An Oscar-winning role

Dean Juipe

Thursday, March 25, 2004 | 9:36 a.m.

As well as Robert Allen feels he knows Bernard Hopkins, Hopkins remains certain that he has the upper hand.

Allen and Hopkins will be fighting for a third time when they share the spotlight with an Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Sturm fight June 5 at the MGM Grand Garden.

Hopkins, the undisputed middleweight champion who is expecting to fight De La Hoya in September, has to beat Allen to advance.

Hopkins and Allen fought to a four-round, no-contest decision in 1998 in Las Vegas and Hopkins won their 1999 rematch in Washington by seventh-round TKO. Allen told the Sun he watches tapes of both fights every day.

"Good," Hopkins said in response. "If he's watching those tapes, he's watching himself getting beat up and laying on the canvas.

"This way, when he's lying on the canvas again June 5, he knows it'll be Bernard Hopkins who put him there."

As confident as Allen comes across, Hopkins is not only equally sure of himself but has the advantage of having won their previous fight and of having been a champion at 160 pounds since 1993.

He has made 17 consecutive successful title defenses in building a record of 43-2-1 with 31 knockouts at the age of 39.

Allen, 34, is 36-4 with 27 KOs.

"It tells you how long I've been champion when a guy like Robert Allen gets beat but then works himself back up to be a mandatory challenger again," Hopkins said of Allen, who is once again ranked No. 1 by the International Boxing Federation after a five-year absence.

Hopkins vs. Allen has its share of subplots, including the pending fight with De La Hoya and their own, edgy relationship.

"He says he's tired of me, well, I'm tired of him," Hopkins said. "I know Robert to a T. I know how he reacts when he's in the corner, I know how he breathes during a fight, I know when he's about to step on the gas.

"I've seen enough of him. But whereas he continues to watch old tapes of me beating him up, I try to improve by watching old tapes of great fighters from the past."

Hopkins may be in the process of building a legendary reputation himself, having lost only his pro debut and a 1993 fight against Roy Jones Jr.

"I have more motivation to defeat Robert Allen than I had in either of our two previous fights," Hopkins said. "I showed him once that it wasn't a fluke and I'll do it again.

"I didn't come all this way to lose to him now. It's not going to happen. Miracles do happen, but it's my job to prevent him from performing a miracle."

Hopkins plans to assume the role of professor when the two square off in a fight that is expected to draw a full house of 14,000 at the famed MGM arena.

"The hardest guy to fight is the guy who knows he's not supposed to win but thinks he can," Hopkins said. "I've got to convince him early on that it's going to be impossible.

"But the man's got two arms and he's going to try and hit me with something. He's got nothing to lose, so I know he's dangerous.

"I'm not taking him lightly, and I wouldn't take him lightly even if he wasn't shooting his mouth off. I can't deviate from what got me here."

Hopkins says his focus is greater than ever, due to the date with De La Hoya.

"A fight with De La Hoya gets me up," he said. "And Robert Allen wants to take the shortcut to greatness and get his own fight with De La Hoya by beating me.

"The big picture is September, so that motivates me to be especially sharp for Allen in June."

Hopkins said he may train in Big Bear, Calif., for the fight, rather than his native Philadelphia. He also said for all the fervent commitment Allen puts into watching their previous fights, it won't do the challenger any good.

"I'm changing the stereotype of the Philadelphia fighter," Hopkins said. "I'm becoming a chameleon, fighting all different styles.

"He can watch all the tape he wants, but I won't fight him exactly the same. I'm blessed to do it all, and part of that is being able to adapt and surprise the guy across from me."

He also says he doesn't mind exchanging barbs with the feisty Allen.

"Anybody can talk, but I deliver and that's what counts here," Hopkins said. "I've beat him, I'm better than him and I'll beat him again.

"He can say anything he wants between now and the night of the fight, because in the long run none of it will really matter.

"I'm the one who's going to win."