Comments Thread For: Bernard Hopkins - One-sided Loss Needn’t Mean The End

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Lyle Fitzsimmons - I’m not actually sure how to describe it.

Maybe I’m selfish. Maybe I don’t like old people. Or maybe I’m biased against aliens.

But regardless of how it’s minced, parsed and dissected, one thing remains crystal clear.

I don’t want Bernard Hopkins to retire.

Oh sure, I’m well aware of what happened to him on Saturday night in Atlantic City.

How he walked into a room in which he’d pulled of some of the greatest and unlikeliest rabbits out of his hat by turning unbeatable guys named Pavlik and Tarver into harmless stage props; only this time he found himself on the deck in the first three minutes and fencing to survive for the final 33.

All those folks who never could quite wrap their minds around the idea that a guy could still be world-class at anything – let alone prizefighting – at age 49 are out in full force this week, smugly insisting that ol’ Bernard stayed around for one act too long and that Father Time had finally had his way with him.

Thing is, I hear them. And I understand them.

But I simply don’t agree.

Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m not at all suggesting that the middle-aged Philadelphian won the fight. I’m not suggesting that he won a round of the fight. In fact, I’m hardly suggesting that he won more than a fleeting exchange or two for the duration of the fight. [Click Here To Read More]

[boxingfocus]

I think the author makes the classic mistake of conflating 2 questions as one.

Is Sergey Kovalev a world class boxer? Yes.

Did Hopkins eventually get too old to compete? I would say yes also.

Remember what BHop said to Pavlik? "What are you gonna do when you realise they lied to you, that this guy ain't old." He fought like a fresh young fighter against Pavlik - first to the punch, sharp reactions, quick feet, decent output. None of those things were evident against Kovalev. This was a much older fighter than the one in against Pavlik and it showed.

He still had tricks up his sleeve, but it relied on a naivety from Kovalev that simply wasn't there. The Russian was patient and methodical and Hopkins had no answer because he no longer had it in him to punch with the speed required to tag Kovalev from any kind of distance or the energy to throw wasted shots in order to disrupt Kovalev.

He said Kovalev kept the fight long. According to boxrec, Hopkins has a longer reach by over an inch on each arm. According to boxrec, Hopkins is the taller guy. Kovalev may be more solid, but distance wasn't the issue here. It was that Hopkins no longer was able to cover the distance because he lacked the athleticism to do it. It was no longer in his body.

Hopkins used his skills to make Kovalev mostly miss until BHop really faded in the dying moments of the fight, but he was unable to spring back up and counter or time that lead right. He's too old for this stuff now. He won't be back once he faces the truth and admits it. If he does come back, I don't think it'll be a successful return, even against a lesser fighter than Kovalev. I think Kovalev could have stopped Bernard in this fight at almost any point but he respected Hopkins so never pushed the pace.

[Citizen Koba]

I think the author makes the classic mistake of conflating 2 questions as one.

Is Sergey Kovalev a world class boxer? Yes.

Did Hopkins eventually get too old to compete? I would say yes also.

Remember what BHop said to Pavlik? "What are you gonna do when you realise they lied to you, that this guy ain't old." He fought like a fresh young fighter against Pavlik - first to the punch, sharp reactions, quick feet, decent output. None of those things were evident against Kovalev. This was a much older fighter than the one in against Pavlik and it showed.

He still had tricks up his sleeve, but it relied on a naivety from Kovalev that simply wasn't there. The Russian was patient and methodical and Hopkins had no answer because he no longer had it in him to punch with the speed required to tag Kovalev from any kind of distance or the energy to throw wasted shots in order to disrupt Kovalev.

He said Kovalev kept the fight long. According to boxrec, Hopkins has a longer reach by over an inch on each arm. According to boxrec, Hopkins is the taller guy. Kovalev may be more solid, but distance wasn't the issue here. It was that Hopkins no longer was able to cover the distance because he lacked the athleticism to do it. It was no longer in his body.

