Mini-Biography
“I fear no man on earth that breathes the same air as I do” Never one to back down from a challenge, The Executioner has fought the best and beat the best, aiming towards being the best boxer of our era. Following a showdown loss to Roy Jones Jr in 1993, Bernard Hopkins fought and defended his middleweight championship a record 20 times in the shadows of bigger names like Roy Jones and Oscar De La Hoya. Then when Jones and De La Hoya ultimately failed, Hopkins emerged at the very top of the sport, only to stumble himself and then to come back again to create a legacy as one of the greatest middleweights of all-time.
The story of Bernard Hopkins began in the tough streets of Philadelphia, where a young man learned how to survive and defend himself through boxing. Surrounded by drugs and gun crime, B-Hop succumbed to the peer pressure of the ghetto. From assaults to robbery, he had established a reputation as one of the most infamous criminals in town but this eventually led to him being sentenced to 18 years in Graterford State Penitentiary. Determined not to let this setback define him, Hopkins rediscovered his passion for boxing through the prison boxing programme. With a jailhouse championship to his name and determined to achieve more success from the sweet science, Hopkins was released in 1988, after serving 56 months. The warden told Hopkins that he expected their next meeting to be back at Graterford, to which Hopkins replied "I ain't ever coming back here."
After boxing his way out of prison, Hopkins turned pro but unfortunately, lost his first fight. Instead of being discouraged, he came back stronger, winning his next 20 fights (16 by KO), to earn a world title shot in May 1993.
Bernard Hopkins faced his first true test as a top ranking professional when he entered the ring against the most talented middleweight of the time, Roy Jones Jr, for the IBF belt. It was, at best, a tactical battle which Roy Jones won by a unanimous decision.
WBA champion, Felix Trinidad, made a decision to move up in weight and pursue a championship at 160lb. In 2001, a fight between Hopkins and Trinidad was scheduled to determine the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Hopkins fought an absolute masterpiece. The fight became an “execution” as Hopkins systematically broke down Trinidad before stopping him in the twelfth and final round.
After winning the vacant middleweight title in 1995, Hopkins rewrote history, defending the title a record 20 times, including a mega matchup with Oscar De La Hoya in 2004. Oscar came out boxing but ultimately had no answers against the bigger, stronger middleweight champion. In the ninth round a devastating left hook to the body gave Hopkins a knockout win.
Capitalising on his superstar status, Bernard Hopkins took on Jermaine Taylor in two memorable fights. In 2005, Hopkins reign as middleweight champion ended, suffering his first loss in twelve years.
Hopkins rematch with Taylor was again a fight that could have gone either way. Once again Taylor came away with the victory.
In 2005, Hopkins moved up two weight divisions and met Antonio Tarver for light heavyweight supremacy. Tarver, the clear favourite, was sluggish from the start and Hopkins made him pay. Seizing the moment Hopkins would not let up and went on to add win 47 to his illustrious career.
Hopkins fought a catch weight matchup at 170lb against Winky Wright, in 2007. Hopkins was beating Wright to the punch early and a head butt in round three opened a bad cut over Winky’s left eye. Feeling a sense of urgency, Wright became the aggressor but Hopkins continued applying pressure to the cut on Wright’s left eye. Hopkins was awarded the unanimous decision victory.
Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe squared off in the Welshman’s first fight in the United States, in April 2008, and Hopkins wasted no time welcoming Calzaghe to the ring. Hopkins hoped his stunning first round knockdown was a sign of things to come but Calzaghe would recover and become the aggressor. Hopkins had some good moments though, particularly with his counter-punching but Calzaghe’s constant swarm of activity was clearly wearing the older Hopkins down. To Hopkins’ dismay, Calzaghe was awarded the split decision victory.
It took Bernard Hopkins more than a decade of sustained accomplishments to fight his way out of shadows cast by more celebrated boxers. However, along the way, he won the undisputed middleweight championship of the world, broke a record for consecutive middleweight title defences and then unexpectedly rose, while passing the age of 40, to become the light heavyweight champion. As Hopkins’ career draws to a close, he can be assured of being remembered as a ring legend and an inspiration to young, aspiring boxers living in the ghetto and beyond.
