Bernard Hopkins, the sophist of the sweet science, who fought well past the maxims of logic and physics, spoke with CBSSports.com on a montage of topics, including the epic bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao.
Perhaps no fighter can opine on the red-carpet opulence leading up to the fight like Hopkins, who lorded over the last two generations of boxers.
Hopkins is the last bona fide champion since boxing's big bang, leaving the sport with fragments of every belt, a constellation of consonants that have rendered a each division with some splintered version of the title.
Which makes Hopkins' old-world dominance poignant and pertinent. Having defended his middleweight crown 20 times, Hopkins has earned his place in the pantheon, next to Marvin Hagler and Carlos Monzon -- the only two middleweights ranked ahead of him, according to The Ring magazine.
Equally pensive in and out of the ring, B-Hop has defied dementia, poverty, and most of the post-pugilism maladies that ail so many fighters. And while Hopkins doesn't see the May 2 bout as a referendum on the sport, he's more than happy to hype and chat it up.
"First six rounds, possibly less, it's gonna be a tornado," Hopkins says when asked how he sees Mayweather-Pacquiao going down. "Because of Pacquiao's style, he will try to overwhelm Mayweather. If [Mayweather] gets through [that first rush], he will defeat him."
Hopkins, who spoke while driving from a photo shoot on Long Island back to his native Philadelphia, doesn't speak in the same platitudes you hear from folks who still make a dime off boxing. No former or current boxer has his amalgam of experience and expertise.
"Mayweather will have to make adjustments, make Pacquiao think before he reacts," Hopkins says. "If he can, it can be like taking candy from a baby. If he can do that, make adjustments as far as distance ... Pacquiao jumps in and out. He's not Maidana or Cotto."
Hopkins doesn't share the sentiment that a knockout loss like the one Pacquiao suffered against Juan Manuel Marquez will shadow him on May 2. "Erase that Marquez tape," Hopkins asserted. "Pacquiao just jumped in at the wrong time."
Losing on one punch versus a 12-round assault is a salient distinction, according to B-Hop. "You can recover from the one-shot knockout. It's not that that kills you," he says. "It's getting dominated that lasts. Because that pain from round one to twelve getting whipped sticks with you."
Hopkins seems to at least partially share Mike Tyson's take on the bout. During his animated analysis of the fight -- which went viral moments after he posted it to YouTube -- Tyson declared that Pacquiao has the kind of tornadic style that gives Mayweather issues. Volume is victory, if you'd prefer the Cliffs Notes.
"Floyd has to produce more than he has before," Hopkins said. "in terms of punching. He's not fighting [Ricky] Hatton. Pacquiao can bring it all night, so Floyd's jab and counterpunching will be key.
"I see Floyd making the adjustments," says the self-styled "Executioner," who's theatrical ring entrances and verbose persona made Hopkins one of the last and most authentic characters in the sport. "But by no means will this be a cakewalk. Floyd can just as well lose as win."
Hopkins inhales, a rare pause in a man who talks like he's paid by the word. "I say Floyd wins by controversial decision."
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