Reigning And Defending: Bernard Hopkins » Could it be six years ago already? Six years since Bernard Hopkins turned in what many saw as half a performance against Jermain Taylor in their first bout to lose to the young Arkansan upstart and end his reign as the longest defending middleweight champion in the history of the sport?… Jeff Pryor, www.queensberry-rules.com

Froch To Ward: Cut No Excuse, I’m Always Injured » Carl Froch has told Andre Ward not to use his cut eye as an excuse if he suffers defeat in the Super Six final, which has been rescheduled for December 17… Source: www.espn.co.uk

Sergio Martinez: Will The Real Middleweight Champion Let Down? » Coming into this weekend’s lineal middleweight title fight between Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, 47-2-2 (26) KOs and “Darren “Dazzling” Barker, 23-0 (14), the question is not whether the champ with no belt will win, but how hard will he make it on himself? Barker is another in a string of unknown-to-US-fight-fans Euros that HBO has decided to use as an opponent in lieu of perhaps a Midwestern easy out… Gabriel Montoya, www.doghouseboxing.com

Photos by: Ward © Fight Camp 360/Showtime; Martinez/Barker © PA Photos; Hopkins © Howard Schatz

WHO YOU LIKE?™ Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez + Andre Ward vs Carl Froch + Bernard Hopkins vs Chad Dawson. Pre-fight coverage from Chelsea Pier, NYC. featuring the Bob Arum (Top Rank) and Jaime Motta (ESPN). “It was very sad for me to see a son talk to his father like Floyd Jr. did to Floyd Sr.” —Bob Arum

WHO YOU LIKE?™ Andre Ward vs Carl Froch + Floyd Mayweather vs Victor Ortiz + Bernard Hopkins vs Chad Dawson. Pre-fight coverage from NYC featuring Jim Gray (SHOWTIME Boxing), Tim Smith (NY Daily News) and Mitch Abramson (NY Daily News.) 8/24/11