Bernard Hopkins has thrown a sucker punch at Manny Pacquiao, arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, claiming Pacquiao is avoiding fighting black boxers.
“Floyd Mayweather would beat Manny Pacquiao because the styles [used by] African-American fighters ? and I mean, black fighters from the streets or the inner cities ? would be successful,” Hopkins, who is African-American, told Fanhouse.com. “I think Floyd Mayweather would pot-shot Pacquiao and bust him up in between the four-to-five punches that Pacquiao throws, and then set him up later on down the line.”
Pacquiao?s representatives tried over the summer to secure a fight against Mayweather, an African-American, that would?ve occurred Saturday night, but Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) maintains he had no knowledge of his adviser, Al Haymon, negotiating on his behalf with HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg. Haymon has not commented publicly on the matter, but Greenburg has said they were trying to make the bout before Mayweather made it clear he didn?t want to fight again in 2010.
Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) soundly defeated a black boxer, Joshua Clottey, on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium, eight months before he dominated Mexico?s Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs, 1 NC) on Saturday night at the same venue. Pacquiao has fought in four weight classes since 2008, but other than the possible fight against Mayweather there has been no clamor for Pacquiao to fight other African-American boxers.
Hopkins discounted the Filipino superstar?s victory over Clottey (35-4, 20 KOs, 1 NC) because Clottey, a longtime Bronx resident who?s managed by Oakland?s Vinny Scolpino, is a native of Ghana.
“Clottey is black,” Hopkins explained to Fanhouse.com, “but not a black boxer from the States, with a slick style.”
Hopkins, 45, is preparing in his native Philadelphia for a Dec. 18 fight against Haiti?s Jean Pascal. If Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KOs, 1 NC), a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, defeats Pascal (26-1, 16 KOs) in their WBC light heavyweight championship match in Quebec City, Quebec, he?ll become the oldest boxer in the sport?s history to win a recognized world title.
SUPER CUTS: Glen Tapia?s handlers hope some of Pacquiao?s superior skills rubbed off on Tapia when they trained together recently in the Philippines. Passaic?s Tapia (8-0, 5 KOs) already has shown he has absorbed some of Pacquiao?s philanthropic spirit.
Tapia, 20, cut off his trademark braids this week and donated his hair to Locks of Love, a public, non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged males and females under 21 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss, due to various diseases. The West Palm Beach, Fla.-based organization uses donated hair to create high-quality hair prosthetics.
“We?re so grateful for the support,” said Lauren Kukkamaa, Locks of Love?s communications director. “We need help from everyone, from men and women. And it?s always wonderful when we hear that athletes and celebrities want to get involved.”
For more information, visit locksoflove.org.
