Hopkins Will Execute Winning Plan Against Wright

When this fight was first announced, the first word that popped into my head was why. Why on earth was Bernard Hopkins fighting on, coming off a dominant, historical win against Antonio Tarver for the light heavyweight title about a year ago? The answer is simple: Bernard Hopkins is a fighter, and he will continue to fight until he can no longer compete at a high level. What won’t be simple is turning back the considerable challenge that Ronald "Winky" Wright is likely to present.

This fight should have been branded with a "for die-hards only" warning label because both men are classic counter-punchers, which usually leads to dull boxing in the eyes of many. Lucky for me, I am a die-hard, and I look forward to this chess-match, where Hopkins and Wright will match wits as much, if not more, than brawn.

My Prediction

Being the naturally bigger man, one would think that Hopkins will be more aggressive than usual, attempting to lure Wright out of his defensive shell. He would be wise to take a page from Jermain Taylor’s fight against Wright, in which Taylor used effective aggressiveness and a high punch output (early on at least) to force Winky to open up. 

The biggest questions are: 1) whether the usually calculated, methodical Hopkins can fight at a faster pace at this advanced age and 2) whether he proves physically stronger than Wright. The answers to these questions do not bode well for Hopkins. I doubt Hopkins’ 42-year old body can suddenly transform into a flurry-throwing whirlwind or that he can simply rough up the naturally smaller, but surprisingly strong Wright.

However, I still think Hopkins finds a way to win. I actually see the roles playing out differently than I just described. Wright, not Hopkins, will probably come out faster than usual, attempting to test the older Hopkins’ legs and stamina. He will also try to impose his strong jab on Hopkins and prove that he is not the physically weaker man. This will all play into Hopkins’ hands, as he will neutralize Wright’s best punch, his jab (no fighter has ever out-jabbed Hopkins) and use Wright’s aggression to place well-timed counter-punches.

Look for Hopkins to retain his title, in a surprisingly entertaining fight. It may not justify the $49.95 price tag (most fights never do), but it will exceed expectations for the casual fan, and will more than satisfy die-hards like me.