| |
|
Tragic Hopkins, 51, still the big story
By Recah Trinidad PhilBoxing.com Tue, 20 Dec 2016

BERNARD Hopkins crashed out of boxing in tragic fashion. The Executioner was slaughtered, knocked out from the ring by a killer barrage in the neutral corner. He landed on his head against the concrete floor.
It was a dismal ending.
A disgrace, a head-on fall into the dustbin of boxing?
Not too fast, please.
**
The big story here does not belong to Joe Smith, the winner and still WBA International light heavyweight champion.
The true big sports story was authored by Hopkins, 51, who suffered the first stoppage in his career.
Rang Smith, young enough to be Hopkins? son, in fitting homage: ?He was a true champion and if he didn?t get injured, he?d be back here. I had to finish him.?
**
Hopkins, a month short of his 52nd birthday, was visibly diminished. Still, the fight could?ve gone either way. Hopkins was fully competitive when the unexpected ending came in the 8th round.
Hopkins, who had fought the toughest, the finest, the baddest, got smashed with a right, ducked but failed to raise his right to cover his head. He got chopped by a thunderous left, followed by a barrage that sent him sailing out of the ring like a wet piece of laundry.
He had 20 seconds to get back into the ring, was up at the count of 13, but chose to stay out claiming a ripping pain in the ankle stalled him.
**
Of course, the hardboiled warrior, one of a kind, did not surrender.
He took defeat humbly, standing erect.
?I went out as a soldier. This is my last fight, I?ve come to that point in my life when it?s final,? he said.
**
He broke the record for middleweight title defenses at 37, became a light heavyweight champion at 46. He continued to be a world class fighter into his 6th decade. His final record: 55-8-2, with 32 KOs.
Hopkins was a statue of heroic dignity in farewell.
?I?m happy with my life and retirement,? he declared.
Tributes poured:
?He?s a man who tried what men shouldn?t and did what others couldn?t,? wrote David P. Greisman of BoxingScene. ?He defied expectations, he defied odds, and all that defined him.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod? By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA , Sat, 12 Jul 2025JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis) By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026 , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8 , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25 , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy , Thu, 10 Jul 20254 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas , Thu, 10 Jul 2025SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON , Thu, 10 Jul 2025FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships , Wed, 09 Jul 2025James Perkins & Anthony Andreozzi Headlines “Oceanside Prize Fights” , Wed, 09 Jul 2025GORST PURSUES GOLDEN GLORY IN JEDDAH, DEFENDING WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA, 21–26 JULY , Wed, 09 Jul 2025Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN , Tue, 08 Jul 2025UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA , Mon, 07 Jul 2025 |

|
|
|
|
|