Bernard Hopkins, Not Randy Couture, Is Best 'Old Man' in Combat Sports History
by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 4:29 PM EDT
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Last night saw Bernard Hopkins make history, becoming the oldest man to win a major boxing world championship with a unanimous decision over Jean Pascal. Hopkins was 46 years, 4 months and 6 days old when he took home the WBC, IBO and Ring Magazine titles, besting the old mark held by George Foreman (45 years, 10 months) when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994.
The image that jumped to many MMA fans' minds in that moment was not George Foreman, but one of the many triumphs of Randy Couture.
The fact that they're both "old men" who achieved success at the championship level in combat sports makes the comparison easy. Couture was 43-years-old the night that he returned to the UFC after being absent from the sport for over a year and upset Tim Sylvia to capture the UFC heavyweight championship. Add the fact that they're both superb tacticians whose best moments come in neutralizing the offense of their foes and frustrating with their complete control of the cage/ring and it seems like a perfect pairing.
But that's where the similarities stop.
While Couture was finishing up his tour of duty in the U.S. Army and becoming an Olympic team alternate in 1988, Bernard Hopkins was walking to freedom from Graterford Prison. Couture had a career coaching wrestling while Hopkins jumped directly into the ring, looking to boxing as one of the few alternatives to a life of crime.
On the personal level it would seem that Couture and Hopkins were as diametrically opposed as possible. The hard working golden boy living the American Dream and winning state championships in high school compared to Hopkins, sent to prison at age seventeen after a life of robbery and having been stabbed three times in his early teens. Randy had the advantages of wrestling training at the highest level while Bernard figured things out in the ring.
The way the careers evolved seem to show an amazing difference as well. Hopkins has fought 444 rounds as a professional boxer, yet has never been stopped in a fight, Couture saw his chin become more and more susceptible to being dented in his later days.
When I say that Hopkins is the best "old man" I've seen in my time watching combat sports, it's not because Couture didn't amaze. It's that Hopkins is thriving with almost no missteps as he ages.
I'll turn to Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook briefly:
He's so good at what he does that I don't even know if future generations will understand his greatness. You really do have to see him do what he does, in real time, to start getting it. He overwhelms good fighters mentally. He's dirty if he has to be. And for some reason, he can't be beaten. Not really. The only man who's ever really beaten Hopkins -- really beaten him -- is the 1993 version of Roy Jones Jr, and I'd say that's a pretty damn good career.
Last night I watched him, at 46 years old, pick apart a 28-year-old world champion. It was his best performance since he wiped the mat with Kelly Pavlik in 2008. By the middle rounds, he had a good fighter once again wrapped around his finger. In case Pascal wasn't being beaten mentally, Hopkins dropped to the mat before the start of a round and did push-ups. You know, just in case that was necessary.
I'd like to add that, while it was amazing to watch Hopkins' performance, the HBO commentary team did Bernard a disservice. They acted throughout the bout as though this was a Hopkins the world had not seen, one who fought an "exciting" style. But, this was very similar to the Hopkins that fought rounds 5-12 against Pascal the first time, the same Bernard that owned Kelly Pavlik in 2008, the same Bernard that uglied up the fight and stopped Oscar De La Hoya in 9 rounds in 2004 and the same Bernard that busted up the undefeated Felix "Tito" Trinidad to become undisputed middleweight champion in 2001.
This was the Bernard Hopkins that always seems to show up, the psychological master with a cracking right hand and subtle but beautiful defense. The man who bet $10,000 on himself to beat Trinidad and the man who stared down press row after dominating Pavlik was no different from the man who did push-ups to show a fading Pascal that the old man was going to be there all night and was nowhere near tired.
The "old Bernard Hopkins" was the Bernard Hopkins of old, and I've never seen a more amazing performance from an old man in my life.
