Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal meet for the light heavyweight title this Saturday in Quebec City. The press conferences have had plenty of sparks, as you could expect from Bernard Hopkins. Here are some of the highlights, beginning with a promotional video featuring some vintage Hopkins:
A scuffle broke out during the press conference from Quebec City when Hopkins wouldn’t hand the belt back to Jean Pascal. Meh.
Check out the quotes from the press conference. Hopkins only had three words to say:
JEAN PASCAL, WBC, Ring Magazine and IBO Light Heavyweight World Champion
“Bernard Hopkins says that the smartest guy will win. He says he is the intelligent man and I am the idiot. After the fight, everyone will know who the dummy really is.
“This is going to be an early Christmas present for all of Canada, but you are just going to have to pay for the present on pay-per-view.
“When I go to the states, you guys speak in English. There is no translation. Now you are in my country, you are not home. This is my territory, so in this town, we speak French.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, Former Two-Division World Champion
“Enjoy the fight.”
MARC RAMSAY, Pascal’s Trainer
“Be ready to see my athlete. He is ready like a powerful F-1 car.
“When the fight starts, you will see a jalopy on the other side of the ring and my F-1 will run him over.”
NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ Trainer
“We were at home anticipating the weather. It isn’t as bad as we thought it was going to be. It is very nice here.
“We look forward to an outstanding show. As we were preparing for Pascal, a lot of people were giving me information about what to expect. I have been watching this man since he was an amateur coming up.
“You can’t anticipate a man’s ambition. He has great ambition. He is an outstanding athlete.
“As you watch my athlete [Hopkins], please give him his due to respect. Please understand this man’s age, what he has accomplished and what he has been able to do for years.
“He is exceptional and I want him to get his just due. Trust me, if he wasn’t prepared, I wouldn’t be here. The preparation will all come to fruition on Saturday.
“If Pascal dares to be great, he will have a phenomenal outcome in this show.”
Finally, check out the following video that shows the big skirmish. Try to contain yourself:
