1
INGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 17: Bernard Hopkins’s retirement fight, we saw a surprisingly competitive, close contest. But in round 8, that all changed.With Hopkins trapped against the ropes, Smith landed a series of shots that sent the legend crashing through the ropes. Hopkins landed on the floor on his head and could not make it back into the ring before referee Jack Reiss reached a count of 20, giving Smith the huge win at 53 seconds into round 8. This is the first stoppage loss in the Hall of Fame career of B-Hop.
The fight ended up being a very interesting one. Early on, it looked like it might be real ugly, as Hopkins came out looking 51 years old. But as the fight moved forward, Hopkins managed to implement his game, clinching, landing sneaky punches, and making it a cagey Bernard Hopkins fight. I had him down 4 rounds to 3 at the end of 7, but decidedly still in the fight. Still, there’s only so many shots a 51 year old can take, even a 51 year old like Bernard Hopkins.
For Joe Smith, this has been a fantastic year. He started in complete obscurity, and now holds a KO win over Andrzej Fonfara on primetime TV, and handed Hopkins his first KO loss. That’s a huge accomplishment in a year.
It will be a shame to lose Hopkins as an active fighter, but let’s hope this is indeed the end for him, as despite his success at times in the fight, Father Time clearly has caught up to him.
Thanks for the fights Executioner - you’ll be missed.
2