in) I am.

WW:  Nobody but your Boxingtalking ass that is."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

WW: "Happy New Year to all of my fans and I'm out."

,M

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