Boxing PLAY OF THE YEAR

The bernard Hopkins that turned up in the Ornelas and Jones fights looked bored, he fought as if he was in a sparring session, and he pretty much was. When he's facing a great challenge, and is motivated with something to be achieved (like another world title, or becoming the oldest world champion in boxing history) he then fights with a different purpose. Perhaps Pascal was expecting the Bernard that showed up in the previous 2 fights, to show up to fight him - and took him lightly? Perhaps. Hard to say. That said, you would think the fact that Hopkins' people called up Pascal's people the moment Pascal took the strap off of Dawson and asked for the fight would've gotten Pascal's attention, but maybe it didnt? Maybe he really thought Hopkins would look like the zombie he appeared to be in the Jones fight? If you're a Pascal supporter, this is perhaps something you can lean on. I think it's grasping it straws but who knows. I say it's straws b/c Pascal fought that fight in the same manner that he fights all his bouts. Fast, explosive start, gradually slows, flurries become less & less, circling ring becomes more & more, breathing becomes heavier. The Dawson fight went in this same manner, Pascal was gassing, but Dawson looked so disinterested and just wasn't throwing, when he was throwing he was having alot of success, he just wouldnt let his hands go, perhaps for the fact that Dawson has leaky defense and he feared getting countered by Pascal's power? Then Dawson got cut and they stopped it as Pascal looked very weary.

Hopkins foughts in the exact opposite manner as Dawson. He is defense first, he jumps in with his punches and his chin tucked against his collarbone, holds after he's done throwing, works on the inside, break, defensive guard back up, rinse and repeat. The most amazing thing about Hopkins is he never gets hit square on the chin, it really is incredible how disciplined he is defensively. When Pascal buzzed him, both were wide shots to the back of the head area, and the impact pushed Hopkins over moreso than knocked him down. A result, to me, of older legs. But...as he always does, Hopkins then adjusted. He was looking for the wide looping hooks and anticipating them. Once he neutralized that, the fight was essentially over and he dictated the terms for the last 8 rounds.

In this fight I expect Hopkins to fight at a conservative pace for the first 4 rds, when Pascal is at his most dangerous. Hopkins can afford to lose 2-3 of those rds 10-9, as long as he doesnt lose a couple of them 10-8 I think he will believe he can outhustle and outmanuever Pascal in the last 7-8 rds or so as Pascal's flurries become less vicious and less frequent.  Hopkins is the master of adjustments.  Once he had Pascal's lunging flurries and sweeping hooks timed, he dominated from Rd 4-Rd 12...he started to crowd Pascal and was schooling him with in-fighting.  Pascal wants to fight exclusively on the outside and jump in with flashy hook combos, he doesnt like to be crowded and pressed.  Bernard knows this.