Sam Soliman

"I believe Bernard Hopkins will fight me next," said Sam Soliman, mandatory contender to Hopkins.
"I'm ninety-nine per cent certain of that."

Speaking from Sydney last night, Soliman told FOL: "Some people believe that Hopkins will not obey the IBF order to defend next against me, a right I earned beating Raimond Joval.

"They reckon he would rather be stripped of the IBF belt than face me.

"I don't think that. I believe he will make the 20th defence that will complete his history, against me. He'd rather lose it like a man, than give up the belt undefended."

In Las Vegas hours before, Bernard Hopkins had completed the demolition of Oscar De La Hoya with a ninth round knockout. A left under the ribs - liver, maybe - sent Oscar down, to be counted out.

"I will be meeting Hopkins in the same MGM Grand, within the mandatory time, six months from today," Sam Soliman foretold.

"I've been waiting 18 years for this! The dream to become a world champion was born in my first fight. I was 12 years old, weighed 9 1/2 stone . . . dear old Frank Kenny of Chelsea started me off . . . at the Calabria Club of Melbourne.”

Sam Soliman commented on the cable fight for Sydney Channel 10. "De La Hoya and Hopkins gave each other too much respect," he summed up for FOL.

"Their pace was slower than mine. I go at a hundred mph, throw 150 punches in a round. Hopkins only got up to third gear, I'll rev in fifth gear from the second round."

But former IBF world title judge, Keith Dudley in Sydney cautioned:
"Hopkins is called the Executioner because he takes his own time. He dominated all the way. That last left rip on Oscar was the Hector Thompson hit."

Post-fight, Hopkins talked about a huge money fight against Roy Jones Jnr - sometime Heavyweight Champion. It was not clear if he proposed Jones at super-middleweight or middleweight.

Less money for Hopkins against springy Sam Soliman. And more difficulties.

This observer reckons Soliman against Jermain Taylor, undefeated American, for a vacated IBF title is likelier to eventuate.

That could fetch Sam his first million dollar purse.