Legend Bernard Hopkins wants to end his illustrious career on a high as he enters the ring for the final time on Saturday night.
The 51-year-old who has enjoyed one of the most remarkable journeys in the sport takes his last step against the big-hitting Joe Smith, exclusively live on BoxNation, where he will look to go out with a bang following a glorious four-decade stint at the top.
Like him or not and whether you find his fighting style boring or entertaining, fans everywhere have to admit Bernard Hopkins has had some incredible career – and some eventful life. Hopkins, at almost 52, will see out his long and incredibly successful career this Saturday, against young, ambitious and dangerous punching Joe Smith Junior.
Hopkins promises this will be “The Final 1,” and that he will then exit the sport satisfied – “I’m about to be 52 with more than 60 fights and I can still hold a sentence. I’m most proud of that,” B-Hop, AKA The Alien, AKA The Executioner told The Las Vegas Review Journal this week. Hopkins hopes a movie will be devoted to his life, and let’s face it, there’s plenty of material there.
As fight fans know, the great Bernard Hopkins is fast approaching what he calls his final fight, against young and dangerous puncher Joe Smith Junior, who the amazing 51-year-old (52 in January) will fight on December 17th. Who knows if B-Hop, AKA The Alien, AKA The Executioner will really hang ’em up after the Smith fight, win or lose. But we do know that the Philly legend will not have his usual head trainer, of the past 11 years, in his corner for what is being billed as his swansong.
Former Two-Division World Champion and Future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins(55-7-2, 32 KOs) and Light Heavyweight Contender Joe Smith Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) today hosted a Los Angeles press conference to discuss their 12-round battle set for December 17 at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. and to be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Also, in attendance for this press conference was Los Angeles-based undefeated Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) as he takes on Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) for a 10-round bout for Shabranskyy’s WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title on HBO Latino® Boxing on Friday, December 16 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Also rounding out the HBO Latino® Boxing card, was Former WBC Silver featherweight titlist Ronny Rios (26-1, 11 KOs) against Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (12-1-2, 6 KOs).
A boxing legend will look to add an exclamation point to end his professional career with the same style, speed and slickness that has defined him in the ring for nearly three decades, as 51-year-old, two-division former world champion and Future Hall of Hamer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) prepares to square off against hard-hitting Light Heavyweight contender Joe Smith, Jr. (21-1, 18 KOs) in a 12-round fight from Los Angeles’ iconic Fabulous Forum. The bout will take place Saturday, December 17 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®.
Tickets for the fight – named, “The Final One” — will go on sale Monday, October 24th at 10:00 a.m. PT.
Boxing legend Bernard Hopkins (a real legend in an age when the word is over used) will look to exit the sport he helped make great, on December 17th, and, in typical Hopkins style, B-Hop will not face a soft or easy opponent in his swansong. According to the always reliable Michael Woods of NYFights.com, the amazing 51-year-old (Hopkins will turn 52 in January) will face dangerous puncher Joe Smith Jnr just over a week before Christmas Day.
Living legend and guaranteed future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins has not boxed since his heavy points loss to light-heavyweight champ and KO artist Sergey Kovalev. That fight took place in November of 2014 and the amazing 49-year-old (Hopkins hit 50 the following January) used every ounce of his experience, his savvy and his sheer toughness to see it through to the final bell against a man who usually halts his opposition.
Feared middleweight star Gennady Golovkin wants a number of things: a fight with middleweight world champ Canelo Alvarez, all four major alphabet titles at 160-pounds (GGG currently holds two of them; the WBA and the IBF, as well as the interim WBC belt) and, further down the road, the record for most successful consecutive middleweight title defences. Currently the record is 20, held by Philadelphian living legend Bernard Hopkins. But Golovkin, in speaking with ESPN.com, said breaking B-Hop’s record is something that is “very important” to him.
Living legend and former middleweight and light-heavyweight king Bernard Hopkins is still planning to have one last big fight before he walks into the sunset and calls time on his career; one of the greatest in modern day history. Talking with members of the media on Thursday in Washington D.C, the 51-year-old future Hall of Famer said he did seriously want to fight feared middleweight terror Gennady Golovkin, but that that fight is now off the table.
One can hear the groans, the screams and the pleas already: Gennady Golovkin, the most feared fighter on the planet, against a 50-something Bernard Hopkins, in a genuinely dangerous fight for the former middleweight and light-heavyweight king. “Don’t do it, Champ!” the man on the street bellows. But, as crazy as it sounds, this particular “Dream Fight” (or nightmare, call it what you will) could, possibly, maybe, happen.