Welshman could entice legend with title challenge

The opportunity to win yet another world title and extend his record as the oldest world champion of all time may be too much for Bernard Hopkins to turn down if the offer of a WBO title challenge in Wales’ Millennium Stadium is put on the table for ‘The Executioner’ next summer.

A contest with native fighter Nathan Cleverly in front of a massive crowd at Cardiff’s sporting focal point may now come in to play after ‘B-Hop’ lost his WBC crown to Chad Dawson amidst farcical scenes at The Staples Center in Los Angeles last weekend.

Hopkins, 46, has expressed his desire to fight in the UK previously as he chased a fight with 24 year-old Cleverly’s compatriot Joe Calzaghe and with a chance to re-define his already lengthy legacy, the Philadelphian is now more likely to accept the challenge with a title at stake.

Contact is expected to be made by Cleverly’s promoter Frank Warren after initial discussions with Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer in a recent London meeting proved fruitful and any effort to bring Hopkins to Britain would certainly spark the interest of the UK fans.

The manner in which Hopkins lost his title may even make it a more lucrative fight as the US TV networks would certainly want to see what the former middleweight king had left as the fight with Dawson left a question mark with just shy of six minutes of action in the bout.

For Cleverly, it would represent the chance to prove his credentials further following his impressive showing against British champion Tony Bellew on Saturday night in Liverpool and should a bout fail to materialize, the Cefn forest fighter may then turn to WBA champion Beibut Shumenov for a unification battle.