Eastman out to end Hopkins reign

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TALE OF THE TAPE

Hopkins . . . . .v . . . . Eastman
40 . . . . . . . . Age . . . . . . . . 34
6'2. . . . . . . Height . . . . . . 5'11
85'. . . . . . . Reach . . . . . . . 74'
Orthodox. . .Stance . . Orthodox
45(32)-2-1 . Record. . . 40(34)-1

British challenger Howard Eastman is confident of springing a massive shock in Saturday's showdown with middleweight king Bernard Hopkins.
Eastman has kept a typically-low profile during the build-up to the WBC clash at Los Angeles' Staples Center.

But the 34-year-old has gone on record as saying Hopkins, 40, is overrated and predicts a fifth-round KO win.

Personally I think Eastman is vastly underrated and has a fantastic chance to take the title back to the UK. It will be hard and no doubt he will need a KO to win fighting away from home. But the European Champion has it in him to cause one of the biggest upsets in 2005.

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Howard Eastman's fight against Bernard Hopkins will be for the undisputed middleweight title after all.
The IBF, WBA and WBO all agreed at the last minute to add their sanction to that of the WBC for Saturday's clash.

Hopkins originally only put his WBC belt on the line but all four major belts will now be up for grabs in the same fight for the first time ever.

London's Eastman has vowed to knock Hopkins out inside five rounds at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The "Battersea Bomber" has also accused the 40-year-old Hopkins of believing his own hype ahead of their showdown - scheduled to start after 0300 GMT on Sunday.

Many rate Hopkins the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound, but Eastman called that reputation unfounded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/4267009.stm

Well I think Howard is going to come home with all three belts. Hopkins is there for the taking and is definately on the slide. People forget he is 40 and not a young fighter any more.

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Well not long to go now. Good Luck Howard!

You can guess I have had a few quid on him

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Ok Ok. I was wrong

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Eastman dreaming of another shot

Howard Eastman is hoping for a rematch following his points loss to undisputed world middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins in Los Angeles on Saturday.
According to Eastman, Hopkins offered him another chance after the fight, although "The Executioner" is more likely to seek out bigger pay-days.

"I would like to thank Bernard Hopkins for this opportunity," Eastman said.

"Let's do it one more time - I will even the score. Then a third time. Then we can look at the other guys."

Eastman, 34, was outclassed and clearly outpointed at the Staples Center but has accused the champion of running scared.

"He ran for the whole fight, he knew he had to get away from me," said the "Battersea Bomber".

"I don't blame him for fighting that sort of fight, he did what he had to do. He was doing his job.

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[CDR40]

He just wasn't good enough to get near Hopkins. Although he did show everyone that he can take a punch.

[Webzcas]

Unfortunately Howard fell short big time on Saturday. Hopkins was just that bit too good for him.

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From the WBA's Official Website:

Hopkins makes 20th title defense look easy

February 20, 2005 - LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins continues to get it done without being flashy.

Hopkins was efficient as he successfully defended his title for the 20th consecutive time by gaining a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Howard Eastman at the Staples Center on Saturday night.

In his first fight since knocking out Oscar de la Hoya in September, Hopkins easily was ahead on all three score cards. Lou Filippo scored the fight, 119-110, Daniel Van De Weile saw it, 117-111, and Ken Morita had it, 116-112.


"Winning 20 title defenses is an accomplishment that I wanted when I got to 11 or 12," Hopkins said. "That is when I started thinking of 20."

The 40-year old Hopkins (46-2-1) was patient throughout the entire fight, never taking any unnecessary chances.

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Whilst Howard Eastman wants a rematch:

20.02.05 - Howard Eastman is hoping that Bernard Hopkins will honour his commitment to a rematch of their closely fought battle for the undisputed world middleweight Championship at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Pound for pound king Hopkins told Eastman’s promoter Mick Hennessy that Eastman deserved a second showdown following his outstanding effort. For the Londoner, it can’t come soon enough.

“I would like to thank Bernard Hopkins for this opportunity,” Eastman said. "I hope he will give me another one. He doesn’t have to move up light heavyweight just yet to fight Glencoffe Johnson. There is plenty of business left at middleweight. And we don’t need to be bringing in any other guys either. Jermain Taylor for instance isn’t the calibre of fighter Bernard Hopkins is. No disrespect, I would love to fight him as well, but I want Bernard Hopkins..

“Lets do it one more time; then I will even the score. Then we can do it a third time. After that we can look at the other guys.”

So why does Eastman believe things will be different the second time around?

“I will fight 12 hard rounds toe to toe,” he explains.

“I couldn’t stick to my game plan tonight. I wanted to get inside and work close, but every time I got near Hopkins the referee called for a break.

“I was fighting two guys in there. The referee kept interrupting what two fighters have got to do.

“Like I say, next time round I will work on going 12 rounds toe to toe. Not that it will go the distance.”

By going to war Eastman will hope that he can deny Hopkins the chance to get on his bike again.

He added: “He ran for the whole fight; it was his strategy; he knew he had to get away from me.

“I don’t blame him for fighting that sort of fight; he did what he had to do. He was doing his job.

“But I just think that a champion should box like a champion. He should come to fight like I did, not run. I came to his backyard and I was the aggressor the whole time in there.

“It takes two guys to fight.”

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