You might not like everything Bernard Hopkins says (we know Donovan McNabb doesn’t), but what he is doing in the sport of professional boxing is unheard of.
Bernard was 36 years old when he beat Felix Trinidad in 2001. He was considered old back then when he pulled off what people called a huge upset. Here is even a better way of looking at how amazing Hopkins’ career has been.
Hopkins lost a clean decision to Roy Jones in 1993. In the 18 years that followed Hopkins has never clearly defeated. Even in the fights he has lost most notably to Jermaine Taylor and Joe Calzaghe they were hotly contested and could have went either way.
18 years is a long time to not be clearly beat by anyone. In that time Hopkins has provided some major upsets as he got up their in age (the aforementioned Trinidad, Tarver & Pavlik to name a few).
The one knock on Hopkins was that he didn’t fight an exciting style, he was defensive boxing technician. While that was true, in his older age he has become more crowd pleasing and more willing to take chances the exact opposite of fighters like Shane Mosley and Roy Jones Jr.
Many people thought he beat Jean Pascal cleaning in their first fight, but to me this was even better win. Hopkins was clearly hurt twice badly in the fight. If you have followed Hopkins closely over the years you never see him hurt, ever. But he is such a smart fighter, such a wily vet as soon as Pascal looked to have things under control he changed tactics.
He got into Pascal head by doing push ups in the ring and fighting a little dirty. From the technical side he started to pepper Pascal with straight right hands. He should have been credited with two knockdowns, but the ref was incompetent.
Pascal is no slouch in the ring. He is a young, fast and hungry fighter that throws heavy blows, some of the shots he hit Hopkins with would have dropped a fighter of a lesser resolve.
In the end Hopkins got the decision because his heart and head still are light years ahead of the younger men he is fighting.
He is the Yoda of boxing.
We are watching a living legend.
The Executioner Bernard Hopkins.