I've gotta give Hopkins respect...

[armani_model]

... I haven't been much of a fan of his these last few years, feeling that he was getting his post-2003 HOF/P4P credentials on a form of pugilistic sleight of hand.

Engaging in incredibly negative performances against larger men and getting "career defining" fights from beating up much smaller guys, it was HBO hype and no substance that I didn't mind continually sticking a pin in to see if it would burst.

I had nothing against Hopkins's grab bag of "old man" tricks that he was delving into - the over reliance on feints, the subtle headbutts, the rushing, the pot-shotting and the holding - it's just that they were becoming ALL of his performance. I don't watch boxing purely for KOs, but lately Hopkins had become so negative in the ring I'd suspected he was a card-carrying member of the pacifist society (chairman: A. Harrison) While I believed that he edged the first Taylor fight, it was an accident long waiting to happen, and he gave the rematch to Taylor as a gift.

But tonight, on a bad night for Magic Men, he successfully rolled back the years, seemingly confirming that Roy Jones really was shot to pieces, and spitefully making Rocky VI a lot less attractive a movie to see.

Adding to his repertoire of rule-teasing trickery, Hopkins brought back something we hadn't seen in the ring since 2003: aggression. Last time out Bernard had looked aged and almost novice-like as he bull rushed Taylor with his head down, seemingly not wishing to take even one punch for his night's work. Today he finally took on a man larger than himself in a manful manner, and appeared the stronger of the two - largely due to his frightening accuracy.

Tarver's wide stance and spread arms seemed to invite attacks, the left nullified and robbed of all potency. No longer was that fist the coiled weapon that had left china shards over the Fedex Arena, now it was an impotent weapon that would never be fired. All three judges kindly gave Tarver two rounds, which is two more than I could afford him.

A humiliatingly one-sided affair that saw the entire concept of the Light Heavyweight hierarchy thrown into the air, Hopkins will doubtless be tempted back with large paydays for this one, though maybe this time he really should call it quits. KOs over blown-up little men mean nothing to me, no matter what their name or rep - it's just a boxrec confidence trick writ large. But pitching a near-perfect shut out over the No.1 man in a division two weight classes north - now that's a feat. Well done Bernard.



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Same, i never really liked him, or his style..or anything about him. But when watchin him against Tarver, it was amazing, i know i hate Tarver and im always saying hes ****, but for Hopkins to giv him a beat down like that, i would have to put Hopkins down as one of the greats, i think he can still go on.