“He Will Be Going for a Stoppage” – Bernard Hopkins Picks His Winner for Canelo vs GGG Trilogy

Middleweight great Bernard Hopkins has given his prediction for the anticipated trilogy fight between Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez. Hopkins is backing Canelo to win the fight via a knockout. 

Alvarez and GGG have already fought twice. The first contest billed as Supremacy ended in a controversial split draw. Two judges scored the fight for either boxer while the third one scored it equally for both. Regardless, multiple media outlets adjudged Golovkin as the winner. The outcome prompted a rematch which witnessed the Mexican edging out the Kazakh in a close decision. 

Now that the two are getting ready for a trilogy later this year, Hopkins thinks Saul knows GGG too well. “I think Canelo has the blueprint definitely from the second fight to end it early. Okay, you beat him twice; now you knocked him out the third time,” Hopkins said per Chris Mannix of DAZN USA. The trilogy was targeted for September 12 later this year. Now with boxing put on a hold due to the pandemic, there is no certainty whether the fight will take place or not.

Bouncing back from the defeat against Alvarez, Golovkin reclaimed some of his silverware defeating Serhiy Derevyanchenko last October. Subsequently, he now has to make his mandatory title defence against Kamil Szeremeta. The fight was being planned for January or February earlier this year but no deal was made. Even Canelo was slated to defend his Super Middleweight title against undefeated Billy Joe Saunders.

Former champion Sergio Mora agrees with the prediction of Bernard Hopkins

Just like Bernard, the former WBC super welterweight champion Sergio Mora also has faith in Alvarez. However, more than the Mexican he trusts the analysis of Hopkins. “The Latin Snake” thinks that Canelo and GGG have spent too much time together in the ring. Subsequently, they are fully aware of the weapons in the other fighter’s arsenal.

“How can I not agree with ‘The Executioner’ to execute a game plan?” said Mora. “This is a living legend in Bernard Hopkins. He knows better than anybody. I agree. Twenty-four rounds, these guys know each other too well. We have to favour the younger, fresher fighter Canelo for a stoppage.”

Sergio may be favouring Mora, but he doesn’t undermine the spirit of Golovkin. Despite being the older fighter, GGG has the power to end this fight early via a knockout. Mora is confident that even Gennady will be going for a knockout.

“He will be going for a stoppage. They’ll both will be going for the knockout. Golovkin, we know he has the power to end this fight early as well. There’s too much bad blood, too much animosity.”

Due to the spread of Coronavirus, fans will have to wait much longer for the trilogy. Not keeping in mind the results, both the earlier fights were dubbed as ‘classics’. The fans will be expecting a similar or even better outcome from the third fight. The former champ Mora believes that the delay in the trilogy will only make the fighters more anxious and frustrated. Consequently, there are higher chances of the trilogy fight ending before the stipulated time.