Shock and Awe - The Bernard Hopkins Top Ten

Jeff Pryor takes a look at the ten most memorable fights and biggest wins in the remarkable career of Bernard Hopkins.

These fights are starting to seem like Deja vu. Bernard Hopkins steps into the ring, as an underdog, past his prime, against a champion or pound for pound player, this time Jean Pascal... and attempts to defy expectations one more time. It's something that Floyd Mayweather, Sergio Martinez, Juan Manuel Marquez, not even Manny Pacquiao can hold a candle too.

Bernard Hopkins is a special individual indeed.

You may recall nearly a decade ago, that's right, just about ten years ago... when the HBO crew was intimating that Hopkins' prime had passed and as he stepped into the ring with the dynamic Puerto Rican phenom Felix Trinidad he was in great danger of being just another flattened opponent in the tidal wave of fury that Trinidad seemed to crash onto the beach head of his opposition.

At that point the 36 year old Hopkins was already twelve years into his career. Fourteen title defenses were tagged to his name and he'd garnered a hard earned respectability from being the man who just wouldn't go away. In the eyes of many fans, and as Hopkins himself would argue, in the eyes of the boxing establishment, Trinidad was the guy who would make the loud mouthed, hard bargaining "Executioner" finally go away.

Turning in his dominant ruination of "Tito" Trinidad marked Hopkins debut as not just a solid champion, but a special man who was capable of putting on one of the greatest performances in boxing history.

The performance was so unexpected and complete an annihilation that it took the HBO crew and particularly George Foreman, then an HBO analyst, almost the bouts entirety to comprehend what they were seeing. Against the odds, this "old" warrior was owning every moment against a man many thought to be the best fighter in the world Pound for Pound.

Ironic perhaps that now, almost ten years after that night, Hopkins is still fighting young pound for pounders, and in fact is targeting George Foreman as his next knockout victim, by breaking "Big George's" record for the oldest man to win a legitimate championship.

What no one realized back then, is that while Hopkins was reaching the age where most prize fighters are finding a last payday or two, he was just cresting the midway point of his illustrious career. He'd go on to defend his title a handful more times, to set the record for consecutive defenses. He'd add a slew of marquee wins and fights. He'd travel up in weight to win another legitimate title and hang around the upper echelon of the pound for pound rankings for the better part of the next decade.

Since Hopkins has already had his fair share of big fights I thought I'd put my two cents in and list what I think are Hopkins most memorable fights and big wins. For a guy who has only lost definitively once since his first fight, there are plenty to choose from.... so here we go:

(one quick note. Since you may have missed a fight or two in here, be forewarned that I'm going to give away the outcomes herein, but as a courtesy, I certainly won't do it in the headings of each fight)

10. Clinton Mitchell - 10-11-88

Hopkins very first fight. After his release from Graterford Prison earlier in the year, Bernard made his debut in Atlantic CIty (a city we'll revisit later). He stepped into the ring to face Clinton Mitchell, a newcomer also making his first foray into professional prize fighting. The prize on that night was a cool $350 for Hopkins. As if that pittance weren't insult enough, a lethargic Hopkins out of shape for the first and only time in his long career would lose a majority decision.

For a felon just out of prison after a five year stint. No legitimate opportunities in his life, and one loss in one try at his only ticket out of obscurity and a life of crime, it would have surprised no one had Hopkins returned to prison within a year or two. Instead he took 16 months off, and returned eleven pounds lighter, retooled and rededicated as a middleweight. He was already exhibiting the patience that would become the signature hallmark of his decades long ride at the top of the sport. This fight calibrated Hopkins for the long climb that he would have to endure to get to the top.

9. Ronald "Winky" Wright - 7/27/07

In retrospect people try to degrade this win in Hopkins canon of fights... but at the time Wright was considered among the top three pound for pound fighters in the sport. An offensive machine, most pundits felt that Hopkins would be overwhelmed by the sheer number of punches that Wright would launch at him. The theory went that Hopkins, whose output seemed, extremely low in the previous Taylor and Tarver fights would simply be unable to keep up.

On the contrary, Hopkins bumped up his punch output by about ten extra punches a round and it paid off as he not only out punched, but outmuscled and out hustled the younger favorite.