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What Benard Hopkins has done
Is infinitely more impressive than anything Randy Couture has ever done.
by Dr Mcsexy on May 22, 2011 2:12 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
But Randy would still whoop up on Bernard,
so he can take comfort in that.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 22, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Not as badly as Sylvester Stallone would beat both of them in arm wrestling.
by Pyrgz Krum on May 22, 2011 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Disagreed.
Randy would take him down, mount him, and either cave his face in with a torrent of punches & elbows, or choke him out/ crank on a limb. Within a minute.
Randy would at least get through a few rounds in a boxing match.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 22, 2011 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Really?
A few rounds? If Randy survived one round it would be a huge accomplishment, and I think Randy has some of the best boxing skills in MMA
ABN
I think he would.
And if you change it into a full thai rules match (pure striking) I think Randy beats Bernard.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 22, 2011 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
based on his arsenal of kicks?
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
by Dave Strummer on May 22, 2011 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Clinch striking.
Randy would make it a clinch war and batter Hopkins with knees, foot stomps, elbows and rabbit punches. And yes, the occasional kick (Randy kicks better than you think).
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 22, 2011 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Pretty sure Hopkins would headbutt Randy into oblivion were they to clinch
all without the ref noticing any of it.
When I'm on the mic it goes down, CINTRON
-Joell Ortiz
by The Lethal Haze on May 24, 2011 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Randy can headbutt too.
Have you seen his head? Dude’s like a Cro Magnon.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 24, 2011 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions
i used to be the biggest BHop fan there was but I got aggitated with his racial remarks
I started getting a bad feeling about him but this is a man I just can’t quit. The stuff he does is amzing and the remarks he makes are just to draw attention to himself, god knows he needs it.
BHop is a man that has been great for quite some time but never really got the recognition from the casual fans that he deserved. It’s more than likely due to his habit of delivering one awesome fight and then having some snoozers. Be that as it may the man is a legend and true fight fans will always bring up BHop when discussions of the sports greatest are involved.
Great job BHop, you deserve it more than anyone else.
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Please Hopkins was rocked several times in this fight and had to dance and hug to survive.Couture never was in trouble in his fight. When Hopkins beats someone who out weighs him by 50+ pounds I will give it to Hopkins until then
Only one thing to say.
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by RJshock 305 on May 22, 2011 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
WITH
Someone with Kimbo in his username has no right to criticize anyone.
He rocked Pascal hard many more times then Pascal rocked him
Pascal was wobbled in the 3 or 4th round and then again 6th or 7th round plus he got 2 uncredited KD even if they were borderline slips
by Mohammedini Hussein on May 22, 2011 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions
They were not borderline slips
those were official knockdowns, shitty reffing be damned.
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by David Castillo on May 22, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t understand why you are suggesting Hopkins hasn’t been a defensive fighter throughout his career. HBO’s team was right: he was coming forward and aggressive in ways he usually refused to for most of his decades plus career.
If Hopkins had fought like that during his prime, he’d have been a much bigger star and much richer to boot.
by Jonathan Snowden on May 22, 2011 2:29 PM EDT reply actions
I agree. It’s just a strange way to discuss Hopkins, as his propensity to bore his way to decisions made him boxing’s forgotten champion for years.
by Jonathan Snowden on May 22, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
- Both Pascal fights – entertaining, “that style” from Hopkins
- The Roy Jones fight was not but that was Bernard dragging Roy’s old ass through the motions.
- Enrique Ornelas was a “going through the motions” fight to set up the Jones bout
- Against Pavlik he looked pretty much like last night, dominant, cocky..etc.
- Calzaghe was an ugly ass battle of wills between two tactical fighters and Bernard still scored a knockdown and came forward plenty.
- NOBODY is exciting against Winky Wright.
- Hopkins looked pretty much exactly like last night as he beat Antonio Tarver’s ass.
- The Taylor bouts weren’t really a different Bernard at all
- Same Hopkins that showed up against Oscar
- Same Hopkins that showed up against Trinidad
…and so on.
