Hopkins Promises Different Result

LAS VEGAS — As he walked out of Graterford state prison in Pennsylvania, Bernard Hopkins passed a guard.

“You’ll be back,” the sneering guard told Hopkins.

That was 18 years ago and Hopkins has returned only as a role model, an example of how a kid from the wrong side of the tracks can find the road to success.

Hopkins spent five years in prison after being convicted, at 17, of robbery.

Despite his accomplishments since, despite becoming the dominant middleweight of his era, despite a record 20 successful title defenses and a sure spot in the boxing Hall of Fame, despite a smooth transition into management as the head of East Coast operations for Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins sees those prison walls closing in whenever he stumbles in life.

“They gave me a number -- Y4145 -- in prison,” Hopkins said.

“I still know Y4145 better than I know my social security number.”

To Hopkins, failure would mean the prison guard’s prediction was coming true.

That will be on Hopkins’ mind again tonight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, where he will try to regain the undisputed middleweight championship he lost to Jermain Taylor in their first fight last July.

Taylor (24-0, 17 knockouts) won on a split decision, a decision disputed by many in the national media seated ringside. Hopkins (46-3-1, 32) has used that controversy to fuel his quest for revenge.

“I’ve been operating on, ‘I’ll show you,’ since I was 22,” Hopkins said.

There can be no disputing that Taylor, 27, won the first half of the fight against a conservative 40-year-old Hopkins, but that Hopkins came charging back in the second half.

Hopkins, who weighed 160, has vowed to be more active earlier this time, to take the fight to his younger opponent.

At one point in the first fight, Taylor turned his back on Hopkins because of the punishment he was receiving, which a disdainful Hopkins has repeatedly mentioned.

Taylor, who weighed 159, concedes he wasn’t effective in the final rounds. “I was too wild with my punches,” he said.

But, he insists, the confidence gained from his victory will make him a more polished and patient fighter this time.

The Las Vegas oddsmakers have the match even. But if Hopkins can sustain his fear of failure, maintain his ring aggressiveness, use his effective -- some would say dirty -- inside style and employ the knowledge he has amassed during 18 years in the ring, he should be able to eke out a decision over the still relatively inexperienced Taylor.

Remember, this is Taylor’s 25th professional fight. This is Hopkins 29th title fight.

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Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo have tentatively agreed to a third match to be held on Feb. 4. Each has won one of the previous meetings, both by knockout.

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BOXING

Who: Jermain Taylor vs. Bernard Hopkins.

What: Middleweight championship bout, a rematch of the July 16 fight won by Taylor on split decision.

When: Tonight, 6.

Where: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

TV: HBO pay-per-view.