WBC light heavyweight boxer Bernard Hopkins of the U.S. gestures to Jean Pascal of Montreal prior to their title fight in Montreal May 21, 2011. Hopkins won by an unanimous decision.
WBC light heavyweight boxer Bernard Hopkins of the U.S. gestures to Jean Pascal of Montreal prior to their title fight in Montreal May 21, 2011. Hopkins won by an unanimous decision. Reuters

At 46, Bernard Hopkins will again attempt to defy age when he defends his WBC light heavyweight crown against 29-year-old Chad Dawson on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Hopkins became the oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world championship in May when he defeated Jean Pascal eclipsing the record of 45 years of age held by George Foreman.

You're going to see a fight where the youth wants to take the lion that's in the jungle and retire him, said Hopkins who has a record of 52-5-2 with 32 knockouts.

I'm just not ready to go, to leave the jungle.

The left-handed Dawson is a former two-time title holder with a record of 30-1 with 17 knockouts.

This is what I've been waiting for my whole life, since I was a little kid, to be fighting on this stage, Dawson said.

The best light heavyweight in the world was Bernard Hopkins, but Saturday night it's going to be me.

Los Angeles Boxing Los Angeles