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02/19/2008 Archived Entry: "I’m Gonna’ Punish Him Slowly"
I’m Gonna’ Punish Him Slowly
The Hopkins/Calzaghe Presser
By Jill Diamond
WBC Championship Committee
NABF Women's Division, Chair
World Boxing Cares, Chair
Bernard Hopkins (left) and Joe Calzaghe
NEW YORK--This morning at Planet Hollywood in Midtown NY, surrounded by the usual faces, Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins stated their cases as to who was… as HBO’s Kerri Davis put it “… was the very, very best.” Davis made it clear, that although in the past we’ve had the “best of the best”, these two champions were the ‘very best of the best.”
This is the first fight in the new Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The hotel is a welcome player in what some hope is a resurgence in the popularity of boxing in the US. That’s why it’s forgivable that the first part of the press conference ran like an infomercial for Planet Hollywood.
It’s also the first big fight for a Ring Magazine Belt. This is an interesting twist, since Oscar De LaHoya’s Goldenboy Productions, a company that Bernard Hopkins works with, is not only the co promoter of the event but also owns Ring Magazine. Just when you thought the waters couldn’t get muddier, there goes another landslide.
Throughout the conference, Hopkins sat stone-faced and sullen, even refusing to lower the hood of his sweatshirt for the photographers. In contrast Joe Calzaghe was congenial, breaking into a cannery-eating grin when Golden Boy’s Richard Shaefer advised people not to believe the projected odds and bet against Bernard. He brought to mind that Hopkins has been called the underdog before and come out top dog, leader of the pack.
Joe, soft spoken and brief in his presentation, had nothing new to add to the expected, but relaxed comfortably while Bernard did his thing. “I’m gonna punish him slowly” Bernard growled. Then, looking squarely ahead at the press he added, “You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone. I don’t want to be thought of as a legend, or undefeated. I want to be thought of as a M..A..N. I’m gonna teach everyone what a man is.”
The two boxer’s video presentations also showed two very different approaches by their marketing Teams. Joe’s emphasized his lightening-speed punches and fast footwork, while Bernard’s montage, done to “Glory, Glory Halleluiah” (no joke), had him battling a more political adversary.
Afterwards, an American Flag was presented to Hopkins along with a note from the Us Troops in Iraq. “We’re behind you, Bernard.” It said. One hopes, he won’t need them on April 19th when he steps into the ring with Killer Joe.
