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World champ Kelly Pavlik takes on veteran Hopkins

Kelly Pavlik, left, and Bernard Hopkins pose during a news conference in New York on Tuesday ahead of their fight today in Atlantic City, New Jersey. PHOTO: AP

Undefeated World Boxing Council middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik moves up to light-heavyweight for a non-title showdown against veteran Bernard Hopkins today.

The fight sends Pavlik, 34-0 with 30 knockouts, against 43-year-old Hopkins, 48-5 with one drawn and 32 knockouts and knocked down by only one fighter in his career.

“There are a lot of people concerned about me,” Hopkins said. “I will be OK. I’m not a fool ... I’m a guy that will take big challenges.”

“Not only am I ready for this fight and no problems physically, Bernard Hopkins is going to show that he has a lot left. I will beat this fight and show the world I’m one of the greats,” he said.

Pavlik, 26, predicted an unprecedented early stoppage of Hopkins.

“That would be one of the biggest statements in probably the last 40 years of boxing,” Pavlik said. “He has never been stopped. How good a chin does he have? We don’t know.”
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