The highly-anticipated rubber match in the 
Torres-Holt Trilogy has been temporarily put on hold and in it's place, fight fans will be treated to the less-than-appetizing title match between Kendall Holt and Demetrius Hopkins, nephew of ageless ring legend, Bernard Hopkins. Despite claims of being ill in his native Colombia and being well-above the 140 lb. weight limit, Torres' last minute bailout has cast a damper on perhaps the most widely-anticipated bout of 2008. While Hopkins is a more than capable replacement, he's sure to provide far fewer fireworks than the explosive Torres. The 'Seek and Destroy' style of the Colombian bomber has endeared him to fans worldwide, in a division that hasn't seen many fan-friendly fights since the days of Julio Caesar Chavez and Meldrick Taylor. Let's hope that Holt-Hopkins provides at least one-tenth the excitement as Chavez-Taylor I.
Analysis: Everyone remembers the controversy surrounding the first fight between Holt and Torres and nearly just as many fans recall the first round savagery of their rematch. Much of the action of the first bout was controlled by Holt, and heading into the eleventh round, it was clear that Torres needed a knockout to avert defeat in front of his hometown fans...
Prediction: It's hard to imagine this matchup producing the type of twists, turns and all-out chaos witnessed in the first two Holt-Torres bouts, but the Bradley-Witter bout for the WBC title earlier this year engendered the same type of disinterest. Bradley shocked the boxing establishment and emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the junior-welterweight division and his successful title defense against Edner Cherry did little to dispel that feeling. The questions entering this fight primarily concern Hopkins, not Holt. Holt is the known commodity with known strengths, while Hopkins' profile is almost impossible to decipher. How can a fighter with twenty-nine professional fights and an undefeated record be so unknown to not only the boxing public, but within his own division, as well? Examination of Hopkins' previous opponents reveals very few familiar names. Was Uncle Bernard trying to bring his nephew along slowly or did he know something the rest of have yet to learn? Was the Forbes fight a reflection of the real Hopkins or was it merely an “off night” against a crafty technician capable of making any world-class opponent uncomfortable? Will Holt's overwhelming edge in big fight experience prove insurmountable for the relatively green Hopkins? How will Holt fare against a taller opponent with excellent physical tools?...
Aftermath: With Hatton obviously fixated with a Pacquiao bout sometime in the Spring, Holt and Bradley can look forward to squaring off in fight featuring much better value for the hardcore boxing fan. Neither Bradley nor Holt have reached that “big money” strata in the boxing hierarchy just yet, but those in the “know” know that Bradley has special skills that compare quite favorably with Mayweather's, and Holt is a dedicated warrior willing to take on and capable of defeating the very best fighters at 140 lbs...more...
Torres-Holt Trilogy has been temporarily put on hold and in it's place, fight fans will be treated to the less-than-appetizing title match between Kendall Holt and Demetrius Hopkins, nephew of ageless ring legend, Bernard Hopkins. Despite claims of being ill in his native Colombia and being well-above the 140 lb. weight limit, Torres' last minute bailout has cast a damper on perhaps the most widely-anticipated bout of 2008. While Hopkins is a more than capable replacement, he's sure to provide far fewer fireworks than the explosive Torres. The 'Seek and Destroy' style of the Colombian bomber has endeared him to fans worldwide, in a division that hasn't seen many fan-friendly fights since the days of Julio Caesar Chavez and Meldrick Taylor. Let's hope that Holt-Hopkins provides at least one-tenth the excitement as Chavez-Taylor I.Analysis: Everyone remembers the controversy surrounding the first fight between Holt and Torres and nearly just as many fans recall the first round savagery of their rematch. Much of the action of the first bout was controlled by Holt, and heading into the eleventh round, it was clear that Torres needed a knockout to avert defeat in front of his hometown fans...
Prediction: It's hard to imagine this matchup producing the type of twists, turns and all-out chaos witnessed in the first two Holt-Torres bouts, but the Bradley-Witter bout for the WBC title earlier this year engendered the same type of disinterest. Bradley shocked the boxing establishment and emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the junior-welterweight division and his successful title defense against Edner Cherry did little to dispel that feeling. The questions entering this fight primarily concern Hopkins, not Holt. Holt is the known commodity with known strengths, while Hopkins' profile is almost impossible to decipher. How can a fighter with twenty-nine professional fights and an undefeated record be so unknown to not only the boxing public, but within his own division, as well? Examination of Hopkins' previous opponents reveals very few familiar names. Was Uncle Bernard trying to bring his nephew along slowly or did he know something the rest of have yet to learn? Was the Forbes fight a reflection of the real Hopkins or was it merely an “off night” against a crafty technician capable of making any world-class opponent uncomfortable? Will Holt's overwhelming edge in big fight experience prove insurmountable for the relatively green Hopkins? How will Holt fare against a taller opponent with excellent physical tools?...
Aftermath: With Hatton obviously fixated with a Pacquiao bout sometime in the Spring, Holt and Bradley can look forward to squaring off in fight featuring much better value for the hardcore boxing fan. Neither Bradley nor Holt have reached that “big money” strata in the boxing hierarchy just yet, but those in the “know” know that Bradley has special skills that compare quite favorably with Mayweather's, and Holt is a dedicated warrior willing to take on and capable of defeating the very best fighters at 140 lbs...more...
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