Doghouse Predictions: Tarver vs. Hopkins
 Compiled by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (June 10, 2006)
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Photo © Rob DeLorenzo/ Golden Boy
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Tonight the fight world throws out the leather with two separate championship bouts that has the potential of being a barn-burning event of boxing matches. At the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ the out spoken southpaw sensation Antonio Tarver 24-3 (18 KO’s) goes toe to toe against the “Executioner” Bernard Hopkins 46-4-1 (32 KO’s) in a twelve round bash for the magic mans IBO & NBA Light Heavyweight Straps.
Just a little over two hours north in New York City at Madison Square Garden two undefeated warriors of the ring will clash when the hard hitting Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto 26-0 (22 KO’s) defends his WBO Light Welterweight strap against the always confident Paul Malignaggi 21-0 (5 KO’s).
Can Hopkins go out with a bang or will Tarver stir up some magic and get the respect he searches for, can Cotto make it seven straight knock out victories or will Malignaggi dazzle his way to another W? Doghouse makes the call.
Antonio Tarver versus Bernard Hopkins
Gabriel Montoya
Karma is a funny thing. In his last two fights, Hopkins has gotten the bad end of the Karma stick. This time around, I think he gets the benefit of any doubts there may be. With the addition of trainer super genius, Mackie Shilstone, I think Hopkins can gather whatever he has left in the tank and get a very boring decision. He will not stop Tarver. If Tarver can't get the KO within five rounds, it is all Hopkins. This fight might have the potential to make Ruiz vs. Rahman look like Hagler vs. Hearns in retrospect. Flinch, miss, clinch, low blow, elbow, rinse, repeat.
Martin Wade
I think Bernard will look fresher at 175, and I don’t see Tarver bulldozing him in six rounds like he thinks he will. Tarver has stamina and balance issues late in fights plus he had to loose a ton of weight. Hopkins will resemble a more skillful crafty version of Glenn Johnson and pound out an upset split decision.
Peter Chhim
I’ve played this fight over and over again in my head the past few days and I just can’t come up with a likely scenario where Hopkins can pull out a storybook ending. He hasn’t been active enough in his last bouts to lead me to think he might out work Tarver, and he hasn’t shown knockout power since 2000 (the body shot knockout of De La Hoya was an aberration against a much smaller opponent). He’s still a defensive wiz, so I don’t think Tarver will collect on his mid round knockout bid, but by being defensive all night he won’t garner too many rounds either. So, although I’m not a fan of the Magic Man, I have to give him his just dues, he might not be a legend killer, but he certainly has the ability and the mentality to fight like one. Tarver UD Hopkins
Rob Scott
The veteran Hopkins will try to be strategic, but he has lost a step. That loss of a step may allow Tarver to 'step on' the ex-middleweight King. Tarver is too strong at this stage in Hopkins' career. But if Hopkins wins this fight, any and all nay Sayers should give him the utmost credit - I know I will. Unfortunately, I think it is a little too late. Tarver 12 round decision
Danny Serratelli
A friend of mine was in camp with Hopkins the second Taylor fight and with Tarver for the second Jones fight. Based on 1st hand knowledge/experience he thinks Bernard will pull off the upset. I value his opinion considering the fact that he was in there with both guys recently. I think if either fighter lacks a little drive and motivation or takes the other fighter lighter then he should it will be Tarver sleeping on Hopkins. Tarver is obviously the favorite considering the age, weight, and style and it would be easy to pick Tarver to capture a unanimous decision. However, this should be a chess match with Tarver fighting a fight he must win and Hopkins fighting a fight in which he has nothing to lose. The 2 counterpunches may make for a boring fight at times, but in the end the man who felt he was slighted in his last 2 decisions may be pleasantly surprised at the end of this one. I am calling 2 upsets this weekend. Bernard Hopkins by Unanimous Decision
Benny Henderson Jr.
I don’t see Tarver going in there laying Hopkins out with in six rounds as he said he would do, if he does run in with the intentions of doing so I think that he will play himself into a losing role. B-Hop didn’t win all those years for being a dumb fighter, he’s crafty, skillful, and has the ring experience to carry out the deed. But, I think a forty one year old Hopkins won’t be able to with stand the size and strength of Tarver for twelve rounds in a brawl, the early rounds, yes, but the distance no. If he stays away from Tarver going the distance in a bore fest than I could see him maybe, just maybe taking the W, but the questions is, can Tarver pull him into a brawl? The wear and tear of going toe to toe will have harsh affects on Hopkins, but will Tarver actually stay busy? So it is hard for me to make a solid pick. I can see Hopkins staying away picking off shots in a sleeper, and then again I can see Tarver putting on the heat long enough to get a late KO. This is a pick’em in my opinion, so I flipped a coin, tails…Tarver take the cake, heads, Hopkins gets the nod…we used to say tails never fails, but it landed on heads, so I will choose Hopkins via Spit Decision victory.
Coyote Duran
Aside of my wanting to watch what I feel will be a real boxing clinic between Miguel Cotto and Paul Malignaggi along with my general bias of being a friend of Paulie's, my decision to not order the Antonio Tarver-Bernard Hopkins World Light Heavyweight Championship bout was also fueled by my not wanting to shell out 50 prairie dogs to order the same thing I got in the Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins rematch. Disappointment. Hey, I'm as big a fan as any of the former Undisputed Middleweight Champion, but even I have my limits. Hopkins does just enough to win this fight by a split decision to take Tarver's Ring Magazine strap because he knows that sometimes, Antonio Tarver will only do enough to win. Knowing how well (and boringly) Tarver fared against Roy Jones Jr. in their amazingly somnambulist rubber match, Hopkins is banking on this. One can also hope that Tarver isn't suffering from what I call "Lennox Lewis-it is." See "Oceans 11" and then watch Lewis-Hasim Rahman you and I know exactly what I'm talking about, Mason Dixon fans. Hopkins SD 12 Tarver
Chee (icheehuahua): Tarver W12 -Both Tarver and Hopkins have great skills...but Tarver has those bloody long legs. To beat Tarver, you need to beat his legs. You have to get by the perimeter set up by his legs to get on the inside and deliver the goods. That's going to be hard to do. Also, let's not forget how much power Tarver can hit with when he utilizes his legs.
Even if Hopkins get past his legs, Tarver has much more magic to offer, and will make it hard to hit him flush. Getting by his legs and then delivering punches worthy of the 6 o'clock news...This is going to be like picking the lock on Fort Knox in record time and stealing the goods without getting caught...and you need to repeat that through 12 rounds, over and over.
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