Jump to content

Bernard Hopkins says he is "ignored because i'm black"


Guest Chelsea Jack

Recommended Posts

Guest Chelsea Jack

 

PHILADELPHIA -- Unified light heavyweight titlist Bernard Hopkins believes race is the reason his pursuit of history hasn't been a bigger story outside of boxing.

Hopkins, who set records as the oldest boxer to win and defend world titles, will be two months shy of 50 when he faces unbeaten Sergey Kovalev in Saturday's light heavyweight title unification bout at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN.com, Hopkins was asked the reason his record-setting run in recent years hasn't transcended the sport.

 

box_e_hopkins_300x200.jpg
Tom Casino/ShowtimeBernard Hopkins believes race is the reason his pursuit of history hasn't been a bigger story outside of boxing.

 

"[it's] because I'm black," Hopkins said before the start of his media workout at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym. "What do you think if my name was Augustine, Herzenstein, Stern? Cappello? Marciano? Don't you understand the conflict of interest?

"If I was any of those names of any other background, I'd be on every billboard and every milk carton and every place to be. If we're talking 'American Dream,' here's a guy who almost threw his life away and he took this great country's great attributes and used it -- do for self, work hard and be a law-abiding citizen. I've done that for 26 years."

Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs), who set a middleweight record with 20 title defenses from 1996 to 2005, was released from prison in 1988 after serving nearly five years for armed robbery.

 

More from ESPN.com

From April 2014: ESPN.com's Jeff MacGregor looks at how Bernard Hopkins is fighting Father Time as much as his foes in the ring. Story

 

"If you really look at it, I have done the 'American Dream' that people have died on boats to come here to live," Hopkins said. "I have done all of that and then you look back and say, 'Wait a minute, what's wrong here?' A lot of people are not bold to say it, but I am."

Hopkins is no stranger to speaking out about race. In 2011, he made national headlines for comments about then-Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb not being "black enough."

 

On Saturday, Hopkins faces possibly his most dangerous challenge in more than a decade against Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs), the feared Russian slugger whose 2011 opponent, Roman Simakov, died three days later from brain injuries suffered in the bout.

Hopkins claims a victory over the favored Kovalev wouldn't be enough to crack his top three of most significant in-ring performances. He reserves the top spot for his 2008 upset of unbeaten middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in a 170-pound catchweight bout.

"That was the greatest moment of my life because it was undeniably white against black," Hopkins said. "The American story against the thug, even though he changed his life. The convicted felon. So it was me representing an entity that had changed in spite of what they say you should be able to do. But once you do it, they really don't want you to do it.

"And so I exposed it and I beat him easily after being a 6-to-1 underdog. And, matter of fact, it even went further. I ruined his life. I ruined his career."

Pavlik was never the same after losing to Hopkins. He surrendered his middleweight title two years later to Sergio Martinez amid troubles with alcohol and retired from the sport in January 2013 at the age of 30.

 

What you think of this?

 

Raises some valid points in my view

 

full link here: http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/11815891/bernard-hopkins-says-race-reason-pursuit-history-transcended-boxing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nah he's ignored because despite his immense skill he doesn't have a fan-friendly style, and that's the end of that.

I read this, and I was like yeah, it makes a lot of sense.

 

You telling me if he was white he'd be ignored? BULLSHIT. He'd be a national hero.

But then I read this and I thought, if he was white, they'd be painting him as some blue-collar hero.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Chelsea Jack

waffle

it aint cause hes black its cause hes boring

f*cking boring

look at rocky marciano 49-0

but you never here about him, now thats racism in a nutshell

Marciano still features in many boxing critics top 5 heavyweight lists to this very day.

Was also a revered national figure whilst alive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Chelsea Jack

No i don't mate. Jus cos i've knocked all the footy violence on the head since my world cup exploits don't mean im suddenly some hipster c*nt.

You need to get away from all that shit whilst you still can bruv.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So basically he's underrated because he doesn't fit a black stereotype unlike floyd, defo no racism there then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So basically he's underrated because he doesn't fit a black stereotype unlike floyd, defo no racism there then.

 

Well it's racism from black people then

 

Floyd isn't 'famous' because he fits the stereotype, he's famous because he markets himself well

 

By 

 

1. Making himself the villain that people will root against and pay to see lose

 

2. Marketing himself at a particular fanbase (i.e. black, stupid Americans) he basically targeted the rap music crowd 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well that's bullshit as less than 10% of his ppv buys come from blacks

Hispanic audience is the biggest in the states with more than half the market share

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well that's bullshit as less than 10% of his ppv buys come from blacks

Hispanic audience is the biggest in the states with more than half the market share

 

Which is why Floyd always makes sure to fight hispanic fighters on (normally mexicans) on mexican independence day

 

PPV buys aren't all there is to marketing/buzz, either

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tbh I look to when that interviewer decided to bring up Tyson's rape charge and Tyson told him about himself. Yes I'm aware the interviewer was black, but if it were a white boxer that stuff from 20 years ago wouldn't have been mentioned. 

 

Media already aren't talking about sperm splattered Jennifer Lawrence pics and you might not see the connection, but it is there.

 

"We don't paint our own in a negative light." is the rule here. Hell its the same reason black folk can't bring up Hitler when you talk about racism. White academics won't have it and try tell you you're the fool for having to bring it up. Pure deflective tactics.

  • Downvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tbh I look to when that interviewer decided to bring up Tyson's rape charge and Tyson told him about himself. Yes I'm aware the interviewer was black, but if it were a white boxer that stuff from 20 years ago wouldn't have been mentioned. 

 

Media already aren't talking about sperm splattered Jennifer Lawrence pics and you might not see the connection, but it is there.

 

"We don't paint our own in a negative light." is the rule here. Hell its the same reason black folk can't bring up Hitler when you talk about racism. White academics won't have it and try tell you you're the fool for having to bring it up. Pure deflective tactics.

 

What are you talking about, do you even know yourself?

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tbh I look to when that interviewer decided to bring up Tyson's rape charge and Tyson told him about himself. Yes I'm aware the interviewer was black, but if it were a white boxer that stuff from 20 years ago wouldn't have been mentioned. 

 

Media already aren't talking about sperm splattered Jennifer Lawrence pics and you might not see the connection, but it is there.

 

"We don't paint our own in a negative light." is the rule here. Hell its the same reason black folk can't bring up Hitler when you talk about racism. White academics won't have it and try tell you you're the fool for having to bring it up. Pure deflective tactics.

 

Where have you personally experienced this?

 

It may be different at other institutions, but i studied it history at university and in my personal experience this isn't the case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Tbh I look to when that interviewer decided to bring up Tyson's rape charge and Tyson told him about himself. Yes I'm aware the interviewer was black, but if it were a white boxer that stuff from 20 years ago wouldn't have been mentioned. 

 

Media already aren't talking about sperm splattered Jennifer Lawrence pics and you might not see the connection, but it is there.

 

"We don't paint our own in a negative light." is the rule here. Hell its the same reason black folk can't bring up Hitler when you talk about racism. White academics won't have it and try tell you you're the fool for having to bring it up. Pure deflective tactics.

 

What are you talking about, do you even know yourself?

 

 

 

dav is senile :rofl:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...