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Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins
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United States
Pro-Fights: 62
Wins: 52
Losses: 6
Knockouts: 32
1st Rd Knockouts: 13
Draws: 2
Years Pro: 24
1st Pro Fight: October 11,1988
Height: 6' 1"
Boxing Style: Boxer/Counter Puncher
Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Alias: The Executioner
Last 10 Fights: 6-2 0 Ko's 1 Draw 1NC
Date Of Birth: January 15,1965
Age: 47
Bernard Hopkins Fight Posters. Click on poster to view:
Bernard Hopkin's BIO
= Classic Fight
Career Fights
= Title Fight
Date
Outcome
Boxer
NEXT
April 28, 2012
October 15, 2011
May 21,2011
December 18,2010
April 3,2010
December 2,2009
October 18,2008
April 19,2008
July 21,2007
June 10,2006
December 3,1995
July 16,2005
February 19,2005
September 18,2004
June 5,2004
December 13,2003
March 29,2003
February 2,2002
September 29,2001
April 14,2001
December 1,2000
May 13,2000
December 12,1999
February 6,1999
August 28,1998
January 31,1998
November 18,1997
July 20,1997
April 19,1997
July 16,1996
March 16,1996
January 27,1996
April 29,1995
December 17,1994
May 17,1994
February 25,1994
November 23,1993
August 3,1993
May 22,1993
February 16,1993
December 4,1992
September 14,1992
August 28,1992
May 21,1992
April 3,1992
January 31,1992
December 13,1991
November 26,1991
September 23,1991
July 9,1991
June 20,1991
March 18,1991
February 26,1991
November 17,1990
October 20,1990
August 5,1990
June 30,1990
May 31,1990
May 18,1990
April 26,1990
Febraury 22,1990
October 11,1988
TBA
Chad Dawson II
Enrique Ornelas
Howard Eastman
Robert Allen III
William Joppy
Morrade Hakkar
Carl Daniels
Keith Holmes
Antwun Echols II
Syd Vanderpool
Antwun Echols
Robert Allen II
Robert Allen
Simon Brown
Andrew Council
John David Jackson
William Bo James
Joe Lipsey
Steve Frank
Segundo Mercado II
Segundo Mercado
Lupe Aquino
Melvin Wynn
Wendall Hall
Roy Ritchie
Gilbert Baptist
Wayne Powell
Eric Rhinehart
James Stokes
Anibal Miranda
Randy Smith
Dennis Milton
Willie Kemp
David McCluskey
Ralph Moncrief
Danny Mitchell
Pedro Marquez
Steve Langley
Richard Quiles
Mike Sapp
Darrin Oliver
Percy Harris
Khalif Shabazz
Jouvin Mercado
Eddie Tyler
Keith Gray
Greg Paige
Clinton Mitchell
Loss
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Won
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Won
Won
Won
Loss
Won
Won
Loss
Loss
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
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Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
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Won
Won
Won
Won
Loss
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won
Loss
12
2
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
9
12
12
8
10
12
12
10
12
12
7
4
6
12
11
7
11
4
1
7
12
12
3
3
7
12
12
1
1
1
10
10
4
10
5
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
6
1
2
1
1
4
4
MD
NC
UD
Draw
UD
UD
UD
SD
UD
UD
UD
SD
UD
KO
UD
UD
RTD
TKO
TKO
UD
TKO
UD
UD
TKO
NC
TKO
UD
TKO
TKO
TKO
KO
TKO
TKO
Draw
UD
TKO
TKO
TKO
UD
UD
TKO
KO
KO
PTS
UD
TKO
UD
TKO
TKO
KO
TKO
TKO
KO
TKO
TKO
UD
KO
TKO
TKO
TKO
UD
MD
Residence: Hockessin, Delaware, USA
Popularity Since March 10,2011
Signature: Mind Games/Dirty Tactics
Bernard's
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Stance: Orthodox
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Written By akila6789
