Once again, future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins defied the odds and made boxing history, defeating former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal via unanimous decision to become the oldest man, at the age of 46, to ever win a legitimate championship, surpassing former heavyweight champion George Foreman, who was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer back in 1994. Coming into the fight, Hopkins made it clear that there was bad blood between himself and Pascal, who alleged that the living legend may have used performance enhancing drugs in their first encounter, which ended in a draw. Hopkins promised drama, he promised to throw more punches, and he promised a beatdown, and after 12 rounds of action, he delivered a performance that put a cherry on top of a stellar career. Relive all the action in FightHype’s in-depth minute-by-minute round-by-round results.
PREFIGHT Hopkins makes his way to the ring wearing his trademark executioner’s mask while a live performance of Frank Sinatra’s My Way is being performed, albeit they lyrics have been changed up a bit to suit the occassion. Hopkins, as always, looks confident and focused. Pacal is introduced next as he emerges with fireworks going off behind him. He takes his time as he makes the long walk to the ring. Pascal looks intense and ready for action.
ROUND 1 Both men come out to the center of the ring quickly. Hopkins begins to stalk after Pascal, who’s circling and keeping as much distance as possible. Pascal lands a jab to the body. Hopkins continues to stalk. Wild left hook from Pascal misses badly. Both men flicking the jab, but missing. Nice counter left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal rushes in and grazes Hopkins along the ropes. Not much action in the round thus far. Quick jab lands for Pascal. Nice body shot lands for Pascal. Round to Pascal.
Pascal 10 Hopkins 9
ROUND 2 Again, Pascal rushes in with a wild left that misses. Nice right hand lands for Hopkins. Pascal catches him with a left hook upstairs. Another left hand lands for Pascal against the ropes. Both men trading wildly, but not really landing much. Another right hand lands for Hopkins. Jab lands for Hopkins. They trade jabs. Hopkins lands a jab to the body. Tit for tat so far in this round. Pascal lands a left hook upstairs against the ropes. Another left hook to the body lands for Pascal. Hopkins lands a left hook. Pascal lands a right. Round to Pascal.
Pascal 20 Hopkins 18
ROUND 3 According to Compubox numbers, both fighters combined have landed less than 20 punches after 2 rounds. Hopkins coming forward behind his jab now. Double jab and a right lands for Hopkins. NICE left hook for Pascal lands upstairs on Hopkins. Hopkins lands a BIG right hand upstairs, digs some HARD body shots to the body and Pascal is holding on for dear life, refusing to let go as the referee tries to separate them. Pascal doing a lot of holding. Nice uppercut lands for Hopkins. Pascal catches him with a left. BIG right hand lands upstair for Hopkins. Pascal holds on. Another fight hand down the middle lands for Hopkins. Pascal answers with a couple of body shots to end the round. Round to Hopkins, who’s starting to let his hands go.
Pascal 29 Hopkins 28
ROUND 4 Double jab from Hopkins. They trade left hands. Hopkins roughs him up on the inside as Pascal tries to tie him up. They trade jabs. Nice left hook lands for Pascal. Hopkins works his body in the clinch. Right and a left lands for Hopkins. Pascal holds on. Another right lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands yet another right. Pascal catches him with a left and a right. Hopkins stalking behind his jab. Another jab and a right lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a left. WOOOOO…BIG right hand from Pascal rocks Hopkins and he staggers backwards. Another left hand lands for Pascal. Wow. Most hurt Hopkins has probably ever been in a fight. Round to Pascal.
Pascal 39 Hopkins 37
ROUND 5 Hopkins lands a couple of jabs. Quick overhand right lands for Hopkins. Pascal digs a right to the body. HARD left hook and an uppercut lands for Pascal. Hopkins lands a jab. Now Pascal works the body in the clinch. Looping right hand lands for Hopkins. A nice counter right lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands a jab to the body followed by a right upstairs. Left hook from Pascal grazes Hopkins. Lead straight right lands for Hopkins. Close round, but I give it to Hopkins.
Pascal 48 Hopkins 47
ROUND 6 Hopkins was quick to get off the stool in this round, catching Pascal with a right hand practically just as Pascal got up off of his stool. Pascal lands a jab. Quick right upstairs lands for Hopkins. Another HARD right lands for Hopkins. Lead straight right lands for Hopkins and he dances away. Right and a left lands for Hopkins and Pascal holds on. A break in the action as the referee warns both fighters about breaking when instructed to. The action resumes and they trade jabs. Some roughhousing on the inside. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Pascal holds on. BIG right hand lands for Hopkins. Pascal just retreating. Big round for Hopkins.