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I love your stuff Brent and you’re right how phenomenal Hopkins achievements are, but he is also terribly boring to watch. I appreciate a boxer like Mayweather or Pep, but Hopkins style is really ugly, and dirty with it, lets say he’s not shy with his head. Thats why Hopkins has always been the B side of almost every big fight he’s been involved in in terms of money.
If watching a master at work, making his opponents miss by millimeters, sitting in the pocket all night breaking them down, hitting them at will with right hands, who always haves the perfect gameplan is boring.
Then I wish I was boring.
Hopkins is so under-rated it is not funny. The way he beats his opponents is masterful and its in the the small, minute details. He should definitely be mentioned in the all time P4P lists… Even before this fight.
by vicesquad26 on May 22, 2011 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Mayweather?
Mayweather Jr. like James Toney, like Bernard Hopkins favor the defensive style that does not endear them to the likes of the HBO broadcast-play by play squad.
I tend to be biased towards strikers . . . exciting strikers.
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by VeeisAnimated on May 23, 2011 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Rec'd
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by Derek Suboticki on May 22, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
No he wasn't.
In fact Williams would’ve lost if not for some insane instructions by Buddy McGirt.
"If I had a dollar for every brain you don't have, I'd have one dollar." - Squidward Tentacles
Williams nearly swept Wright on all three cards, what in the hell gives you the idea that there was anything Wright could have done to stem the tide from the Punisher?
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It was fantastic."
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Oh crap I had the wrong fight
That was Taylor/Wright.
Yeah Williams won that easily.
"If I had a dollar for every brain you don't have, I'd have one dollar." - Squidward Tentacles
I don't think
it’s fair to say Hopkins has always fought like that, because, frankly, he hasn’t. For example, if he fought Pascal the way he fought Jermain Taylor (Hopkins was the architect of his own failure here, despite clearly being the better boxer), no way does he lose both matches. Last night he wasn’t just threatening with that straight right…he was throwing it with conviction. I’ve seen plenty of Hopkins’ fights, and really felt like his performance last night was one for the ages.
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Rewatching the bulk of his last 15 fights last week (skipping a few here and there that I didn’t need to relive, like Roy or Ornelas) really cemented the idea for me. I don’t think he fought that different about Taylor, I just think Taylor did a better job of disrupting his rhythm. But people tend to forget that Hopkins held a big advantage over the two fights in power shots.
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Last night I spent a whole minute screaming "FUCK YES! FUCK YEAH BERNARD HOPKINS!"
It seems like everything he does is meticulously planned months before the fight, from the “Did you hear what this idiot just said?! He said it’s not about the W!” next level shit talk, to the absurdly sneaky headbutts every couple of clinches, to the pushups in between rounds. Pascal is a generation younger and a better athlete to start with, but it didn’t matter since Bernard won all of the intangibles.
It’s going to be very difficult to explain how and why he always won, and why very good boxers looked bad against him.
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Heh. It only takes you a minute.
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by James Brady on May 22, 2011 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions
If I had to choose a better overall feat / moment in combat sports history I am going with Hopkins Win last night. Sure Randy’s Win over Big Tim was classic and a hell of anice moment for MMA history but no where near what B-Hop achieved last night.
Now lets remember Big Tim was more of a champ at that time based on his size and lack of skill in the HW devision more then anything else.Plus one of the biggest factors that comes into play for me is the UFC’s HW devision was 2nd rate when compared to pride’s HW devision at that time in MMA’s history. Tim Sylvia was not looked at as the #1 HW in the sport of MMA at the time eather when Randy beat him. Coming into last night Pascal buy most all Boxing Rankings was the #1 LHW and Hopkins beat the #1 LHW to Win his title as opposed to Randy at the time beating BIG Tim who was in the higher up’s of most peoples top 10 MMA rankins.
