Bernard Hopkins, the two-division world champion, and Philadelphia boxing legend, knows how to make a headline. Hopkins did it seemingly with no effort throughout his whole career. Hopkins burned the Puerto Rican flag against Felix Trinidad, Hopkins used verbal jabs as often as he did literally in the ring to put mental fatigue on his opponent. His verbal assaults also seemingly lead to a win over Jean Pascal who was not just outgunned in the ring but outwitted in the psychological space.
So after Gervonta Davis knocked out Ryan Garcia in the seventh round, what isn’t said sometimes is louder. Sometimes words are overrated as a person’s presence speak louder than any words we can muster. So when Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Joe Goossen all were not at the post-fight press conference it felt like a window had shattered. Some of the loudest voices in the room were the most noticeably no longer there after an outcome that did suit their best interest. Sean Zittel did a masterful interview with Hopkins touching on this subject.
In short, it felt as though Hopkins sees himself as solely a promoter. Once the promotion is over, the job is done. Yet, it wasn’t as simple as that. The day prior an Instagram post surfaced of accusing Hopkins of trying to put a banned substance on Davis’ body. The claim was never backed up with science or fact, but in the modern faith-based social media sphere, what does the truth have to do with a good story…? It appears Hopkins may have also had reservations about attending the post-fight presser based on his inability to gauge how Gervonta Davis’ team would react to him.
“I am not going to turn anything into the circus, because even though it is over, the fight, if they [said] that I was going to put testosterone or whatever it is, that’s the reason [they might try to say that I was talking to Tank Davis on the weigh-in stage],” furthered Hopkins to FightHype.com. “It’s a conspiracy. If they felt like that then, I don’t know if its over with them, I don’t know if they want to gloat anymore or [stick] their chest. My whole thing is - this is Ryan’s time.”
So it appears the main reason Hopkins didn’t attend wasn’t around being a poor sport - more so, he didn’t want the post-fight to be all about Bernard Hopkins. Though this is a complicated answer to look at, it is also seemingly a very honest one - and a reason Hopkins has built up such an organic fanbase.
“They went that far to an extent, now it’s over with I let my guard down absolutely not," said Hopkins. “So, we [Golden Boy Promotions] had representation Eric Gomez, [as well as] other reps from Golden Boy there [to handle the business], it is not about us. We did our job. What [are] we going to promote after the fight.”
