Middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins vowed to tutor young rival Jermain Taylor in the ways of boxing when the pair fight in Las Vegas on 16 July. WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO holder Hopkins tipped Taylor to rule the division one day but said he would prevail.
"He's in college now," the 40-year-old said of Taylor, 26.
"He has the talent to become champion one day, but that day won't be 16 July. He won't stop me from ending my career the way I always do things - my way."
Hopkins, who has 46 wins, two losses and a draw to his name, dressed up in a professor's outfit for a press conference ahead of the fight dubbed "Next in Line".
"He's next - next in a line of 20," the American said, referring to 20 previous successful defences. But Taylor, 23-0, remained confident of victory.
"It's a true blessing that I'm about to be a true world champion," he said.
"I hope you don't expect me to get up here and talk trash about Bernard.
"I promise that when I win, I'll still give this man the respect he deserves. And if I lose, I'll give this man the respect he deserves. It's a new era and here I am."
MMIX
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