As would happen throughout Hopkins' career, the fight would largely signal the end of meaningful accomplishments for his opponent. One thing that seems apparent in virtually everyone who has faced Hopkins in the last half dozen years; they come out the other side changed fighters. Demoralized by their ineffectiveness against a fighter they were younger than, faster than, expected to beat, expected to retire. The list of marquee fighters that Hopkins has seemingly closed the curtains on is long and established. Trinidad, Taylor, Wright, Tarver, Pavlik, Calzaghe... those that lost, never rose to such prominence again. Those that won, seemed hardly to believe they escaped that outing with a victory.

8. Joe Lipsey - 3/16/96

"Who's Joe Lispey?", you might ask. He's a man who only lost one fight in his entire career. He rattled off 25 straight wins with 20 knockouts to maneuver himself into a title shot for the IBF Championship Belt. Coming in to his 26th fight, there were more than a few who thought he would walk out the victor.

Just shy of twelve minutes in a ring with Bernard Hopkins and Joe Lipsey would never fight again. In round four, after easily handling the first three, Hopkins caught Lipsey with a hellacious uppercut that froze the undefeated fighter in his tracks. Out on his feet the hapless Lipsey wavered like a zombie, as Hopkins darted forward dashing him to the mat with a final blow. The referee was waving the fight off, before Joe even hit the mat.

A career was cut short, while another was just lifting off the ground. Interestingly, one of the judges that night, Duane Ford, would later make himself more noteworthy in Hopkins lore. Roughly ten years would pass before Ford would one more time sit to judge a Bernard Hopkins fight. On that night Ford would watch as Hopkins dominated a wilting Jermain Taylor in the final three minutes of their first bout, yet infamously scored that last round to the Arkansas native and in effect ended Hopkins reign at middleweight with the egregious scoring.

7. Oscar De La Hoya - 9/18/04

This is the fight Hopkins always wanted. A "money" fight. The kind that sets you up for good and everything else is gravy. De La Hoya looked uninspiring against Felix Sturm leading into the bout, and there were question about him at the weight in moving up to face Hopkins. A thinking mans fighter, Hopkins carried that analytical prowess over outside the ring too. Understanding that the way you frame your fights, directly affects how you are perceived.

Charged with fighting a lighter man, which was creating an excuse for critics to take away some credit from him should he win, Hopkins came prepared. Coming in as light as he ever would, he boiled himself down to 156lbs. De La Hoya weighed in at 155lbs. A new plot line arose... did Hopkins overtrain, stubbornly making a point, even to his own detriment?

A ninth round liver shot sent De La Hoya collapsing to the mat, and Hopkins catapulting, as famously captured on a Ring Magazine cover, to new heights of superstardom. Bernard visited the Tonight Show shortly after his victory, suddenly a household name, in a sport in decline.

6. Antwun Echols II - 12/1/00

Their first fight was awfully chippy. Echols a tough, big punching prize fighter from Iowa came in looking to make a name for himself. He proved himself to be willing to get dirty to do it. But Hopkins prevailed in a one sided, fun fight. The rematch came along almost exactly a year later. It was even wilder this time around and gave us a vintage Hopkins performance.

As things got heated and the fouling flowed freely both ways, Echols decided to body slam Hopkins to the mat. Hopkins writhed on the ground in pain and was given a couple minutes to shake it off. He clutched his shoulder and winced for minutes on end. Larry Merchant, HBO commentator, breathlessly hypothesized that Hopkins was afraid they'd take his Championship belts from him if he quit due to the injury.

Hopkins, his theory put forth, felt so persecuted by "the boxing establishment", that he didn't trust them to treat him right in such a circumstance and that they'd find a way to yank his belts away. As action got underway, Hopkins fought the rest of the round one handed, his damaged arm hanging limply at his side. The next round proceeded in the exact same fashion. He was beating Echol's, a rough customer, one armed...

Merchant's take is pretty plausible and could very well be true. I, however, feel Hopkins faked the arm injury in the Echols fight as a myth building device. He's very canny at making a run of the mill victory more noteworthy than it would be. Beating Echols soundly?... big deal, but beating him with one arm? That's something to remember.

