Talks of a Winky Wright v. Bernard Hopkins fight for July have heated up and come near being completed, according to Wright's attorney, Jim Wilkes, courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times. The fight would be held with a weight limit of 170.
Wilkes said regarding the talks, "This isn't an agreed in principle thing. It's agreed in details." He also added, "When Winky wins, he will have beaten all the guys that beat Oscar. Maybe that will convince Oscar he should fight Winky later this year." Early talk has the fight being either in Vegas or at Madison Square Garden.
Wright, at 35, would continue what has been an insanely tough fight schedule since fighting (and defeating) Shane Mosley in 2004. The 42-year old Executioner would be added to Mosley (twice), Felix Trinidad, Sam Soliman, Jermain Taylor and Ike Quartey.
Hopkins hasn't fought since last June, when he decimated Antonio Tarver over 12 rounds. The fight was to be Hopkins' last, but as we all know, fighters rarely retire until they've gone at least one fight too far. But Hopkins was so effective against Tarver that he's still very much in demand, and as credible as any opponent could be.
A Hopkins/Wright fight might not sell the most pay-per-views, but it's something that I'll pay to see if it does get signed off on, and with Wright/Taylor II apparently out of the question and Oscar busy for the time being, Winky needs an opponent.
This would be one of the most difficult fights I could think of to call, because both of them have so few flaws and are so technically sound that picking against either one is hard to do. Wright is younger, but Hopkins has yet to show his age. Both have fantastic chins.
It may be too early to really get excited for this fight, but this has been a fight people have wanted to see for years now.
But you know what else they've wanted to see? Mayorga/Vargas. Or maybe that's just me. I really hope that one winds up coming to light, because I'll PAY for it, even though it doesn't deserve to be a PPV main event.