Sluggish-selling matchup gets a push

Already wearing a black eye from training camp, Winky Wright took another shot to the face while standing in his underwear Friday afternoon. When it's finally time to fight, Wright should be ready.

Bernard Hopkins was primed to get started a day early, throwing an open right hand at Wright's head during the weigh-in at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

"I'm going to (mess) him up," Wright said after Hopkins triggered a shoving match that resulted in both fighters' entourages rushing the stage in a near-melee.

The third major boxing event of the summer in Las Vegas matches Wright and Hopkins, who defends his Ring Magazine light heavyweight title at 8 p.m today. The HBO pay-per-view telecast begins at 6 p.m.

The first two title fights fell short of their hype. Hopkins provided a boost for today's bout by turning the weigh-in into an all-in circus that was replayed repeatedly on ESPN.

Only about 7,500 tickets were sold as of Friday, so boxing skeptics might claim Hopkins' shove was more planned than impromptu.

Whatever the reason behind the outburst, all that matters is both fighters put on a show that is memorable for the right reasons.

"So many people are trying to say it's not going to be exciting," said Wright, a minus-150 favorite. "I'm telling the people that you're going to expect a lot out of this fight, and you're going to get it."

Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, promised an action-packed brawl. "You're going to see fireworks," he said.

De La Hoya lost a split decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5 at the MGM Grand Garden in a fight lacking significant action.

Ricky Hatton's fourth-round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo on June 23 at the Thomas & Mack Center was more of a disappointment because of Castillo's poor performance.

So it's up to Hopkins and Wright to make a big statement for boxing, and the $49.95 pay-per-view tag is a considerable gamble on two counterpunchers who vow to be aggressors.

"I never come into the ring to lapdog or to snooze or to collect a paycheck. That's not my style," Hopkins said. "I'm going to do all I can to knock you out. I want more than a win.

"I come to fight. I don't have the reputation of a guy who waits for you to punch yourself out and hopes to beat you on points and be satisfied with that."

Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 knockouts) dropped 5 pounds to 170 to meet Wright, who never has fought above 160. The bigger and stronger man, Hopkins said he will force the action and break down Wright's defense.

Wright (51-3-1, 25 KOs) is confident he can wear down the 42-year-old Hopkins, whom he called a "dirty fighter" known to butt heads and throw low blows.

"I feel I'm a much better fighter than Bernard. I feel I've got more skill," Wright said. "I throw a lot of good punches. I don't go for the knockout. I prefer to beat you up for 12 rounds."

Wright's style can be perceived as boring, and he has not always been embraced as a marquee boxer.

Freddie Roach, Hopkins' trainer, said Wright's strategy will dictate whether the fight is worthy of any hype.

"If Winky comes with the aggressive style that he has in his last four fights, I think it will be a pretty good action fight," Roach said. "But for the most part, I think it's going to be a boxing match.

"A boxing purist will love the fight. It might be a little boring, and it will be more tactical than some people want to see because you've got two smart counterpunchers. Somewhere along the line, somebody is going to have to take the lead."

It's probably up to Hopkins, the more powerful puncher, to lead the way.

"Once he understands early in this fight that he must go into survival mode, then I'm going to look like a big bully," Hopkins said. "Winky has a great defense and he has a jab. What else? I've got to take his right hand away from him and unravel his defense. What happens when his defense has been breached? Everybody has a plan until they get hit.

"It will be a mercy call. I'm going to give you all a show."