After his round and a half of sticking out a jab and owning Echol's with one arm, he started throwing from the injured arm again. By fights end, he seemed none the worse for wear. I never heard, nor have been able to find any medical reports documenting exactly what happened to his arm in the fight.

That type of myth building is something a historically conscious Hopkins has delved into several times in his career...

What about his rematch with Roy Jones... beating a shot Jones? Who cares. But getting drilled with rabbit punches and beating Jones while fighting through "adversity" and fouls...It's Hopkins controlling the situation. He fouls when he wants and gets away with it, he makes sure the other guy doesn't get away with it and he doesn't care if he looks like an ass doing it. That's the bottom line. It's psychological warfare...

I can do what I want and when you do it back, I'm going to make you look like the bad guy, and make you pay for it.

He's a dirty trickster. Thing is, he doesn't need it, but that mentality is built in. I'm not even sure he needed the rest those fouls against Jones gave him, but he capitalized on them by usually coming back more aggressively with that bit of retrieved energy. He is shameless and he will use everything to his advantage.

I think it's pretty clear that Hopkins was in control of the situation from bell to bell against Echols. And while I think it's safe to assume he would have won handily without hamming it up on the body slam foul, it did make what some would call a win against a lesser opponent, a stirring victory. The bout turned into a bit of a circus atmosphere, and proved to be one of the most entertaining nights of Hopkins long career. Real or fictional, the drama was exceptional. And it was Hopkins who directed the evenings entertainment.

5. Joe Calzaghe - 4/19/08

Fellow Hall of Famer Calzaghe came in the favorite, something which nearly all Hopkins foes have enjoyed post 2005. The first round started with a bang as Hopkins dropped Calzaghe with the first flush right hand he landed. Calzaghe looked rattled and knew he was in for a long night.

Hopkins controlled the first third of the fight with measured and sharp counter shots. By the midway point, champion that he was, Calzaghe had begun to close the distance, in the only manner he knew how. He was throwing punches like a non-stop windmill. Technique largely vanished for the Welshman, and his sloppy punching rarely did more than graze the elusive Hopkins.... but to his credit, he kept throwing. And throwing.... And throwing.

Throughout, Calzaghe didn't land more than a handful of meaningful blows. Hopkins shots were the far more efficient and effective, landing flush regularly on Joe's face. Despite his superior technique and effective punching, Calzaghe's desperate pressure was not without it's toll... there were signs of Hopkins age late, as he appeared to heighten a low blow out of proportion to buy a breather.

At the end of the night the judges had a split decision which went Joe's way. If you were judging the fight by meaningful punches landed, it was a victory by landslide for Hopkins. If you like activity, then Calzaghe was certainly your man. If you looked at Joe's face just before the results were read, you got the sense he knew how poorly he'd done in there. He declined a rematch.

4. Glen Johnson - 7/20/97

The Glen Johnson that came in to fight Bernard Hopkins way back when, was a different fighter. He was 32-0. A guy who had never tasted losing. Didn't know how to do it. He still had the utter self belief that all undefeated fighters have. Hopkins stole all that and more in a vicious prolonged beat down which eventually ended in the only stoppage loss in Johnson's long, accomplished career. This was a Bernard Hopkins truly in his prime. Defensively terrific, offensively tenacious. You want to lead? He'll pick you apart. Hang back, he'll plow forward and eat you up. Body shots, head shots, combinations, energy that didn't stop. Tough as nails. Mean as hell.

Glen Johnson would later say that Hopkins made him a man that night. In fact after that first loss, Johnson lost two more in a row, his confidence knocked cold. To right the ship, he faced three men that had a combined record of 36-59, winning those before dropping the next four. He slid. And it was Hopkins who pushed the undefeated kid over.

A win that went under the radar for much of Hopkins career, it now gets regular mention with his signature victories. Some will try to argue that Johnson was not the fighter he would become... Hopkins and Glen Johnson himself, would argue, he helped him to become the fighter he is.

