HOPKINS CARRIES OUT AN EXECUTION
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 19 Oct 2008
Bernard Hopkins lived up to his nickname ?The Executioner? and carried out a clinical destruction of WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly ?The Ghost? Pavlik who looked more like a ghost of his usual self against the ageless warrior Hopkins.
Hopkins battered Pavlik from the opening bell to score a one-sided decision in a fight where the younger Pavlik was expected to use his speed and power to overcome the 43 year old Hopkins who was 17 years older.
But it was Hopkins who demonstrated remarkable hand-speed and movement for a man his age while Pavlik looked flat and out of it from the opening bell.
The judges scorecards reflected the lopsided nature of Hopkins victory. Alan Rubenstein had Hopkins the winner 119-106, Barbara Perez had him ahead 117-109 and Steve Weisfeld had Hopkins in front 118-108.
The crowd of over 11,000 at the Boardwalk in Atlantic City were treated to an exhibition by Hopkins who out-punched Pavlik all night and didn?t give the middleweight champion who moved up ten pounds to the catch-weight of 170, a chance. Hopkins entered the ring at 180 and although Pavlik appeared to have bloated up it clearly slowed him down and took away his sharpness.
Hopkins hurt Pavlik with a solid left hook in round two and continued to dominate the younger fighter who looked tight and didn?t seem to know what to do against the skilfull, ageless veteran.
With the B-Hop chant ringing in the background from his fans in round five, Hopkins hammered Pavlik with a flurry of punches and then engaged him in a toe-to-toe exchange on occasions taunting Pavlik.
Referee Benny Esteves Jr slapped a one point deduction on a bewildered Pavlik for hitting Hopkins on the nape of his neck in round eight and also penalized Hopkins in round nine for holding although Pavlik?s problems worsened when Hopkins opened up a cut over his left eye.
Hopkins eased off a little in round eleven but came back with a vicious two-fisted attack in the twelfth and final round that had Pavlik staggering across the ring. There was an exchange of blows even after the bell as both corners rushed in to break the fighters apart.
With the win Hopkins improved to 49-5-1 with 32 knockouts while Pavlik who suffered his first defeat dropped to 34-1 with 30 knockouts. Hopkins was coming off a split decision loss to Brirtain's Joe Calzaghe last April 19 while Pavlik was coming off a 3rd round TKO over Gary Lockett in a middleweight title defense last June 7.
Top photo: Former Two-Division World Champion Bernard Hopkins (right) throws a right hand en route to a unanimous decision victory overpreviously undefeated Kelly Pavlik (left) on October 18, 2008 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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