When it comes down to breaking records, and creating a legacy in the sport of boxing, Bernard Hopkins the world light heavyweight champion knows exactly how to accomplish his goals. The former undisputed middleweight champion makes his first defense of his title against ?Bad? Chad Dawson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on October 15, 2011. The future hall of famer expresses deep confidence as he is used to making history. He defended his middleweight crown a record 20 times before being dethroned by Jermain Taylor on July 16, 2005.
The ?Executioner? first became champion more than ten years before his fight with Taylor on April 29, 1995 where he had a rematch against Segundo Mercado whom he had a draw against 4 months earlier but this time closed the show with a knockout victory in the seventh round.
After winning the belt, Hopkins a student of the sweet science and a master of his trade went on a war path with victories against Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Glen Johnson, Antwun Echols, Carl Daniels and many more.
After finally losing his title to Taylor, Hopkins tried to redeem himself in a rematch but would come up short again in another close loss. His reign as a middleweight came to an end, but he would return stronger than ever in the light heavyweight division. People felt that father time would eventually catch up with him and his skills would diminish at 41 years of age but he proved his critics wrong as he dismantled Antonio Tarver over twelve rounds, and became the light heavyweight champion of the world.
