Hang them up, Bernard

dB Cooper · « **on:** 9 Nov 2014, 09:14 pm »

It's one thing to get beat. It's another thing to get beat decisively. It's yet another to lose every round in beatdown fashion. The old adage of growing old on the walk into the ring finally came true for Bernard Hopkins last night. Kovalev was too young, too fast, too big, and too strong. The only positive Hopkins can point to is that he finished the fight on his feet. It is time to quit.

Unfortunately he will probably decide he doesn't want to go out on a loss, or worse yet, wants to "go out as champ", and keep fighting. Hope not. I think he should stop right now and go on to become one of the great cornermen. I kinda doubt he is on Audiocircle, so he obviously won't hear my incredibly brilliant and insightful advice, but if I met him, that is what I would say. My two cents.

Anybody else see it?

SoCalWJS · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Nov 2014, 09:22 pm »

Saw the last 4-5 rounds this morning on re-run. Was surprised he stayed upright at the end. Looks like it's that time to me, but he's pretty stubborn. Wonder if any photos will show up of what he looks like tomorrow surface. His whole face was getting pretty puffy at the end.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 Nov 2014, 01:38 am »

The consensus seems to be that one of the reasons behind Hopkins' ring longevity is that he has never really been 'beaten up' in a fight. Hard to say that anymore. And you can make the case that Chad Dawson beat him up in their rematch. Enough already. The path back to champion is long and passes through one fighter who Hopkins can't beat (Kovalev) and one he almost certainly can't beat (Stevenson). That's not a promising roadmap for a 50 year old guy regardless of what kind of shape he keeps himself in or how smart he is in the ring.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 Nov 2014, 09:43 am »

Hopkins will go down in my book as one of the all-time Greats with a capital G.

One of the best I've ever seen. That said, it's pretty clear that it's time to hang it up. He's had a great run but ol' Father Time always wins in the end. Sadly the same drive that spurs an athlete to greatness often stubbornly resists that voice that says it's time to quit.

Chazro · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Nov 2014, 05:32 pm »

The only thing I've ever liked about Hopkins is his nickname. For some reason he gets a pass for being an infamously dirty fighter. Even the commentators were joking about his head butts. Any other fighter would've been excoriated but for some inexplicable reason he gets a pass. Tellyawhat, Korvalev was impressive! I think he could've taken him out early but showed great patience and control. You could see he was totally prepared for BH's head butts as he effectively avoided them all night. Hopkins goal these days is to survive the fight and collect the check. No boxer should be allowed in the ring if winning isn't his goal. BH isn't a dummy, he (and I'm sure everyone involved) KNEW he had no chance. But as long as he can get asses in the seats and viewers he'll be allowed to fight.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Nov 2014, 01:42 am »

I don't think he knew going in. There were lots of easier fights he could have taken. I think he fooled himself into thinking he'd find a way, again. Everybody made Kovalev sound like nothing but a slugger, á la early Foreman. Bernard may have been able to neutralize that type of fighter. Problem was, Kovalev can actually box. There are fighters out there Hopkins can still beat. But for what?

Here is a good article on the fight and on the state of boxing in 2014

mjosef · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Nov 2014, 02:42 am »

Agreed...time to retire, he was still at the top so he will be leaving from the Champion slot, unlike Holyfield who hung around way too long and left(?) as mere punching bag for 3rd tier fighters.

I mentioned Holyfield because I saw many instances where B-Hop wanted to throw punches but those openings closed before his brain/fist reflex could resolve the gap, just like Holyfield or even Foreman, were faced with the same lag in reflex time in their after 40 years' fights.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Nov 2014, 03:41 am »

Or as Joe Louis said late in his career, "I see the openings; I just can't get there in time."

Hokins' reflexes are pretty good for a man his age, he was beating much younger fighters to the punch even pretty recently; but this was just one of those growing-old-during-the ring-walk deals. I just hope he doesn't decide to travel the club circuit fighting tomato cans like Roy Jones does.