EXCELLENT EXECUTION
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 20 Oct 2008
Many boxing pundits, including myself, thought Bernard ?The Executioner? Hopkins showed his real age in his ugly loss against Joe Calzaghe. I also thought Kelly ?The Ghost? Pavlik had the perfect opportunity to beat an old but still credible future Hall of Famer.
Once again, Hopkins revelled in the chance to shock the boxing world. He is 43 years old fighting someone who is incredibly 17 years his junior. But the encyclopedia of boxing knowledge stored in his brain managed to discredit conventional wisdom.
Hopkins (49-5-2 with 32 KO?s), former linear and undisputed middleweight and light heavyweight champion fought like a reigning titlist. After his usual probing first round, he took Pavlik to school and landed with impunity.
Hopkins showed what being a Philadelphia fighter was all about. Pavlik, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, got painful lessons in how to slip punches, how to counter and how to launch offensive combinations from a defensive position. It was reminiscent of Hopkins? one sided beating of Antonio Tarver two years ago.
Midway into the fight it became quite obvious ? a grown man was beating up a young boy. Pavlik, coming into the fight with a record of 34 W-0 L with 30 KO?s, needed to score a knockdown or do something drastic to change the course of the fight. But he and his cornermen came into this fight without a Plan B.
The official scorecards read: 117-109, 118-108 and 119-106. This being a non-title bout means Pavlik is still middleweight champion but will have to endure a tarnished reputation.
We have also seen similar scenarios before. Hopkins beating up on boxing?s established superstars who earned more money - Felix Trinidad and Oscar dela Hoya. My favourite Hopkins? highlight is the left hook to the body that left dela Hoya writhing in pain on the canvas in 2004. A certain Filipino boxer will be looking to duplicate that punch come December.
Whether he really wants to fight again, only Hopkins knows. His skill as a fighter was rivalled by his clashes with the boxing establishment. He is more maverick than John McCain and he delivers his punches with the same silky eloquence of a Barrack Obama campaign stump speech. Very few boxers really deserve to be called ?Legend?. Bernard Hopkins once again showed that in his case it goes without saying.
Top photo: Former Two-Division World Champion Bernard Hopkins has his hand raised in victory following his unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated Kelly Pavlik on October 18, 2008 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
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