Hopkins, 49, back for more in fight with Kovalev

Walk away, Naazim Richardson told Bernard Hopkins. The boxer was at the top of his sport after he scored an upset win in 2006 over Antonio Tarver. Richardson said Hopkins had done everything, except lose badly. It was time to go.

"If he left then, anytime someone in sports would've left on top it would've been called the B-Hop," said Richardson. "Young guys would say, 'I'm going to come up, blah, blah, blah. And then I'm going to do a B-Hop.' "

The term, Richardson thought, would have kept Hopkins' name relevant. But the fighter failed to listen. And good thing he did, Richardson said. The 49-year-old's name is as relevant now as it ever has been.

Hopkins will fight Nov. 8 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City for the 13th time since his trainer advised him to "do a B-Hop." A win against Sergey Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 knockouts) would give Hopkins three of the four light-heavyweight world titles. Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) then would have a chance to unify the division after his 50th birthday.

"Everyone might find out that perhaps we're looking at the greatest fighter that ever lived," Richardson said. "There's a good chance that you're looking at the best fighter God ever built."

Richardson said there's no way Hopkins should be considered a favorite against Kovalev, let alone any light-heavyweight. Hopkins is not old, Richardson said. He is ancient.

The North Philadelphia native has never been knocked out. The Russian-born Kovalev, 31, seems to knock out anyone who stands in his way. Kovalev has fought past the fourth round just once in his last eight bouts. Hopkins has gone the distance in 15 of his last 16 fights.

"You're coming to see a guy that looks like he punches like Hercules. Can he beat the old bird?" Richardson said. "Let me see. This joker's 111 years old and he's fighting monsters like Kovalev."

Richardson said a couple of exit strategies are being talked about to end Hopkins' career. But they all start with a win against Kovalev. One rumor has Hopkins unifying the light-heavyweight division next year against Adonis Stevenson. Another has 50-year-old Hopkins being the man who tries to stop Floyd Mayweather from going 50-0.

"When you have a good entertainer, they don't just say goodnight and walk off the stage," Richardson said. "I mean, David Copperfield does something spectacular at the end of the show, too."