Bernard Hopkins is pushing 50...Why is he still dominating ?

[gandhalf]

Is it a testament of his greatness ?...Or because of how poor his division is ?
And even if that's the case...Do you guys think we will see more and more dominant fighters in their 40's or mid-40's in the future ?...

Or is Hopkins just a special case ?
(Archie Moore also comes to mind...)

[krimzon]

discipline, relatively weaker opponents, smart tactics, smart strategy, improved health and fitness technology

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Professionalism, Keeps his weight down between fights, Ring Smarts,,, He cant deal with the boxers anymore like dawson but can still beat power punchers like pavlik and cloud

[SouthPawHitman]

He is always in shape and is very disciplined. I don't think he drinks or anything. Partying just kills fighters.

[Vadrigar.]

Drugs.....drugs.......

[bojangles1987]

Because he's incredibly smart, knows all the skills and dirty tricks, and has a wide selection of dumb punchers to choose from. He did lose to Chad Dawson just last year, so it's not like he's wiping out everyone.

[Snake...]

roids and kfc chicken

[Public_Enemy]

Hopkins is a testament to dedication, skill and will. Fighters who take care of their body, train year round and eat clean could possibly extend their career into their late 30s, early 40s. Hopkins success can also be attributed to intelligence. As his athleticism faded, he learned how to win using crafty veteran tactics and ring smarts. Hopkins is definitely a special fighter. His greatness cant be denied. Look how many great fighters have come and gone since he started out.

Question: How many times has Hopkins been down in his career? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

[r__mutt]

Do you guys think we will see more and more dominant fighters in their 40's or mid-40's in the future ?...

This is an interesting point of discussion. As much bro science as there is out there, sports medicine definitely has improved. I think we will see guys lasting longer as our fitness/training/dieting/etc etc improves.

That being said, I think Hopkins is still something of a freak and I'm sure genetics still plays a large role. He is a crafty guy so I don't think his recent (recent being maybe the latter half or quarter of his career) fights have taken as much out of him.

[bojangles1987]

Hopkins is a testament to dedication, skill and will. Fighters who take care of their body, train year round and eat clean could possibly extend their career into their late 30s, early 40s. Hopkins success can also be attributed to intelligence. As his athleticism faded, he learned how to win using crafty veteran tactics and ring smarts. Hopkins is definitely a special fighter. His greatness cant be denied. Look how many great fighters have come and gone since he started out.

Question: How many times has Hopkins been down in his career? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

He was down twice against Pascal the first time, and once against Mercado.