Pascal 57 Hopkins 57
ROUND 7 Hopkins starts doing push-ups in the ring while he waits for Pascal to get up off his stool to start the round. Quick 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Hopkins roughing him up on the inside. This is starting to look like an old shool Hopkins fight. Jab and a right lands for Hopkins. Pascal grazes him with a left. BIG right lands for Hopkins and Pascal just doubles over. Another right hand lands for Hopkins. Pascal doing some taunting, but not landing any punches. Wild left hook from Pascal grazes Hopkins. Some chants for Hopkins can be heard from the crowd. Double jab lands for Hopkins. Another STIFF jab lands for Hopkins. Quick right hand lead lands for Hopkins. Pascal just not throwing any punches, and when he does, Hopkins avoids them. Now Pascal lands a couple of shots on the inside. Nice left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal misses badly with a hook and slips to the canvas. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 66 Hopkins 67
ROUND 8 Hopkins starting to get Pascal to flinch from feints. Right hand down the middle lands for Hopkins. Jab lands for Hopkins. Some more roughhousing on the inside. HUGE right hand from Hopkins snaps the head back of Pascal. Some wrestling on the inside. Another right hand lands for Hopkins. They trade on the inside. They trade jabs. Pascal lands a left hook. Another left hook lands for Pascal. Hopkins lands a right. Jab and a nice right hand lands for Hopkins. Another counter right lands for Hopkins. Pascal catches him with a sloppy left. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 75 Hopksin 77
ROUND 9 Jab from Hopkins backs Pascal up. Pascal lands a right. Quick jab from Hopkins lands, Pascal slips and his glove touches the canvas. No knockdown though. Nice right lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a counter. STIFF jab from Hopkins stops Pascal in his tracks. Another nice jab lands for Hopkins. Short left hand down the middle catchs Pascal as he’s coming in. HARD left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a right. Pascal works the body on the inside. Another BIG right hand lands for Hopkins. Nice right lands for Hopkins, but Pascal answers with a nice left hook upstairs to end the round. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 84 Hopkins 87
ROUND 10 Pascal gets in a right. HARD left hook to the body lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands a couple of body shots against the ropes. Both men trading on the inside. Both men landing shots to the back of the head. Nice left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal answers with an uppercut. Quick right and a left hook lands for Hopkins. Another lead straight right lands for Hopkins. HARD right cross lands for Hopkins. Pascal holds on. Left hook lands for Hopkins. Jab lands for Hopkins. Pascal starting to get beat up in there. Another right lands for Hpkins. They trade against the ropes. Pascal gets in a nice right hand, but Hopkins answers with a left of his own. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 93 Hopkins 97
ROUND 11 Pascal lands a left. HARD right down the middle lands for Hopkins. Both men trade against the ropes. Big looping right hand lands for Hopkins. Pascal holds on. Jab lands for Hopkins. HARD right hook lands for Hopkins followed by an uppercut. Pascal gets in an uppercut. WILD left hook from Pascal misses. They trade jabs. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands some shots to the back of the head. Left hook lands for Pascal. Right hand lands for Pascal. Hopkins snaps his head back with a jab. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 102 Hopkins 107
ROUND 12 Right hand lands for Hopkins to start the round. More roughhousing on the inside. Nice left hook lands for Hopkins. HARD rigth to the body lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a left. Nice 1-2 lands for Hopkins. BIG counter left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a jab to the body. HARD right hand lands for Pascal and Hopkins wobbles. Wow. Hopkins holds on. Hopkins on the retreat as he smiles. Hopkins lands a jab and Pascal holds on now. Now Hopkins pressing the action. Right hand lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands some uppercuts. Both ment rading big shots. One more jab lands for Hopkins to end the round. Very close round, but I give it to Pascal for landing the big shot that rocked Hopkins.
Pascal 112 Hopkins 116
Harold Lederman scored the bout 115-113 for Hopkins.
Official judges scorecards: 115-113, 116-112, 115-114
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION…AND NEW WBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD…BERNARD HOPKINS
COMPUBOX Hopkins total punches: 131/409 Pascal total puches: 70/377
Hopkins power punches: 80/235 Pascal power punches: 51/237
Hopkins jabs: 51/174 Pascal jabs: 19/140