Bolth W’s buy the aging fighters Hopkins & Couture are history making moments in each fighters career and will go down in that fighters combat sports history and will be talked about for years and years to come buy fans and media alike but what Hopkins did last night outshines Randy’s win over Big Tim in my opinion.
1. Peter Aerts over Semmy Schilt (both in 2008 and 2010)
2. Bernard Hopkins over Jean Pascal
3. Randy Couture over Tim Sylvia
"Its not about the size of the dog in the fight...its about the size of the fight in the dog"
37 and 40? Call me when he gets old.
Also, guys fight each other too much in kickboxing.
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by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions
yup,he was younger but still way past his prime,had more fights than Hopkins & Randy combined,and started his professional career at the time when B-Hop did,9 years before Couture. Plus you cant compare Pascal and Sylvia to Semmy.
And lol at fighting each other too much,I guess Mayweather-Pacquiao and GSP-Silva is the dream-situation for fight fans?
"Its not about the size of the dog in the fight...its about the size of the fight in the dog"
by SoulBrotherNo1 on May 22, 2011 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I was just kidding. i don’t actually care for kickboxing, but it seems pretty impressive.
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by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions
It was especially impressive
Considering Aerts had just looked terrible in a TKO loss to Kyotaro.
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Peter Aerts is absolutely amazing.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
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by Derek Suboticki on May 22, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Peter Aerts’ career is nowhere nearly as illustrious as Hopkins’ and Aerts hasn’t fought NEARLY the same level of athlete or technician as Hopkins. Kickboxing fans are completely delusional about the quality of competitor in their sport.
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by Luke Thomas on May 22, 2011 4:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Another part of this is heavyweight vs. real weight classes.
Heavyweight never has the same depth or talent as the lighter fighters.
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I'll agree with your first two points
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That win over Semmy Schilt last year was mighty impressive. And Aerts defeated a prime Hoost, a prime Hug – these are impressive victories and certainly quality technicians.
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by Fraser Coffeen on May 22, 2011 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Plus
all those guys could whoop any boxers ass. So they can take comfort in that.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 22, 2011 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions
lol
You must really hate boxing
Dear audio diary: Today I may have accidentally registered myself as a sex offender! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY LIFE
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I don't hate boxing,
in fact I watched Tyson PPV’s as a kid. But then I saw kickboxing and MMA and realized how much better they were than boxing. Boxing is kind of like the Greco Roman wrestling of the striking world. Greco Roman only focuses on a very small part of grappling- upper body takedowns. Boxing only focuses on one very small part of striking- punches to the head and body.
Both sports are interesting, and you see alot of high level chess matches, but the limited, narrow ruleset ultimately makes it pretty useless against a real grappler or a real striker. Kind of a fun, novel experiment.
But doesn’t it suck that these guys are combat sport athletes, but would get their asses kicked by nearly every other practical striking style? Muay Thai, dutch style kickboxing, harder forms of Karate, sanshou players, etc would all likely beat the piss out of a boxer of the same size.
To me it just seems like a huge waste of good athletes. If the American public knew about kickboxing, it would be SO SO much more popular than boxing. Queensbury rules are esoteric and highly restrictive. And although punching is cool, punching while kicking, elbowing, and throwing knees is SO much cooler.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 23, 2011 3:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I definitely agree with what your saying. MMA was my first combat sport to watch so it’s hard to understand the popularity of a sport that focuses on one small aspect off hand to hand combat. Top boxers practice that aspect extremely well, but that’s what you get when you only have one aspect to focus on.
And it is somewhat ironic that the highest paid combat sport athletes in the world would have a handfull with mid-tier MMA fighters simply due to their lack of basic MMA fundamentals.
Dear audio diary: Today I may have accidentally registered myself as a sex offender! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY LIFE
- T-Rex
Yeah,
I think eventually boxing will fall to the wayside. It’s just too archaic. Our generation has re- discovered what the best unarmed combat style is, and that style is MMA. I’m still cool with grappling and striking specific sports, but think it would be much better if the traditional American institutions of wrestling and boxing were supplanted with submission grappling and muay thai (with western scoring).
