By CompuBox
The rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones ultimately had the most predictable ending – a lopsided victory for “The Executioner” – but the route it took getting there certainly was not.
The cauldron of emotions that fueled the promotion spilled over into the action in the form of four significant time delays resulting from fouls. Two rabbit punches (rounds six and eight) and a low blow by Jones (round 10) produced three of the delays while a Hopkins head butt in the 11th caused the fourth. The sixth round dust-up also precipitated after-the-bell brawling and a near-riot while each episode sparked speculations of embellishments.
All in all, it was a strange – but somewhat entertaining – main event.
Amidst the hard feelings were the hard numbers, and all of them favored Hopkins. Averaging 43.8 punches per round – a pace close to the 44.2 he achieved against Kelly Pavlik in 2008 – Hopkins went 184 of 526 (35 percent) but Jones, averaging just 22.8 punches per round, was 82 of 274. Neither was effective with the jab as Hopkins was 28 of 206 (14 percent) and Jones was 17 of 91 (19 percent). While each was efficient with their power shots, Hopkins dominated because of sheer numbers as he went 156 of 320 (49 percent) to Jones’ 65 of 183 (36 percent).
The first five rounds followed the expected pattern as the better-preserved Hopkins picked his spots and forced Jones to react. During that span Hopkins out-threw Jones 201-107 overall, out-landed him 86-32 overall and 77-27 in power shots. Hopkins was especially effective to the body as he led Jones 58-8 in connects. Hopkins landed at a 43 percent rate overall and 55 percent of his 141 power shots while Jones posted 30 percent overall accuracy, landed 41 percent of his 66 power shots but connected on just 12 percent of his 41 jabs.
Once the mayhem began in the sixth, the gaps closed slightly as Hopkins lost some accuracy and Jones picked up his connects. Hopkins led 98-50 in total connects and 79-38 in power connects, but his overall accuracy dropped from 43 percent to 30 percent while Jones stayed at 30 percent but still averaged fewer punches (46.4 to 23.9). Jones’ high water mark was 34 punches in round five while Hopkins’ was 60 in round eight.
Jones hit double-digit overall connects just three times (rounds, five, eight and 10) while Hopkins exceeded that threshold in every round, peaking at 21 in round four. Jones reached double-digit power connects in those same rounds (peaking at 15 in the fifth) but Hopkins vaulted past that hurdle nine times, with 24 connects in round five being his high point.
Hopkins won because he had the quicker and busier trigger throughout the fight while Jones struggled to let his hands go. In other words, Hopkins was pro-active while Jones was re-active and the judges reacted by bestowing lopsided scorecards (117-110 twice and 118-109).
With six losses in his last 11 fights the numbers paint a telling picture for Jones, who should think very seriously about retirement – and act on it. For Hopkins, one of the best 40-something fighters in boxing history, the beat goes on. Only time – and negotiation – will tell whether he will actually stand opposite WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (as Hopkins wants) or Chad Dawson (his unfinished business at 175).
