The environment at the DC Armory was electric as boxing fans were on hand to see if Bernard Hopkins could make history as the oldest boxer to unify titles. B Hop did not disappoint.
As I sat ringside watching the 49 year-old wonder handle Beibut Shumenov, 19 years his junior, with ease, I could barely believe I was watching someone that old. ¨The Alien,¨ who obviously discovered the fountain of youth, beat Shumenov in a split decision.
Hopkins didn’t even seem tired after going twelve rounds and was asked after the fight when he was going to retire. B Hop jokingly said he may fight until he’s 80, but was serious when he admitted that he had no plans to stepping out of the ring for good until he got a victory by TKO.
As long as Hopkins can perform at the level he does, don’t expect him to give up boxing anytime soon. He put it best when asked what has made his career different than De La Hoya, Trinidad or Tarver – Hopkins simply said ¨I’m Special.¨