New York, NY (BoxingGurus.com) - Bernard Hopkins has been waiting a long time to get his shot to prove his greatness. His last opportunity came fairly early in his career when he lost a unanimous decision to Roy Jones Jr. for the IBF Middleweight Title, the same belt he now owns. But Hopkins will have his day again as he takes on the WBC Middleweight champion, Keith Holmes, at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City this Saturday night on HBO.

The Middleweight tournament is being tabbed the Middleweight World Championship Series and will pit Bernard Hopkins vs. Keith Holmes this Saturday and Felix Trinidad vs. William Joppy on May 12 at Madison Square Garden on PPV (TVKO). The winners of those two great fights will then meet each other for total unification of the Middleweight division sometime in September also at Madison Square Garden. The Middleweight division has not been unified since "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler was the undisputed champ back in 1986.

Hopkins (38-2-1, 28 KO) has defended his belt now 12 different times, tying the record for the most Middleweight title defenses. Holmes (36-2, 24 KO), who has not fought in nearly a year, has defended his title successfully 2 times since regaining his belt back in April of 1999.

Will Hopkins be the next unified Middleweight Champion?

"I'm already tied with Marvelous Marvin Hagler at 12 (successful title defenses); 13 would break it," Hopkins said. "When I win this tournament, I will break the record that has been held for so long by Carlos Monzon, the great middleweight champion from Argentina. Monzon has 14; 15 will break it."

Hopkins is very confident about his upcoming match against Holmes and a decsion will not be good enough. "If I go the distance with this bum, I don't deserve to win," Hopkins said. "If I go 12 rounds with Keith Holmes, I don't deserve to be undisputed middleweight champion of the world...period."

Of course Holmes sees thing much different, "On April 14, once again, I come up against a guy--this time in my division--that's running his mouth," Holmes said. "That night, he'll try me on and he isn't going to like it. With God as my witness, I will be victorious that night."

The winner of the Middleweight World Championship Series will receive a specially commissioned trophy of Sugar Ray Robinson, who many believe was the best middleweight ever--and the best pound-for-pound champion in boxing history.

Hopkins vs. Holmes tickets are priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25. Trinidad vs. Joppy tickets have been scaled at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50.

Tickets to both fight nights are on sale now at the Garden Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster charge-by-phone, through Ticketmaster Online or on the Internet at www.thegarden.com. All tickets purchased through the Madison Square Garden Box Office or Ticketmaster are subject to a Facility Surcharge of $3.00. Ticketmaster purchases are subject to a service charge. The telephone number for Madison Square Garden Event and Ticket Information is 212/465-MSG1. The Garden Group Sales number is 212/465-6080. Ticketmaster information and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone numbers are 212/307-7171, 201/507-8900, 516/888-9000, 914/454-3388 and 203/624-0033.