Tribute to Bernard Hopkins
ON Dec. 17, 2016, legendary and ageless boxer Bernard Hopkins made his final walk to the ring for his retirement fight against rising star Joe Smith Jr.. By the time he stepped into the squared circle that Saturday night, he was 51 years old and in his 67th professional fight. It was the culmination of an astounding 27-year career, and though he would ultimately lose the fight against Smith, the legacy of the man known as “The Executioner” was already secure.
Growing up in the tough streets of Philadelphia, Hopkins fell into a life of crime and went to jail for multiple felonies. During his 5-year incarceration, Hopkins discovered the sport of boxing. Once released, he vowed to never again go back to jail. Despite losing his first fight, Bernard would go on to have a Hall of Fame career that saw him become the undisputed middleweight and light heavyweight champion.
The secrets to his pugilistic success are his tireless work ethic, clean lifestyle, and mastery of boxings fundamentals. This devotion to excellence pushed him to the pinnacles of the sport and led him to vic- tories against such highly-regarded boxers as Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., Oscar dela Hoya, Antonio Tarver, Kelly Pavlik, Jean Pascal, and Winky Wright. It also contributed to his longevity in the fight game, as recent years saw him break the limits of athletic durability, becoming the oldest world champion at 49 years old.
It is also Hopkins’ desire to face the most dangerous opponents available which made him such a revered fighter. Given boxing’s current predicament, where cherry-picking and tune-up fights are standard practice, Hopkins’ old-school, fight-anyone mentality stands out. In his penultimate fight, he took on ferocious knockout artist Sergey Kovalev--a fight in which I honestly feared for his health. He lasted the whole 12 rounds and lost a decision.
Hopkins is a shining example of a great conversion, never being afraid to face challenges. Though he lost his last fight (the first time he was knocked out), he went out on his shield. Father Time is an unforgiving enemy, and catches up to us one day or another. His fighting spirit inside the ring mirrors his tenacity outside of it. That is why combat sports appeal to us. Life itself is a fight, with glorious triumphs and humiliating defeats. In the case of Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, he is a winner both in sports and in life.