Time to Hang Them Up: Bernard Hopkins Needs to Retire
By Gina L. Caliboso
I saved $20. I’m an unemployed combat sports writer and I was fortunate enough to have decided to forgo the opportunity to go a local theatre in Long Beach, California, where the Roy Jones, JR vs Bernard “Executioner” Hopkins fight was going to be broadcast. Thank goodness!
I stayed home on a Saturday night and played a game of chess on my computer. And from what I heard about the fight, I think my chess game was more exciting – and I lost. Veteran Bernard Hopkins beat Roy Jones, JR., in a fight that didn’t have any sort of “oomph” to its billing. More importantly, I wasn’t too hyped for the fight either. I’ve been following boxing for years and yes, call me a boxing ageist, but maybe it’s time for veteran fighter Hopkins to hang up the gloves and just retire.
According to the scorecards, Hopkins’ victory by unanimous decision revealed a one sided fight (Dave Moretti, 118-109, Glenn Trowbridge, 117-110, and Trella, 117-110). There was no belt on the line only a slight redemptive quality to a renewing of former rivals. I don’t see the “rivals” aspect of it since Jones and Hopkins fought one another back in 1993 where Hopkins lost in a 12 round unanimous decision for the then vacant IBF Middleweight title.
I don’t think there can be much payback for a 12 round unanimous decision. A first round KO can redeem maybe, but not a victory by unanimous decision. If Hopkins wanted redemption by beating Jones, JR., I guess he got it.
I think.
Hopkins currently remains ranked #1 among the light heavyweights. Among the top 5 ranked light heavyweights, there is no one that even comes close to giving him any sort of competitive bout. If youth is a consideration, #2 ranked southpaw Chad Dawson, 29-0, 17 KO’s, stands as the youngest at 27. He is set to fight against #6 ranked Canadian Jean Pascal, 25-1, 16 KO’s, later this year in August.
Miami native Glen Johnson, 50-13, 34 KO’s, ranks #3. Rounding out the top 5 light heavyweights, Chris Henry, 25-2, 20 KO’s, ranks #4 and Zsolt Erdei, 31-0, 17 KO’s, ranks #5.
Aside from Hopkins, Dawson, and Johnson, who is who among the light heavyweights? To answer honestly, I didn’t know any of these fighters and this explains why the light heavyweight is exactly that – light with no competition. Among the top 5, I consider Johnson to take over the division should he decide to fight Hopkins. If Hopkins stands determined to stay in boxing, he will have to eventually face Johnson and make the weight class all his own.
Let’s also consider that I and other fight fans like to remember Hopkins when he fought at super middleweight. Hopkins has pulled off some major fights in his career. And some of these fights didn’t necessarily result in a win. Going back to 2005, both of his losses to Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor were hard fought matches.
He lost to Taylor in July 2005 via split decision then got a rematch later in December only to lose in a 12 round unanimous decision. Hopkins then fought only one fight in 2006 against Antonio Tarver that resulted in a 12 round unanimous decision for the IBO and NBA Light Heavyweight titles.
In 2007, he defeated Ronald “Winky” Wright with a 12 round unanimous decision. In 2008, Hopkins fight record went 1-1 with his split decision loss over 12 rounds to retired and undefeated Joe “Pride of Wales” Calzaghe in April followed by a win over Kelly “Ghost” Pavlik in a 12 round unanimous decision.
In 2009, he defeated Enrique Ornelas with a 12 round unanimous decision. But here’s a statistic that sums up the career I just restated, he’s been fighting 12 round fights for the last 5 years. Going back to 2004 against his promoter Oscar De La Hoya, 39-6, 30 KO’s, Hopkins fought his shortest fight with the 9th round KO. That’s a whole lot of boxing, a whole lot of training, a whole lot of recovery. At 45, Hopkins does not need to fight anymore. Hopkins does not need to show anyone he still has it. He always had it. His career reveals he has it. There is no doubt that Hopkins is a champion fighter.
As you can see that night had its high and low for me – the high I saved $20 from not watching the fight and the low being I lost a chess match to my computer on a Saturday night, I can honestly say that overall, there was no need for it. As I just looked at Hopkins’ fight record from the past 4 years, he has beaten and lost to some of the best boxers. There is no shame to his record and I’d like to see his retirement quiet in the memory of his strongest self as a boxer. He has a lot of experience and should possibly become a trainer or promoter.
.
As I observe, Hopkins has the gift of longevity. He can graciously take himself out of boxing at the top of the light heavyweight division. Hopkins may even say that he’s got one more fight in him and he probably has, but there’s no need to fight any more. He is holding onto something, maybe a fight against Johnson to seal in his mind as well as boxing fans that he truly is the top light heavyweight even at 45. Regardless if the bout ever comes to be, Hopkins has a championship career, period.
From Rocky III, the character Apollo Creed says it best about a retired boxer, “Listen, it’s quiet isn’t it? When you retire it’s too quiet.” The veteran Hopkins is fortunate to have such a dubious career that has placed him as one of the best fighters to ever enter a ring. He tactically fought his matches and followed the definition of the sweet science of boxing. I can instantly recall the body shot against De La Hoya back in their bout in 2004. It was beautifully placed and the punch followed textbook execution of the body shot. More importantly, it was the body shot felt by De La Hoya that he could not recover.
I began this article with the fact that I play chess. At his best, Hopkins fought his matches much like a chess match – a psychological and physical awareness of specific moves to gain the advantage and earn a victory. For Hopkins and his boxing, he put everything together as keys to his fighting longevity – his age, his tactics, his knowledge of the sweet science. I like remembering that Hopkins fought every fight that way. I am a fan of Hopkins (except this last fight) and believe Hopkins should just consider retiring and live a life outside of boxing in spite of the quiet – and there would be boxing fans ready to find out just what his next move might be.