Tom Loeffler: Golovkin could face Hopkins at 168

Feb

Bernard Hopkins (left) lands on Sergey Kovalev in their 2014 fight. Photo: Naoki Fukuda

IBF/WBA titleholder Gennady Golovkin needs just five more title defenses to tie Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 consecutive defenses at middleweight.

Ironically, Hopkins, who turned 51 last month, is under consideration for Golovkin at 168 pounds if Golovkin can’t secure a big-ticket fight after his April 23 bout against Dominic Wade, promoter Tom Loeffler admitted on Thursday.

“The priority would be Canelo (Alvarez) or a unification fight with (WBO titleholder) Billy Joe Saunders but Bernard is another one,” Loeffler told reporters in New York. “If we can’t get one of those fights, if we can’t get a Danny Jacobs type-of-fight or (Gilberto) Ramirez then Bernard would certainly be a…He’s a legend. It would be a huge name for him.”

Loeffler referenced Hopkins’ as the biggest name on Sergey Kovalev’s resume after their 2014 fight as proof that Hopkins still matters. The Philadelphian hasn’t fought since he dropped a decision to Kovalev in Nov. of 2014 but Hopkins has expressed interest in facing Golovkin, Loeffler said.

“He’s physically much bigger than Gennady,” Loeffler said. “Bernard has never been stopped in his career. Gennady has a long knockout streak, so you’d have two forces coming together and that’s a very interesting fight. I have to go down Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D and E and F just to see who would get in the ring with him.”

Trainer Abel Sanchez said he’s lobbied for Hopkins for the past eight months as a possible option. “I don’t care about (age 51),” Sanchez said. “Bernard represents a step that a lot of champions wish they had on their ledger. That’s a big thing.”

Golovkin said he might be ambivalent about facing Hopkins because of his age, giving it a “50/50” chance of ever happening. “First of all, he is a legend,” Golovkin said. “And, second part, maybe people say, ‘Hey Gennady, no please. It’s not good.'”