ATLANTIC CITY – Bernard Hopkins wobbled to his right and steadied himself against the ring ropes. There were just 10 seconds left in Saturday night’s fight at Boardwalk Hall, and the 49-year-old was refusing to drop.
The scorecards were already sealed – Sergey Kovalev by unanimous decision. Hopkins’ crashing to the mat would not change the result. But boxing’s oldest champion had too much pride for that. He absorbed 38 punches in the final round, the most he has ever taken in a single round, according to CompuBox.
The final bell sounded, and Hopkins was still standing. He lost his pair of light-heavyweight titles. They belong to Kovalev now, who will likely unify the division next year. Hopkins turns 50 in January. He will spend the next few weeks deciding if the ring is still his calling.
It was not his age that stopped Hopkins on Saturday. Instead, it was Kovalev’s furious offensive attack. Kovalev charged Hopkins for all 12 rounds, constantly battering the veteran with an array of punches. The 31-year-old made Hopkins look human, winning by 120-107, 120-107, and 120-106. Hopkins did not win a single round.
“I tried to go for the knockout in the 12th round,” Kovalev said. “He has great defense. He’s the best boxer in my division.”
Kovalev entered the bout as a fearless puncher. He had knocked out his last nine foes. And he wasted little time living up to his billing. Kovalev knocked down Hopkins in the first round with a right hook. The punch landed clean on the side of Hopkins’ head, dropping him immediately to a knee. Kovalev fought ruthlessly the rest of the round, stalking Hopkins around the ring.
He controlled the next two rounds with aggression. He chased Hopkins around the ring and forced him against the ropes. He ended the third round by battering Hopkins in the corner. The bell sounded, and Kovalev tried to unleash another punch.
Kovalev reached with a powerful right hand in the eighth round. The punch wobbled Hopkins, but he somehow managed to stay upright. A fan started to boo late in the ninth round, seemingly disappointed from the brief pause in action. Kovalev responded by hitting Hopkins smack in the face.
Kovalev walked Hopkins into the corner early in Round 6. He landed a rapid combination, seeming to hurt the veteran. Hopkins smiled, raised his glove, and urged Kovalev on. He may have been losing the fight, but Hopkins had not lost his spirit.
On the undercard, West Philadelphia’s Eric Hunter returned from an eight-month layoff to knock out Daniel Ramirez. Hunter connected with a right hook to seal the junior-lightweight win in the sixth round.
It was Hunter’s first fight since signing in the summer with Golden Boy Promotions. The company said it wants to move Hunter up the rankings quickly. A knockout win was a great start.
“I hope it brings me to big things,” Hunter said. “Golden Boy believed in me. They gave me a chance. I’m here to show my talent.”
