Boxing News 24/7Denzil Stone – Atlantic City
Brother Nazim Richardson, one of the most distinctive characters in the sport of boxing due to his crochet taqiyahs and old dutch beard, has lauded his decorated light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins… according to Richardson, “Hopkins is boxing“. The Philadelphian fighter defends his lineal championship and WBC title against southpaw Chad Dawson on Saturday, October 15 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Richardson (far right) at weigh-in. Credit: Stacey Verbeek - Maple Avenue Boxing Gym, Dallas
“You can’t underestimate Dawson in any way, shape or form,” said Richardson during an open media workout at Joe Hand’s boxing gym in North Third Street, Philly, Pennsylvania.
Athletic American boxer Dawson (30-1-0, 17ko) is a seasoned campaigner within the 175lb weight class, a former WBC, IBF and IBO light heavyweight champion and a fighter who can lay claim to scalping an already-impressive number of quality opponents as he twice defeated Glengoffe Johnson, twice beat Antonio Tarver and also decisioned Tomasz Adamek and Adrian Diaconu.
Dawson is currently training in the Poconos, under the tutelage of experienced trainer and fighter Iceman John Scully, however, whilst neither Richardson nor Hopkins (52-5-2, 34ko) will underestimate the challenge posed by the portside fighter, Richardson is confident his charge will secure the win due to his own recent run at the top of the division.
Since dropping a closely-contested loss to Britain’s undefeated world champion Joe Calzaghe (now retired), Hopkins bounced back by impressively dismantling Kelly Pavlik – the first man to inflict a loss onto the previously undefeated and highly-praised middleweight king. Hopkins also avenged a past loss to Roy Jones Jr by trumping his old foe with a points win before going 1-1-0 with Jean Pascal.
“Pascal and Pavlik were supposed to be the guys running the sport,” noted Richardson. “I said if you can beat these kids, you can beat anybody.
“I love boxing,” he professed. “I love the sport. And this guy [Hopkins] is boxing.”
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