Bernard Hopkins is upset. He?s in North Philadelphia, one of the toughest areas in the country, and he?s upset and disappointed.
It?s not what he sees that upsets him so much. It?s what he doesn?t see that gnaws at him, that makes him worry about the future of the sport that afforded him the opportunity to have a real life.
The world light heavyweight champion, Hopkins turned 47 on Sunday and has all the trappings of success: the large home, the fancy car, the outrageous bling, the investment properties.
Nobody, though, gave Hopkins a thing. Boxing provided an opportunity and Hopkins used his guile, discipline and athletic ability to become one of the most successful fighters in history and a millionaire many times over.
Though he jokes that it sometimes seems he might fight forever, Hopkins knows the end of his hall of fame career is much nearer than the beginning. He made his professional debut Oct. 11, 1988, when Floyd Mayweather Jr. was 11 and Manny Pacquiao was 9.
Nearly a quarter century later, he?s still going, planning to fight, he says, as long as he can still perform at a high level.
But when he runs through the rough streets of North Philadelphia to prepare for his fights, Hopkins is concerned by what he doesn?t see: There are few young, African American males willing to follow his example.
This is a man who was convicted of strong arm robbery and spent about five years in Graterford Prison in Pennsylvania.
When he was paroled, a prison guard smugly, and famously, said, ?See you in six months.? Hopkins vowed never to return and turned his life around, becoming an example no one thought possible.
