Saturday, June 05, 2004
The New York Times > Sports > Other Sports > Hopkins Fight Goes On After Referee Is Kept On
Hopkins Fight Goes On After Referee Is Kept On
By MICHAEL KATZ
Published: June 6, 2004
AS VEGAS, June 5 — Just when it appeared as if Bernard Hopkins would rather be in Philadelphia than here on his way to earning a possible $15 million in September, he agreed to let Joe Cortez referee his record 18th middleweight title defense.
Hopkins had been threatening to go home rather than face Robert Allen, his mandatory International Boxing Federation challenger, because of the Nevada State Athletic Commission's selection of Cortez to work the bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night.
In a deal brokered by the president of the World Boxing Organization, Cortez remained as referee and Hopkins was prepared to earn at least $1.5 million to fight Allen, whom he had met twice before. Interestingly, the W.B.O. recognizes Felix Sturm of Germany as the middleweight champion and Francisco Valcarcel, president of the Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body, was here to supervise Sturm's defense against Oscar De La Hoya in what was the main event of Saturday night's pay-per-view show.
Bob Arum, the promoter, tried to reach Hopkins directly Friday morning but was told the fighter was returning to Philadelphia. With the entire show about to be called off — and more damaging, the expected Sept. 18 showdown here between Hopkins and De La Hoya in what could be the biggest money-making nonheavyweight fight in history — there was much pressure on Cortez to step down. But the pressure did not come from the commission that appointed him.
Cortez said none of the phone calls he received came from De La Hoya or Gov. Kenny Guinn, as was widely reported. "If I had stepped aside, it would be me admitting I was biased," Cortez said. "I didn't want to do that. It makes the commission look weak."
Cortez visited Hopkins in the fighter's dressing room before the Friday weigh-in. Hopkins said the referee told him he would be fair but firm and Hopkins accepted that.
"What I have done is the right thing," Hopkins said after weighing in at 159 pounds, 1 less than Allen and both Sturm and De La Hoya.
Cortez, who has refereed 163 world title bouts and is regarded as one of the best in the world, had twice been rejected by Hopkins to work in previous fights and the champion worried that this might be held against him.
Valcarcel was asked by Richard Schaefer, one of De La Hoya's aides, and Arum to try to intercede with Cortez, whom he has known a long time. Valcarcel was also friendly with Hopkins, whom he hosted when the fighter went to Puerto Rico to apologize for throwing the Puerto Rican flag to the ground twice while doing publicity for his 2001 fight against Felix Trinidad Jr. In that bout, Cortez was rejected by Hopkins as a possible referee by the Philadelphian.
Cortez, who said he always wanted to work a Bernard Hopkins fight, convinced Valcarcel there would be no grudges carried. Valcarcel called Arum, who managed to get to see Hopkins one on one for about 15 minutes. Arum said Hopkins trusts Valcarcel, so Hopkins told the promoter, "Bob, I don't want to hurt you, so I'll do it."
One might question the need for Saturday night's show in the first place. De La Hoya was a heavy favorite to beat Sturm and win a title in a sixth weight division, starting at 130 pounds. Hopkins was also heavily favored against Allen, with whom he had a no-contest once (twisting an ankle after inadvertently being shoved out of the ring by Referee Mills Lane in the fourth round), then stopped in seven six months later.
If either underdog won, Arum would probably be kicking himself for not going directly to the Hopkins-De La Hoya showdown.
Hopkins Fight Goes On After Referee Is Kept On
By MICHAEL KATZ
Published: June 6, 2004
AS VEGAS, June 5 — Just when it appeared as if Bernard Hopkins would rather be in Philadelphia than here on his way to earning a possible $15 million in September, he agreed to let Joe Cortez referee his record 18th middleweight title defense.
Hopkins had been threatening to go home rather than face Robert Allen, his mandatory International Boxing Federation challenger, because of the Nevada State Athletic Commission's selection of Cortez to work the bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night.
In a deal brokered by the president of the World Boxing Organization, Cortez remained as referee and Hopkins was prepared to earn at least $1.5 million to fight Allen, whom he had met twice before. Interestingly, the W.B.O. recognizes Felix Sturm of Germany as the middleweight champion and Francisco Valcarcel, president of the Puerto Rico-based sanctioning body, was here to supervise Sturm's defense against Oscar De La Hoya in what was the main event of Saturday night's pay-per-view show.
Bob Arum, the promoter, tried to reach Hopkins directly Friday morning but was told the fighter was returning to Philadelphia. With the entire show about to be called off — and more damaging, the expected Sept. 18 showdown here between Hopkins and De La Hoya in what could be the biggest money-making nonheavyweight fight in history — there was much pressure on Cortez to step down. But the pressure did not come from the commission that appointed him.
Cortez said none of the phone calls he received came from De La Hoya or Gov. Kenny Guinn, as was widely reported. "If I had stepped aside, it would be me admitting I was biased," Cortez said. "I didn't want to do that. It makes the commission look weak."
Cortez visited Hopkins in the fighter's dressing room before the Friday weigh-in. Hopkins said the referee told him he would be fair but firm and Hopkins accepted that.
"What I have done is the right thing," Hopkins said after weighing in at 159 pounds, 1 less than Allen and both Sturm and De La Hoya.
Cortez, who has refereed 163 world title bouts and is regarded as one of the best in the world, had twice been rejected by Hopkins to work in previous fights and the champion worried that this might be held against him.
Valcarcel was asked by Richard Schaefer, one of De La Hoya's aides, and Arum to try to intercede with Cortez, whom he has known a long time. Valcarcel was also friendly with Hopkins, whom he hosted when the fighter went to Puerto Rico to apologize for throwing the Puerto Rican flag to the ground twice while doing publicity for his 2001 fight against Felix Trinidad Jr. In that bout, Cortez was rejected by Hopkins as a possible referee by the Philadelphian.
Cortez, who said he always wanted to work a Bernard Hopkins fight, convinced Valcarcel there would be no grudges carried. Valcarcel called Arum, who managed to get to see Hopkins one on one for about 15 minutes. Arum said Hopkins trusts Valcarcel, so Hopkins told the promoter, "Bob, I don't want to hurt you, so I'll do it."
One might question the need for Saturday night's show in the first place. De La Hoya was a heavy favorite to beat Sturm and win a title in a sixth weight division, starting at 130 pounds. Hopkins was also heavily favored against Allen, with whom he had a no-contest once (twisting an ankle after inadvertently being shoved out of the ring by Referee Mills Lane in the fourth round), then stopped in seven six months later.
If either underdog won, Arum would probably be kicking himself for not going directly to the Hopkins-De La Hoya showdown.