Hopkins used his skills to make Kovalev mostly miss until BHop really faded in the dying moments of the fight, but he was unable to spring back up and counter or time that lead right. He's too old for this stuff now. He won't be back once he faces the truth and admits it. If he does come back, I don't think it'll be a successful return, even against a lesser fighter than Kovalev. I think Kovalev could have stopped Bernard in this fight at almost any point but he respected Hopkins so never pushed the pace.

Hmm. Well yes and no. it's natural assume that Hopkins has slowed a little, but there was no evidence of it 6 months ago when he re-educated and dropped Shumenov, when he decided to go toe-to-toe with Murat or left Cloud without an answer.

OK I'll freely acknowledge that none of these guys were top shelf fighters, but 2 of them held world titles and the third was considered kinda fringe top 10, and it was the same Hopkins that fought on Saturday that made these guys look pedestrian and uncoordinated.

There's still plenty of guys, decent guys, that Hopkins could beat, and beat convincingly at both 175 and 168 if he could make the weight. Thing is - why would he bother? At 50 years old and totally secure in the financial sense there's no real need for him to fight at all, but he fought Kovalev and beat Cloud and Shumenov all with the ambitious goal of achieving something unique - almost unbelievable - becoming undisputed LHW Champion at 50 years old.

Does he really want to get in the ring to fight B-listers and paper titlists? I doubt it... i think Hopkins should only get back in the ring if some some truly special and legacy enhancing fight can be made - in fact I don't think that the Old Guy should get back in the ring at all, but it seems like he genuinely thrives on the challenge, so who I am to pass an opinion on an ATG?

[jas]

retire man

legs are not there, nor is the balance when he even tries to remotely dance around the ring

stevenson and ggg could knock hopkins out

nothing else left to prove

one of the greatest fighters ever and my personal favourite fighter of all time

[Daddy T]

I think he should retire. Yeah he'd probably still beat 90 percent of the lightheavys out there, but what is the point? He'll only get beaten up worse the next time he steps in with an elite fighter and I don't want to see that.

[SonofZorro]

Hop is bitter but Hop is not that good

Chad Dawson beat Hoppie down and humiliated Hop. Now kovalev embarrasses Hoppie further with another humiliation. But Hop can beat Stevenson so make that fight. Hop has lost all his big fights anyway. Roy-Jermain-Calzaghe-Dawson-Kovie

[marvel]

I'll agree that Kovalev is that good and Hopkins may still hold his own with the elites, but age is obviously a factor in these outings. All you have to do is watch video of Hopkins now and when he was in his 30s. He is practically fighting on defense and counter punching alone, whereas he used to have a full arsenal and tremendous speed. Boxingfocus made some good points on the physicality.

[////]

I still think he beats Stevenson. People were far too dramatic (like Jas) going from Hopkins the ageless alien wonder will outbox everyone to >>> his legs are gone I can't watch!!

He simply lost to a better fighter. His style still beats predictable Stevenson. He could win that fight then retire on a high note and let Kov fight for the vacant belt.

I don't think Stevenson is honestly planning fight Kovalev yet, regardless of what his camp is saying.

[King_]

I think Hopkins could and would beat Adonis Stevenson


But I would like to see him retire.

[jas]

I still think he beats Stevenson. People were far too dramatic (like Jas) going from Hopkins the ageless alien wonder will outbox everyone to >>> his legs are gone I can't watch!!

He simply lost to a better fighter. His style still beats predictable Stevenson. He could win that fight then retire on a high note and let Kov fight for the vacant belt.

I don't think Stevenson is honestly planning fight Kovalev yet, regardless of what his camp is saying.

no, i rode with my favourite fighter after the fight was announced which a lot of people do and i dont blame myself or anybdoy, im a huge bhop fan

before the fight was announced , i said

An inspiration for anybody

But I don't think he fights kovalev, he's too dangerous For 50 year old
Hopkins as great as bhop is

I'm pretty sure he fights Stevenson

Then hopefully he retires because I think he beats Stevenson easily and he can ride off on a high

but now i dont even think he beats stevenson