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It takes an amazing amount of patience and discipline when it comes to dealing with legendary two-division world champion Bernard Hopkins in the ring.
The same can be said for the officials assigned to any of his fights.
Hopkins looks to once again defy father time in his light heavyweight title unification bout with unbeaten knockout artist Sergey Kovalev this Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Fresh eyes are offered for the occasion, as the referee and two of the three assigned judges will be working their first fight involving either fighter.
Veteran referee David Fields has been tasked to keep things in order for this weekend***8217;s headliner. The three judges assigned are Larry Layton (New Jersey), Clark Sammartino (Rhode Island) and Carlos Ortiz Jr. (New York).
Of the four officials, Fields comes with the most experience and respect.
Sammartino is the only one of the four to have worked a fight involving either fighter, serving ringside for Hopkins' 12-round win over Antonio Tarver in June '06. His tally of 118-109 in favor of Hopkins was well in line with the general perception of the bout, at the time considered a major upset for Hopkins, coming off of back-to-back middleweight title fight losses and - at age 41 - moving up two weight classes, while Tarver was regarded at the time as the best light heavyweight in the world.
Sammartino***8217;s most significant work has otherwise come overseas, as is the case with Ortiz Jr. Both are generally known as quality judges, though have offered their share of strange scorecards through the years. [Click Here To Read More]
The same can be said for the officials assigned to any of his fights.
Hopkins looks to once again defy father time in his light heavyweight title unification bout with unbeaten knockout artist Sergey Kovalev this Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Fresh eyes are offered for the occasion, as the referee and two of the three assigned judges will be working their first fight involving either fighter.
Veteran referee David Fields has been tasked to keep things in order for this weekend***8217;s headliner. The three judges assigned are Larry Layton (New Jersey), Clark Sammartino (Rhode Island) and Carlos Ortiz Jr. (New York).
Of the four officials, Fields comes with the most experience and respect.
Sammartino is the only one of the four to have worked a fight involving either fighter, serving ringside for Hopkins' 12-round win over Antonio Tarver in June '06. His tally of 118-109 in favor of Hopkins was well in line with the general perception of the bout, at the time considered a major upset for Hopkins, coming off of back-to-back middleweight title fight losses and - at age 41 - moving up two weight classes, while Tarver was regarded at the time as the best light heavyweight in the world.
Sammartino***8217;s most significant work has otherwise come overseas, as is the case with Ortiz Jr. Both are generally known as quality judges, though have offered their share of strange scorecards through the years. [Click Here To Read More]
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