3. Antonio Tarver - 6/10/06

After a couple close fights with the then future of the Middleweight division, Jermain Taylor, everyone was predicting that the bloom was off Hopkins. Not just off, but withered and dying on the ground. However, those comments only served to motivate Hopkins. One thing history has bore out repeatedly; a motivated Hopkins is a bad man to be in the ring with.

Jumping two weight classes, Hopkins looked to face the Light Heavyweight champion fifteen pounds north of where he had previously spent his entire career. Adding weight and muscle with fitness guru Mackie Shilstone, Hopkins came in beefed up and in the words of HBO call man Jim Lampley looking "Immaculate."

He had promised his mother on her dying bed that he would not fight past 40 years old. With that promise, he had placated his dying mother. But he had not placated the warrior within.

That night he once again faced a heavily favored opponent, a World Champion, a man with nearly every physical advantage. And Hopkins blanked him. He controlled the bout from start to finish, dropping Tarver and cruising to another division title.

2. Felix Trinidad - 9/29/01

This was the night that Hopkins cemented his place in the firmament of boxing lore. What can be said that hasn't already been covered in a hundred other writings? The flag incident and riot in Puerto Rico. The events of September 11th and the emotional audience that packed Madison Square Garden. A Puerto Rican icon. An overlooked Champion with something to prove. And a father forced to save his son from more punishment. A night to remember.

1.Kelly Pavlik - 10/18/2008

You could fairly argue that Trinidad, the fight that put Hopkins on the map is his biggest and brightest win. That's certainly a take I don't have a problem with, but for my money, I'm going with the Pavlik win. First off, Hopkins was given little chance (as usual) by anyone. The fight before, against Calzaghe, pundits had watched and found grist to push forward the assertion that Hopkins had slowed down to the point of being washed up. Or at the very least, a palatable meal for a volume punching knockout artist.

As I listened to the chatter out on the Boadrwalk in Atlantic City that night, Hopkins fans seemed to be few and far between. One Philadelphian who had made the trip and was engulfed in a sea of Pavlik fans, exclaimed with enthusiasm more inline with a cheery funeral, that Hopkins was probably retiring after this one, and he hoped the old man gave a good account of himself at least. The Pavlik backers, many who had been bussed in from Youngstown Ohio, grinned ruefully, waiting for their boy to get in there and put Hopkins out to pasture.

The fight, as many predicted, was as one sided as the Trinidad fight. They just didn't get who the dominator would be right. Hopkins at age 43 white washed the great white hope. Not only did Hopkins dismantle the reigning Middleweight Champion of the world over those twelve rounds, he did it with energy and enthusiasm, punishing and pushing for the knockout.

As I sat in the audience that night, next to a few Pavlik pals who knew the Champ and were increasingly crest fallen as the fight wore on I listened and watched as others in the Pavlik crowd began to cheer on Hopkins. Acknowledging his mastery with admiration.

At the end of the dozen stanza's Bernard Hopkins stood and stared out at the sea of media gathered to watch the fight. The "etablishment" he'd railed against for his entire career. The guys he desperately needed to prove to that he was better than they wanted, better than they deserved, better than the fighters they liked and fawned over. Not just better. The best.

As he stood there staring at them. I stood there, staring at him.

I knew what he was thinking and why. I grinned at his brashness. I called out his name in celebration. I got a chill up my back laying eyes on his silent recrimination. Silent victory and vindication. Silent fury.

Back out on the boardwalk, as I tried to figure out how to get back to Manhattan, I heard a familiar exclamation being barked out across the night air. A man grinned into the crowd of Pavlik fans filing out into the night and shouted over their heads "He Shocked The World!!! He Shocked The World!!".

Bernard Hopkins has made his mark shocking the world. It's a wonder there would still be someone shocked should he do it again this Saturday night against Jean Pascal.

e-mail Jeff Pryor

Poll

What was your favorite Bernard Hopkins performance?

5%

vs Glen Johnson

2 votes

2%

vs Antwun Echols II

1 votes

44%

vs Felix Trinidad

17 votes

10%

vs Antonio Tarver

4 votes

2%

vs Joe Calzaghe

1 votes

28%

vs Kelly Pavlik

11 votes

5%

Other

2 votes

38 votes | Poll has closed