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 23, 2011 4:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Given the prevalence of guns, knives, etc. I think your claim that boxing is the much more impractical is a little overstated.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on May 23, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Boxing
isn’t great against guns either. Self defense styles are obviously better for that. Lloyd Irvin disarmed a burglar brandishing a pistol in his home once.
But as someone who has done some training at a Krav Maga place, I can tell you that boxing has very little to do with yanking a gun or knife out of someone’s hands. Any strikes that you do from there are much more savage (IE eye gouges, groin shot, throat chop, or conventional punches/ knees/ elbows) than just straight boxing.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on May 23, 2011 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Aerts 2010 win over Semmy is something special
No, Aerts wasn’t as old as Couture or Hopkins and his career might not be as illustrious(although I’m not sure what that has to do with this one fight) but his win impressed me the most. He fought his heart out and gave it every single goddamn thing he had to win that fight. He was willing to take a beating to defeat Schilt, so much that he was pissing blood afterward. He wasn’t better than his opponent in the way Couture and Hopkins were but he was tougher and in my book, that’s just as impressive.
Have you ever watched Tim Sylvia fight? Couture had to deal with neither of those things.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
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hard to not love the Ol Mongoose
after all he is the knockout king
I still like Randy more
He has always been laid-back and respectful to everybody. Bernard on the other hand is kinda arrogant, not Mayweather cocky but he does come off a little rascist. And I think he intentionally headbutts here and there.
That said, I rec’d this article. Hopkins’ achievements surpass Randy’s by miles
ABN
I have a deep, long standing love for boxers who fight dirty “the right way”
Hopkins fits that bill.
But yeah, Bernard DOES tend to invoke race a bit too much for my liking.
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by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions
here here
i love BHop for the way he fights (a little dirty and alot of crafty)
Holyfield has a lot of power and reach in his headbutts, but doesn’t throw them with the same level of technique as Hopkins. Bernard has the ability to put together crisp headbutt combinations so fast it just looks like one headbutt to the crowd.
by Pyrgz Krum on May 22, 2011 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
Hopkins
for the fact that he was sneaky with his headbutts, even in the 7th or 8th round, perfect example of a Hopkins headbutt, he flurries throwing a left hook right hook combination while coming forward, brings his head up into Pascals chin and throws a 1-2. all in about a second.
Holyfield just kinda lunged at you with his head down. But i dont know, lets not ask Hasim Rahman.
It’s gotten him into trouble a bit (the racial remarks). The loss to Calzaghe was pretty much ownage of historical proportions. He’ll never live that down.
I dont want to take away from BHOP but.
I go with Randy based on this one point. Randy was a world class Greco wrestler and had to learn another completely different sport. While on the other hand, BHop has been doing the same sport for many years. Now, I think the win is a huge achievement and Hopkins is an amazing fighter. Randy not only had to learn a different sport, but he mastered it in 2 different weight classes. So, based on that I give the slight nod to Randy.
If Russia attacked Turkey from the rear, Do you think Greece would help?
That second loss to Taylor
isn’t a “real loss”?
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by Cory Braiterman on May 22, 2011 4:26 PM EDT reply actions
I thought Taylor was gifted both of those decisions
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by The Lethal Haze on May 22, 2011 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Taylor won that fight 7 rounds to 5 on the judge’s cards. Hopkins landed far more power shots. It was a pretty controversial decision.
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by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
i realize it was close
but I had no problems with that decision win. Then again, my memory of that fight is probly clouded by the end where Hop eats four hooks in center ring just before the final bell.
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by Cory Braiterman on May 22, 2011 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I was always a HUGE Taylor fan and I thought B-Hop won that fight.
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by Brent Brookhouse on May 22, 2011 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Hopkins is one of the great boxers of all time, no question. I do think that Calzaghe clearly beat him, but I’ve rarely seen a fighter put together a career body of work like Hopkins has. Still, I’ll favor Dawson against him if they ever actually fight. Bernard is a beast, however, crazy quotes or not.
