After 12 rounds of somewhat less than scintillating action, Hopkins had landed 93 of 182 punches thrown, for a jaw dropping 51%…
Saturday night at the DC Armory in Washington, DC, IBF champion Bernard Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) befuddled WBA champion Beibut Shumenov (14-2, 9 KOs) over 12 rounds to unify the light heavyweight titles via split decision. Judges Dave Moretti and Jerry Roth both had it 116-111 for Hopkins, while Gustavo Padilla, proud possessor of the lowest Pod Index score of any championship judge in the world at 62.93%, somehow scored the fight 114-113 for Shumenov.
Fighting out of the blue corner in burgundy trunks trimmed in gold and white, the 49-year-old Hopkins took his 30-year-old opponent to school. Shumenov, wearing black trunks with gold trim, got suckered into fighting Hopkins? fight. The Generalissimo dictated the pace. At first it was slow. Then, as the rounds progressed and B-Hop took charge, the pace increased along with the ageless champion?s output and accuracy.
Shumenov?s strategy, if one could call it a strategy, was to trade with a legendary marksman. After two lackluster rounds where neither man did much of anything, Hopkins began to find his rhythm in the third. The Old Master?s jab and straight right were right on the money, whereas Shumenov, who occasionally landed, was telegraphing his single shots to Hopkins? delight.
Although his punches were as wide as they were slow, Shumenov made it an even fight by winning the fourth. He never hurt Hopkins. He never threw a punch that Hopkins didn?t see coming a mile away. But what Shumenov lacked in skill he made up for with desire, which never waned as the fight slipped out of his grasp.
Hopkins took control in the middle rounds. When he initiated he landed. When he countered he landed. And while he was only throwing one punch at a time, Shumenov?s left eye began swelling as his frustration at receiving a whupping grew.
Those who have seen Shumenov fight knew he was no world-beater. But fighting Hopkins?who kept his clutching and grabbing to a minimum?made the Kazakh looks like an amateur. His total lack of defense, with his left hand drooping at his hip, was tailor-made for the Philly fighter.
But Hopkins being Hopkins was risk averse. He fought smart, as usual, and he fought effective, as usual, expending a minimal amount of energy for maximal effect. Helped in no small part by Shumenov?s dreadful performance, B-Hop began potshotting his hapless foe in rounds eight, nine and ten.
Though they were few and far between, Shumenov had his moments, but nothing Hopkins couldn?t shake off with a diabolical grin and pinpoint counter.
As if to punctuate his advantage, Hopkins dropped Shumenov one minute into round eleven with an overhand right to the face. It was the second time in his career that he?d been down and was up at the count of two, but the fight, which felt in the bag several rounds ago, was now a forgone conclusion.
Hopkins finished the fight much as he started it, but being cleverer and faster than his overmatched opponent. Shumenov, belt or no belt, is simply not in Hopkins? league.
After 12 rounds of somewhat less than scintillating action, Hopkins had landed 93 of 182 punches, for a jaw dropping 51%. Shumenov landed 67 of 332 punches or 20%.
Love him or hate him, Hopkins? greatness is a given. Since there ain?t no mountain high enough, he called out Adonis Stevenson after the fight. That might be a bridge too far, an opponent too tough, but if anyone can stop Superman it?s The Alien.
