Bernard Hopkins
The Executioner who became the oldest world champion in boxing history.
Last updated
He is known for his defensive skills and for competing at an advanced age, earning the nicknames "The Executioner" and "The Alien"[1] At 46 years, 4 months, and 6 days old, Hopkins defeated Jean Pascal to win a world championship, surpassing George Foreman's record set when Foreman was 45 years, 10 months old.[2]
Key facts and history
Hopkins grew up in the Raymond Rosen housing project in Philadelphia and won the Philadelphia Jr. Golden Gloves championship at age 9.[3] His final fight was a TKO loss to Joe Smith Jr. in December 2016, after which he retired with a record of 55 wins, eight defeats, and two draws.[4][5] Hopkins' initial world championship victory occurred in 1995 when he captured the vacant IBF middleweight title.[6] By defeating Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 for the WBO title, Hopkins became the first male boxer to hold world titles from all four major sanctioning bodies at the same time.[7]
After losing the undisputed middleweight championship to Jermain Taylor in 2005, Hopkins moved up to light heavyweight in 2006 and, at age 41, won the IBO and Ring titles from Antonio Tarver.[8] On May 21, 2011, Hopkins defeated Jean Pascal by unanimous decision to win the WBC, lineal, and Ring light heavyweight titles, making him the oldest man to win a major world title at 46 years, 4 months, and 6 days.[2]
What the cited sources add
A 2001 Guardian article notes that Hopkins has been a Muslim since leaving jail 13 years ago and had to scold journalists at a press conference before fighting Felix Trinidad.[9] The BBC reported that Hopkins ended his career with 55 wins (32 KOs), eight defeats, and two draws, and that he is the oldest man to hold a world title at age 49.[5] The BBC also stated that Hopkins said he was "shoved" and hit his head in his fall during the final fight.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "25 Best Defensive Boxers in History"; "Best Defensive Boxers in History and their Techniques"; "Top 15 Greatest Defensive Boxers of All Time"; "What Is The Philly Shell In Boxing?"; "The Philly Shell, the Shoulder Roll and the Mayweather Defense"; "Bernard Hopkins - Dirty Tactics Exposed", YouTube, October 20, 2014 }}{{cbignore; "Bernard Hopkins a Dirty Fighter? Boxing Trainer speaks out! - Doghouse Boxing News Report"; "SecondsOut Boxing News", July 5, 2021; "Kovalev Explains Why Bernard Hopkins is a 'Dirty Fighter'", October 31, 2014 en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hopkins-Pascal WBC title rematch ordered. AFP. January 6, 2011.; Hopkins does it!!! . Fightnews.com (May 21, 2011). Retrieved on August 5, 2012.; "PHILLY BOXING HISTORY - May 21, 2011 - Hopkins Does it Again - Sets Record"; "Bernard Hopkins is world champion at 46", May 22, 2011; LaBate, "Bernard Hopkins Beats Jean Pascal To Make History", Boxing Scene, May 22, 2011; "Bernard Hopkins becomes oldest champ", ESPN, May 22, 2011 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Bernard Hopkins: Ring Genius Misunderstood (2003)", March 30, 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Bernard Hopkins beaten by TKO in final fight of career", BBC Boxing, December 18, 2016; "Bernard Hopkins knocked out of ring in retirement bout", USA Today, December 17, 2016; "Bernard Hopkins knocked out of ring by Joe Smith Jr. in final fight", ESPN, December 18, 2016; "More than a million turn to HBO to see Hopkins' final fight - The Ring", The Ring, 2016-12-20; "Hopkins-Smith Averaged 934K Viewers; Peaks at 1.035 Million - Boxing News", www.boxingscene.com, December 20, 2016 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "Bernard Hopkins beaten by TKO in final fight of career", BBC Boxing, December 18, 2016. facts only, no text reused. bbc.co.uk
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "GGG relishes tying Hopkins for division record", May 7, 2018; "Head to head: Hopkins-Jones", April 2, 2010; "GGG ties Bernard Hopkins' record of 20 title defenses", May 6, 2018; "Q&A: Bernard Hopkins", May 22, 2013; "Bernard Hopkins - BoxRec"; "Bernard Hopkins" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fischer, Doug. (September 30, 2011) 10: Best middleweight titleholders of the last 50 years | RingTV . Ringtv.craveonline.com. Retrieved on August 5, 2012.; "BoxRec ratings: world, pound-for-pound, active and inactive", BoxRec (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Bernard Hopkins" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Lineal Light Heavyweight Champions", The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Steve Bunce (November 11, 2001) The forgotten prince Guardian. Retrieved on July 29, 2009.. facts only, no text reused. theguardian.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Bernard Hopkins (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Bernard Hopkins (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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