Philippines, 08 May 2024
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


THE EXECUTIONER RETURNS FOR 'THE FINAL ONE'

PhilBoxing.com




FORMER TWO-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION AND FUTURE HALL OF FAMER BERNARD HOPKINS TO TAKE ON RISING LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDER JOE SMITH, JR. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 AT THE FABULOUS FORUM IN INGLEWOOD TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING?

Tickets on Sale Monday, October 24th!

LOS ANGELES (October 17, 2016) - A boxing legend will look to add an exclamation point to end his professional career with the same style, speed and slickness that has defined him in the ring for nearly three decades, as 51-year-old, two-division former world champion and Future Hall of Hamer Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) prepares to square off against hard-hitting Light Heavyweight contender Joe Smith, Jr. (21-1, 18 KOs) in a 12-round fight from Los Angeles' iconic Fabulous Forum. The bout will take place Saturday, December 17 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing?.

Tickets for the fight - named, "The Final One" -- will go on sale Monday, October 24th at 10:00 a.m. PT.

Hopkins' resume reads like a Hall-of-Fame induction ballot. Between holding the record for the record number of title defenses as middleweight champion of the world (20) and moving up to light heavyweight to capture multiple belts in that division, Hopkins fought and defeated a who's who of boxing world champions throughout his remarkable 28-year career.

Roy Jones, Jr., John David "Action" Jackson, Glen "Road Warrior" Johnson, Felix "Tito" Trinidad, Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver, Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik, Jean Pascal, Chad "Bad" Dawson, and Golden Boy Promotions business partner Oscar De La Hoya all tasted defeat at the hands of the executioner.

"While 'The Alien' may be retired, the 'Executioner' has one fight left, and Joe Smith Jr., is going to find out the hard way how well prepared I am for my final fight," Bernard Hopkins said. "A lot of people will focus on my age, the history of my run in the sport, the titles, etc...but I'm focused on one thing - knocking Joe Smith out."

Joe Smith Jr., who was born in 1989, nearly three years after Hopkins had his first fight, is coming off the victory of his career, delivering a brutal first-round knockout of established contender Andrzej Fonfara in June and earning the WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship. The belt will not be at stake in this fight.

"I'm very excited about fighting on HBO," said Joe Smith Jr. "I know now all my hard work and dedication has paid off. I am looking forward to retiring a boxing legend"

"To accomplish what Bernard has over the course of nearly 30 years inside the ring and still competing at the highest level of the sport at the age of 51; what else can you call him but a bona fide legend," said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. "All of us at Golden Boy Promotions are so proud to work with Bernard each and every day and can't wait to give him the send-off he deserves with an incredibly, dynamic promotion over the next two months."

"I'm thrilled that we have put together this exciting fight," said Joe DeGuardia, President and CEO of Star Boxing. "What a great opportunity for Joe Smith Jr. to follow-up on his sensational victory on national TV with a fight against a legend like Bernard Hopkins on HBO. "

"For any generation and in any sport, Bernard Hopkins is an athletic marvel who has defied time and the odds as deftly as he has his critics, and he returns to HBO for the 23rd time when he faces Joe Smith in the iconic setting of the Forum in Inglewood, CA," said Peter Nelson, executive Vice President, HBO Sports. "Bernard's mark on the sport is already an indelible one, and one day he'll be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Dec. 17 will be a memorable night of boxing for everybody associated with Team Hopkins, and we are excited to telecast his farewell fight."

"We are proud to welcome our friends at Golden Boy Promotions and HBO back to the 'Fabulous' Forum when we host this highly-anticipated Dec. 17th battle between light heavyweights Bernard Hopkins and Joe Smith Jr.," said Nick Spampanato, Senior Vice President West Coast and General Manager of The Forum and MSG.

Golden Boy Promotions is currently working on a new co-main event, as an injury to Orlando "Siri" Salido's back has forced him off the card. Golden Boy will announced the co-main and full card in the coming weeks.

Hopkins vs. Smith is a 12-round light heavyweight battle presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on HBO's flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $205, 105, $75, $50, and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person, go on sale Monday October 24, 2016 at 10:00 am PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.starboxing.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.fabulousforum.com; follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @starboxing, @HBOBoxing, @therealbhop, @beastsmithjr and @TheForum; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, https://www.facebook.com/StarBoxing/, , www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/TheForum; and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using #HopkinsSmith.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • OKC, Boston Overwhelm Semis Foes
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Herlan, Taimoor, Toshihiko, Daeloniel, Daishaun in Action May 11 in Sarawak, Malaysia
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Stacked “Rumble at the Rink” card announced “Granite Chin Box Off” tournament & Two exciting title fights and hot prospects
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • RMC rules DC-PRISAA Meet
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Shakur Stevenson-Artem Harutyunyan & O’Shaquie Foster-Robson Conceição World Title Doubleheader Set for July 6 at Newark’s Prudential Center LIVE on ESPN
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Boxing Returns Saturday Night At Tropicana Atlantic City, Tickets on Sale Now
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Hall of Fame Broadcaster Al Bernstein Joins Former World Champion Raul Marquez And Veteran Play-by-play Man Corey Erdman To Complete All-star Announce Team For “Big Time Boxing USA”
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • O’REILLY AUTO PARTS BACK THREE BLOCKBUSTER FIGHT NIGHTS
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Boxlab Promotions Partners with Leon Media Network for Orlando Fight Nights
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Sampson Boxing Renews Promotional Agreement with Lightweight Powerhouse Edwin De Los Santos
    , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • PFF conducts U16 tryouts in Mindanao
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • 1st Talaingod Trail Run in June
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 08 May 2024
  • Japan Surpasses Mexico in Number of World Boxing Titlists; US Still Tops With 11
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Nuggets Fall at Home to T-Wolves Anew; Knicks Survive Pacers in Home Opener
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Kopiat Swim Challenge on May 25
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Rakius Dental Care Chess Team A are kings of Magayon Chess Festival 2024 Tatluhan Team Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Highland Boxing Promotions Presents: "Champions Arise," The WIBA World Title Triple Header May 30 at SpacePlus in Bangkok Thailand
    , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • WEIGHTS FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
    , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Christian Carto Takes on Jesus Martinez This Friday Night at Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia
    , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Recalling Elorde’s Garden bouts
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • TAYLOR AND CATTERALL CLASH IN ‘FACE OFF’ AHEAD OF GRUDGE MATCH IN LEEDS
    , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Inoue stops Nery in 6th round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • Demolition at The Dome: Naoya Inoue Pummels Luis Nery in Six
    , Tue, 07 May 2024
  • NERY DROPS INOUE ONCE BUT INOUE RETURNS THE FAVOR THRICE TO STOP NERY IN 6
    By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 06 May 2024
  • Yoshiki Takei Dethrones Jason Maloney as WBO Bantamweight Champion
    By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 06 May 2024




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2024 philboxing.com.