[Boxing] Hopkins to return against Wright

[Rappy Veteran]

Middleweight legend Bernard Hopkins will come out of retirement to fight former light middleweight world champion Winky Wright on 21 July.

The two American fighters will meet in a 170lb bout, just above the 168lb super middleweight limit.

Hopkins, 42, called it quits after defeating Antonio Tarver last June.

"If I can stay out of the real hard fights, I could go another four or five years on my defence alone," Hopkins told the Philadelphia Daily News.

"I know in some ways I can't justify this decision. But my mama Shirley, I think, would be OK with this."

He said he had considered fighting Wales' super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe, old foe Roy Jones and undisputed cruiserweight champion O'Neil Bell.

And Hopkins, who made 21 world title defences, even pondered challenging WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev.

"I think things worked out better for me," Hopkins said. "Beating Winky puts me right back there again, and at 42 years old, too.

"Almost everyone has Winky ranked up there among the top three or four pound-for-pound fighters.

"I can still compete at a high level. Time beats every athlete eventually, but it hasn't beaten me yet. My best fights are yet to come."

Wright, 35, is a two-time champion at 154lb and drew against current middleweight king Jermain Taylor last June.

He has 51 wins from 55 fights, compared with Hopkins' 47 from 53.

Could be a great fight if Hopkins can last the pace :D

[Andy07]

Cool :D