Great Piece, I agree
Bernard Hopkins blew my mind last night, Im sorry but when your 46 and the champion is 28 and you completely outwork him down the stretch, its just amazing. I think it is more impressive than what Couture did as well, and that is taking NOTHING away from Randy.
Bernard is underrted and called a boring fighter for bogus reasons imo, he outboxed Tito before lowering the boom on him, only person to knock out De La Hoya, completely schooled (and turned) Kelly Pavlik, owned Winky Wright. I just love the guy, mainly cause he is from the Fritzie Zivic school of boxing and knows every book in the trade and I said it earlier. I dont think i have seen a fighter in the last 25 years who is more aware of where the 3rd man in the ring is at all times.
I can remember where I was when George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer and Jim Lampley yeled the famous phrase, “It happened! It actually happened!!!” I was a little 8 year old kid, never thought i would see that record broken. Happy that it was Bernard Hopkins, someone that has worked hard for 23 years and may have finally had his most glorious moment in the ring.
Lets look at BHops accomplishments
20 defenses of his Middleweight title
Undisputed Middleweight Champion
2 time undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion
Oldest Champion of all time.
and he has said he wanted to go to heavyweight to face Tomasz Adamek as well.
Joe Louis had come out of retirement to fight Rocky Marciano, the man was 76 years old! Joe Louis always lied about his age. He lied about his age all the time. One time Frank Sinatra come inside here and sat down in this chair, I say “Frank, you hang out with Joe Louis, just between me and you, how old is Joe Louis?” You know what Frank told me? He said “Hey, Joe Louis is 137 years old.” 137 years old!
by Pyrgz Krum on May 22, 2011 5:10 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs
[Everyone leaves Homer’s house after the fight ends.]
Apu: Quite a donnybrook, eh, Mr. Burns?
Mr. Burns: Balderdash! Why, I once watched “Gentleman” Jim Corbett fight an Eskimo fellow bare-knuckled for a hundred and thirteen rounds! Of course, back then, if a fight lasted less than fifty rounds, we demanded our nickel back!
by KimboLeopoldo on May 22, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
I understand the recent move from MMA to “Combat sports” coverage at Bloody Elbow (page views), but I’m completely over this fucking boxing coverage and especially the blow job Brookhouse just gave Hopkins who’s a confirmed asshole. I used to love BE but I’m fucking over this boxing talk. If I gave a shit about boxing I would go to a boxing web site. Now I have to hear about Hopkins is a better “old man” than Couture is. GTFO!!!
I see you're going for
Dumbest comment on BE of all-time. If you don’t like it there is other sites that don’t cover anything but MMA why don’t you go then instead of whining. Hopkins put on a wonderful performance last night and he deserved a nice blow job.
" Its like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I coulda been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong, you know, and I'm sorry cause I could be wrong right now, I could be wrong, but I'm right..." Bama
?
I get where you’re coming from, but um…“Hopkins put on a wonderful performance last night and he deserved a nice blow job.” ooooookkkaaaaaayyyyy
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on May 23, 2011 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
why did you read than? honestly…
"Its not about the size of the dog in the fight...its about the size of the fight in the dog"
by SoulBrotherNo1 on May 22, 2011 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions
seriously. its not much of a challenge to scroll over stories you dont want to read. i had to do tons of that during that retarded fantasy world cup thing a few weeks ago. i think covering bigger stories in related combat sports is a good move. its not like bloodyelbow is now a mma blog/gay porn gif blog or something
people are so senstitive
Ha
I skipped over all that stuff too…
My whole existence is in sarcasm font.
http://twitter.com/TheFakeEmcee
by Fake Emcee on May 22, 2011 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I bet you didn’t read the article.
