08.09.04 – By Rev. Marc Axelrod: This is the way I see the De La Hoya-Hopkins fight happening on September 18th: Round One: Both fighters are cautious as De La Hoya circles the ring. 90 seconds into the round, Oscar lands a long left to Bernard’s forehead. Hopkins gets inside with a left hook as Oscar ties him up, but DLH’s jab is the most noticeable aspect of this feeling out session. De La Hoya’s Round.
Round Two: Hopkins comes out quickly in this round and lands two hard shots to the body. DLH gets in a light uppercut at the two minute mark. Hopkins is forcing the action, and DLH is trying to box. De La Hoya lands a jab to the stomach. Bernard answers with a right over the top. Bernard lands a good hook to the body and right to the head at the bell. De La Hoya is bleeding from the nose as he returns to his corner. Hopkin’s Round.
Round Three: Oscar is moving to start out the third round, and he lands a nice combination 45 seconds into the session. Bernard counters with a long, glancing hook the body and misses with a right. De La Hoya is boxing smartly, moving to his left, then his right. Bernard is moving forward, biding his time, waiting for an opening. Hopkins lands a good right hand and a left to the body that puts Oscar on the ropes, but Oscar lands a good left hook to the top of the head and spins away. Oscar lands a jab to the stomach and a jab to the head. De La Hoya’s Round
Round Four: Hopkins starts the round off by moving to his left, than to his right. De La Hoya is coming forward for the first time. Hopkins lands a right cross and a savage left hook to the body, and De La Hoya counters with a hook that is partially blocked. De La Hoya starts working the jab, catching Bernard with it twice in ten seconds. De La Hoya lands a good right hand to Hopkins’chin, his best punch of the fight and Hopkins counters with a left hook that misses. De La Hoya’s Round
Round Five: De La Hoya comes out and fires a four punch flurry, with the last shot being a right hand that catches Hopkins on the cheek. Hopkins comes forward and lands well to the body. He backs Oscar agains the ropes and lands some good shots upstairs and downstairs. Oscar fights back and lands a couple of good lefts that don’t seem to discourage the champion.
Oscar’s corner yells for him to get off the ropes,and he clinches. Oscar maintains his distance for the duration of the round as Hopkins aims for the body. Oscar returns to his corner with a gash over his left eye and blood flowing from his nose. Hopkin’s Round.
Round Six: Oscar is on his bicycle to start round six. He misses with the jab, then he throws two that are blocked, and Bernard counters with a right hand over the top. DLH is looking a little winded. He lands a good lead right to Bernard’s face at the two minute mark, then Bernard comes at him and misses with a lunging right to the body. De La Hoya jabs, then
clinches. Bernard is keeping his gloves high, and most of Oscar’s jabs are being picked off. Oscar lands a right to the body, and Hopkins lands a hard right to the head that rocks Oscar back to his heels. The bell rings as Oscar grabs Hopkins. Hopkin’s round.
Round Seven: Bernard picks up the pace and continues his attack on De La Hoya’s body. Oscar counters with a good left hook to the face, but it doesn’t deter Bernard, who keeps coming forward. There are more exchanges with Oscar’s back to the ropes, and Bernard gets the better of it by landing the harder shots. Oscar walks wearily to his corner at the end of the round. Hopkin’s round
Round Eight: De La Hoya comes out circling to his left. He fires a good jab to the face of Hopkins. Hopkins is coming forward, but not with the intensity of the past few rounds. DeLahoya lands a right to the head, Bernard lands a right to the body. De La Hoya is more active in this round as Bernard has slowed his pace. De La Hoya’s Round
Round Nine: De La Hoya comes out jabbing. Bernard comes forward with a hard right to Oscar’s head. He looks hurt. Bernard comes in and rakes De La Hoya with shots to the body and short inside shots to the head as a tiring DLH fights back. Bernard is having one of his best rounds of the fight. He lands a good left hook-right cross combination that rocks Oscar near the end of the round. Oscar’s right eye is angry and his left eye is half shut as he returns to the corner. Hopkin’s round
Round Ten: Hopkins comes out quickly and lands a double left hook-right cross combination. De La Hoya misses with a left hook over the top. DLH is trying to fend Bernard off with the jab. Bernard bulls his way inside and gets Oscar up against the ropes. DeLaHoya is looking really puffy and tired now. He fights back with a left hook to the body and left to the head that is blocked. The ref breaks them apart as Oscar holds. Bernard lands a really good right to the head that staggers Oscar for the first time. Hopkins pounds De La Hoya on the ropes as the referee takes a close look. But Oscar fights back with a two fisted attack that has the crowd cheering. Oscar is really bleeding from the nose now, and his eyes are in bad shape. He returns to the corner on weary legs as the crowd roars. Hopkin’s round.
Round 11: The round starts slow with De La Hoya coming forward and Bernard moving to his left. De La Hoya lands a left to the body as Bernard moves away. Bernard lands a crushing right to the head and Oscar is hurt! Bernard fires a combination, and Oscar is down! De La Hoya rises at the count of eight, and he fights back bravely as Bernard patiently works the body and head. De La Hoya is a mess and he is exhausted as he returns to the corner. Hopkin’s round by two points.
Round Twelve: De La Hoya lands a glancing right to the head, but Bernard counters with a hook to the body and a right to the head. Every time Oscar lands, Bernard counters with something in his own arsenal. Oscar is taking a beating in the last 90 seconds as Hopkins looks for the knockout. But De La hoya sagely holds, hits and moves as the bell sounds on his career. The crowd cheers wildly at the bell. Hopkin’s round.
My card is 116-111 Hopkins. The judges have it 118-109, 117-110, and 116-111, all for the winner and still champion, Bernard Hopkins!