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Bernard Hopkins, 51, to face Joe Smith in 65th and final fight - BBC Sport
Bernard Hopkins aka The Executioner aka The Alien aka B-Hop has announced that he is going to retire after his next (65th) fight, one month before his 52nd birthday.
Regardless of weather you like his style or not, he has had a fantastic career.
I'm glad that he is calling it a day though, it's definitely the right time.
Obviously the guy he is fighting isn't a world class fighter, but I wonder how bhop will look? He is pretty dang old and has been inactive for a while. At that age, I would assume he would be very rusty.
Either way, bhop has had a great career and no matter the outcome, his success at such an advanced age is one of the most impressive feats in sports history IMO
The Kov fight was only November last year, 1 fight a year at that age is pretty acceptable I would say.
Agreed on the success at his age being amazing though
wait a minute we are in 2016 now aint we...fuuucking hell, I honestly lost a year then, I thought it was 2015
that would mean he has been inactive for 2 years, yeah that's a long time at his age.
fucking hell man, where does the time go, have I missed much in 2016?
I've never been a fan of Bernard Hopkins, but he's an all-time great and he's been very successful in the ring. I hope he continues his success outside the ring good luck and God speed.
Yes a lot. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Batman
Did I miss any Mayweather fights??? oh yeah thats right, he retired didn't he :cool::cool::cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterYes a lot. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Batman
Yep, that's right, he did indeed! 😂 😂Quote:
Originally Posted by BatmanDid I miss any Mayweather fights??? oh yeah thats right, he retired didn't he :cool::cool::cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterYes a lot. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Batman
So you lost the bet? did you have to suck a camel off for losing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Primo CarneraYep, that's right, he did indeed! 😂 😂Quote:
Originally Posted by BatmanDid I miss any Mayweather fights??? oh yeah thats right, he retired didn't he :cool::cool::cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterYes a lot. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Batman
I didn't think he was going to fight again having been out so long either. Smith is the guy who knocked out Fonfara, I think he was in trouble himself before pulling that one out, and he looks basic. Think the guy is/was a construction worker, cool story to pull that upset off and then get to fight Hopkins. I would have liked to see the dinosaur fight Chavez JR, just so there'd be more reason to root for him and laugh at JR once again.
It is nice that B Hop is retiring on his own terms and on a victory. Not many fighters can say that.
The guy he is fighting is a dangerous young fighter and top ten contender for KOn Fonfara.
Hopkins can still school him...I hope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfq9fPyGxb0
Does it really look like the guy is that dangerous? I mean it's a great win for him and it wasn't some brick out of nowhere, but Fonfara got stupid after he had him hurt. Hopkins hasn't fought anyone recklessly for 20 years, if he's still go anything this should be a glorified sparring session for him.
Have been a Hopkins fan since mugging Dennis Milton on USA but in a weird way I hope Smith at least scores a hard knockdown, or two. Hopkins is simply a legend. Period. Not many heavily favored 51 yr olds leave on main stage facing a top five contender and are coming off 2 years out. How Smith approaches this...shake and nod just being considered and grab an autograph or actually acting like he belongs there, is more important than what he even tries in the ring. Hopkins wins rounds before the bell sounds and he needs to be on life's evolutionary chart!
Hopkins, Holyfield, James Toney, and to a great extent Andre Ward (you could even put Wlad in here as well) all have styles of a bygone age...not many people appreciate it, it's not as fun to watch as the flashier styles, but I'll be damned if it isn't effective as hell. They minimize risk, they maximize ring generalship, and they constantly win rounds. All of them have been very difficult to beat. They frustrate their opponents like no other.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
Bernard the Dirty
I hope he gets KO'd in a most brutal way.
Yeh I see the most Hopkins out of a guy like Ward minus the smirk and gift for gab. Great thing about Hopkins is that he is one of very few who have successfully evolved (devolved for some) his style and approach with age. Early on he had a massive chip on his shoulder and fought fierce. Beat you up to beat you down. Maybe right around Joppy he became a guy who relished beating a guy up to just watch and extend it himself. From Executioner to Torturer. The later extending to viewers in spots ;D but consummate boxing brain always plotting next step. In a sport where it's perfectly fine to punch someone in the mouth and break a rib in response, I'll never understand people wining about boring or working angles on a ref.Quote:
Originally Posted by El KabongHopkins, Holyfield, James Toney, and to a great extent Andre Ward (you could even put Wlad in here as well) all have styles of a bygone age...not many people appreciate it, it's not as fun to watch as the flashier styles, but I'll be damned if it isn't effective as hell. They minimize risk, they maximize ring generalship, and they constantly win rounds. All of them have been very difficult to beat. They frustrate their opponents like no other.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
Hop is my favorite fighter, alongside Holyfield and Hagler. I view Hop's masterpiece vs Tito as the best, most complete performance of his generation (Pac, Roy, Floyd, Oscar, Shane...etc.). Hop was brilliant in so many ways and is the model of ring generalship, discipline, and work ethic. An often overlooked point about Hop was the great minds and technicians he surrounded himself with: Bouie Fisher, Brother Naz, and John David Jackson.
I became a fan of Hop's when he was with Butch Lewis and would walk to the ring in an executioners mask with two steroid guys with axes. I watched him go from the ex-con beast who had the huge right hand, to the more complete pressure fighter who was great on the inside, to the master boxer-puncher with a genius IQ, to eventual living legend who was past his best but used his boxing genius to make history. I will truly miss Bernard, but I'm glad he is going out like this.
Gong out with a bang !!! I remember when I was a kid hearing on the radio when he was going to fight Howard Eastman he would retire before his 40th birthday because his mum asked him too! Nearly 12 years on he's still going, fighting the best and Smith Jnr will be a test because that was a great victory vs fonfara. I've not seen anything of Smith apart from that fight, but he can obviously punch. But b hop knows power won't win the fight. Hope we see this legend go out in style, many people don't like watching him but I've learned a lot from his fights as a fighter and he's a credit to the sport.