Bernard Hopkins to face Beibut Shumenov on April 19
IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO’s) will be taking on WBA 175 lb champion Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9 KO’s) on April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.
Both fighters have agreed to terms for the bout.
"I'm very excited that both fighters have agreed to this world championship unification fight," said Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer. "I'd like to call the fight 'History at the Capital.' Bernard Hopkins is approaching his 50th birthday and to be able to unify world championships would be a special achievement. Bernard always says he wants to make history and he has made a lot of it, and then he comes up with something else that will be special. He is setting records that will stand the test of time.
"It is a remarkable time for all of us to be able to witness an athlete, a boxer, who keeps trying to push himself to limits which we humans can't do. But he's an alien. I agree with him, he's an alien."
Hopkins, 49, who has taken to calling himself "The Alien," will be making the second title defense of his third light heavyweight reign. He won his belt by unanimous decision against Tavoris Cloud last March and defended it in a dominant decision victory against mandatory challenger Karo Murat in October.
Shumenov, 30, a 2004 Olympian from Kazakhstan, who now resides in Las Vegas, knocked out Tamas Kovacs in the third round in December to retain his title for the fifth time - with Hopkins watching from ringside -- the unification bout has been on the agenda.
"I'm very excited that this year is going to be one of making more history," said Hopkins. "I love being in position to do what no other fighter has done at this age. I'm excited and I'm coming for his belt because I want to unify the titles."
WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin will be on the undercard making a defense against an opponent still to be determined.