Kendall Grove is my second favorite fighter. Everyone else is my favorite.
by monkeyfightclub on May 22, 2011 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions
balloon knot licker
"I tried to take a midnight piss, but the toilet moved so again I missed"
gotta disagree
Foreman was losing nearly every round while an older Hopkins basically won the last 6 rounds and then some, 2 great, classic performances that I will always remember seeing, but Hopkins was more impressive IMO.
nah fuck that
couture’s better
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
by milk72 on May 22, 2011 7:14 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm not saying Randy is better but Boxing is really shitty right now....
The point to be made here is Boxing is REALLY REALLY bad right now. There is ZERO depth at any division.
Not douchey enough for a Kindle yet.
its not that bad
Its just that the most popular division (Heavyweight) is dead. In other divisions, the best dudes arent very popular or arent American. So I admit boxing is a dying sport, but it doesnt have "zero depth at every division
ABN
the fact that theres 17 weight classes though has really spread the talent
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
yeah I agree, a division every few pounds is kinda…unnecessary to me.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on May 23, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
No, it's not
That’s just what Dana White told you.
Um…no?
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on May 23, 2011 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Too bad he's a cock
And then God created Saturn ... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it. ... Always a ninja
SaberCats Examiner | SB Nation Bay Area | Niners Nation | Twitter
Yeah…so was Ty Cobb
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on May 23, 2011 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm not sure what point you're trying to make.
But thanks, I guess.
And then God created Saturn ... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it. ... Always a ninja
SaberCats Examiner | SB Nation Bay Area | Niners Nation | Twitter
I'm going to expand on my earlier point a little.
Glen Johnson is tough as fucking nails. He’s been in the ring 67 times with almost anyone his weight worth a shit during his career. ONLY Hopkins stopped him. And Hopkins beat the living shit out of him.
Tito Trinidad was only stopped once in his career, by Bernard Hopkins.
De La Hoya lost two fights by stoppage in his career. Once to Hopkins, and then his very last fight to Pacquiao. Say what you want about Oscar, he fought tough guys.
7 of his 20 career decision wins came AFTER he turned 40 (6 of those 7 came at 175, which is bigger than his natural middleweight).
Other guys bernard took to decision:
- The tough as nails William Joppy at a point where only Trinidad had ever stopped him
- Robbert Allen…in a rematch of a fight which Hopkins had won…by stoppage
- Keith Holmes…who fought 46 times as a pro and was never stopped
- Syd Vanderpool who was coming off a win over Glen Johnson, but who Hopkins PROBABLY should have stopped
- Antwun Echols…but Bernard went ahead and knocked him out two fights later when they rematched
- Andrew Council…42 career fights? never stopped
- Lupe Aquino…I don’t know anything about Lupe Aquino
- Gilbert Baptist…early in Bernard’s career when Baptist was an “opponent” who was known for giving guys 10-12 rounds of work.
…and then a couple guys VERY early in his career.
…so…yeah
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on May 23, 2011 12:48 AM EDT reply actions
thank you for this
whenever fans bitch about a fighter not finishing an opponent why the fuck does anybody consider that some guys that have reached the elite level by being extremely difficult to finish.
fans need to realize that it takes a lot to incapacitate elite level fighters.
People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.
- Helen Keller
MMA is stepping on other people's dreams to reach your own.
- Roxanne Modafferi
by The Blackula on May 23, 2011 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions
anyone knocking Bernard doesnt know what their talking about
Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr (twice), Kelly Pavlik, Antonio Tarver, Glenn Johnson, Oscar De La Hoya, Jermain Taylor (twice), Winky Wright, Jean Pascal (twice), Joe Calzaghe, Howard Eastman, Keith Holmes, Joppy, Robert Allen (3 times) and Antwun Echols.
That is an amazing resume, of the 20 fights against those men, he is 15-4-1,
And 3 of the 4 losses
could easily have went to Hopkins.
Creator of the FightMatrix rating system [http://www.fightmatrix.com].
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