Khan and Hopkins Learn of Their Next Opponent

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Amir Khan hits Maidana with left. Bernard Hopkins bid at 45 to become the oldest-ever world champion, fighting WBC light-heavy king Jean Pascal, but unfortunately was judged to have fought only to a draw.

Bernard Hopkins was not a happy man after his fight with Jean Pascal last month. Virtually everyone that watched the fight saw Hopkins as the victor. That would be everyone except the judges, who inexplicably ruled the fight a draw. Thus, Jean Pascal retained his WBC super middleweight title. With the anger that Hopkins is feeling right now, I would feel sorry for his next opponent. Well, his next opponent will in fact be…Jean Pascal. In an unusual mandate, the World Boxing Council has ordered that Bernard Hopkins be afforded an immediate rematch with Jean Pascal. The French-Canadian Pascal received what was widely deemed favorable judging in his home-province draw with Hopkins in Quebec City on December 18th. The two camps have 30 days to arrange a rematch for the super middleweight title of the world. And if Hopkins were to win, with him turning 46 years young this week, he would be the oldest boxing world champion in history.

Meanwhile, a fellow Muslim fighter half the age of Hopkins continues his rise to the top of the boxing world, and his next fight appears to be set as well. WBA Light Welterweight Champion of the world, Amir Khan, will next be taking on #6 ranked Lamont Peterson. The match will take place on April 16th in Manchester, England. The Pakistani-British Khan successfully defended his title last month against Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas. And if he continues his climb, Khan just may cross paths with Floyd Mayweather or even Manny Pacquiao.

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