Bernard Hopkins to defend crown against Karo Murat

PanARMENIAN.Net - Light heavyweight titleholder Bernard Hopkins will continue his storied career at age 48 by facing mandatory challenger Karo Murat of Germany this summer, Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer said.

"History is marching on," Schaefer said. "Bernard is up for the challenge. Karo Murat is 29, young enough to be Bernard's son. He's a good fighter and he has been waiting for this kind of opportunity."

"It's an obligation I have to do now," Hopkins said while taking a break from a training session at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Philadelphia. "If there was a better option, maybe I'd do it. But there is no real option that's better right now with all the other [top] guys fighting other fights right now. So there's no other better option right now financially or historically than doing this fight and getting it out of the way, and at least you don't get stripped of the title. But I got bigger fish to fry after I execute this guy. After this I want a superfight."

Hopkins outpointed Tavoris Cloud on March 9 at the Barclays Center to win a light heavyweight belt for the third time and become the oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world title, breaking his own mark set at age 46 against Jean Pascal in their 2011 rematch, ESPN.com reported.