What boxing shows us

[jas80s]

Hey guys,

I just wrote something here. I guess if I were going to write a biography of Bernard Hopkins this might be the angle I would take. Anyway, I know there are only a few people who can even finish something on boxing so if I want a reaction it seems like a good idea to post it here.

Two things. First, it might be a little redundant in parts. Sorry, it's just a first draft. Second, I hope there isn't too much hyperbole. I respect fighters, but it's not like I think they are superior humans. Anyway, I hope you will read and respond. Do you agree? Or, am I kind of off the deep end here?....Independent of this post, both are possible....


September 29th, 2001 was to be a coronation. Felix Trinidad was to finally depose a prickly, even unpopular champion named Bernard Hopkins and ascend to his throne as the next great middleweight champion. Trinidad would claim his title by virtue of winning a four man tournament in the middleweight division. Only the three belt holders and Trinidad would vie for the rarest of all prizes, an undisputed world title, or as close to it as could be created in the new era of multiple champions in boxing.

Everything seemed to be in order. Trinidad looked fantastic in May as he overwhelmed William Joppy, the WBA champion, on his way to a dominating 5th round TKO victory. Trinidad was making his first appearance at the 160 pound limit and it seemed he would have no trouble carrying his vaunted punching power from the welterweight division to the middleweight limit of 160. Just to make things seem all the more assured, Hopkins had looked listless, though still typically efficient, in dispatching WBC champ Keith Holmes. Hopkins was victorious, but somehow the victory was less than scintillating. It was a familiar refrain which had haunted his career.

The unification fight was one sided as Bernard Hopkins systematically broke down the smaller Trinidad. Worse for Trinidad was the fact that not only was he overmatched physically, he was overmatched in terms of tactics as well. Hopkins was well aware of the potency of the Trinidad left hook and was resolved to keep his right hand glued to his left cheek all night, Trinidad never adjusted. Hopkins was so firmly in control that he likely could have ended things anytime in the latter half of the fight. Yet, there was Trinidad, badly beaten, but still standing to start the 12th and final round. One minute later, a Hopkins right hand landed flush and dropped Trinidad. Trinidad gamely regained his feet, but a few seconds later it was his father who would bring a halt to a fight that had ended long before by entering the ring to save his son from further punishment. Bernard Hopkins won the fight in vintage Bernard Hopkins style. His performance was savage yet calculated, violent yet disciplined, almost willful in its deliberative brilliance. The reality is, Hopkins probably could have taken the smaller man out earlier in the fight, but Hopkins resisted a temptation that would have provided Trinidad with the only glimmer of hope he might have had to emerge victorious that night. Hopkins only truly let his hands go once he had set his man up, not a moment before.

None of that should seem surprising given the events of Bernard Hopkins’ life and career. Hopkins was already a felon by his teenage years. Inevitably, his criminal exploits landed him in prison at the age of 17. The nine felonies he had committed resulted in an 18 year sentence. Were it not for his discovery of boxing while in prison, it seems safe to say his life would have ended there. Upon his release, the warden of the prison parted company with Hopkins by saying that he looked forward to his return. Hopkins replied, “I ain’t never coming back here.” The lessons he had learned during his boxing training had no doubt already taken hold. The life lessons he had gleaned from his stint in prison had also taken hold. From that point on, those lessons would become less and less distinct. Bernard Hopkins as a fighter cannot be distinguished from Bernard Hopkins as a man. It takes discipline to avoid the pitfalls that condemn a man to the recidivism that lands him back in jail. In the Trinidad fight, waiting for the right moment to throw that right hand was all about discipline. Hopkins would not be lured from his plan, or his promise.

The result of the fight was widely seen as a surprise, to everyone, everyone except Bernard Hopkins that is. Although the tournament was a pretext to anoint Trinidad as the new king of the division, Hopkins saw it as his own coronation. This was a chance for Bernard Hopkins to emerge from the shadows of relative anonymity and complete his own journey to the top of the sport.

Despite an impressive record, Hopkins occupied his place in the shadows largely by his own doing. Hopkins succeeded in exiling himself from big money fights by insisting on representing himself in fight negotiations. That had not always been the case. Hopkins had originally tried to play ball, but the game did not treat him too well. Hopkins originally worked with Butch Lewis, a well known fight promoter and manager. However, that relationship frayed in the wake of Hopkins fight with Roy Jones Jr. in 1992. Hopkins take for the fight was to be 700,000 dollars. Yet, at the end of the day, Hopkins maintained that he ended up only receiving roughly 50,000 dollars after taxes. It must have been a sobering moment for Hopkins who surely realized that, despite leaving Grateford State Penitentiary a few years earlier, the free man could still find himself in a prison of different sort.

For the record, Lewis maintains that he plucked Hopkins from obscurity and helped guide him to a middleweight Title only to be cast aside by Hopkins once he gained some success. The history of the fight game would seem to suggest that Hopkins version of events is the more plausible. On the other hand, Hopkins has subsequently accused other managers and promoters of ripping him off in deals they had made. The reality is that only Hopkins and Lewis truly know which version of their business relationship represents the whole truth.

In 1993 however, Hopkins simply knew that he was not going to be used by Butch Lewis. In the years that followed, Hopkins would defend his title with a passionate anger of a man who would not yield to a system that seemed designed to break him. Hopkins negotiated his own deals and won his fights. There were only two problems: He wasn’t fighting the best and, thus, he wasn’t making the money he wanted and the lack of money lead, inevitably, to a lack of respect and notoriety typically bestowed on the best fighters in boxing. By the mid to late 90’s Hopkins was almost unanimously overlooked in discussions about the top fighters in the sport. Hopkins pursuit of career success was going to require the same remarkable discipline he had had to summon just to keep him out of prison in the first place.

As Hopkins moved away from Lewis he continued to toil in relative anonymity. He had begun to take greater control of his career, but, despite winning the IBF Middleweight Championship in 1995, Hopkins seemed to be on the outside looking in when the discussion turned to big money fights. Indeed, from 1994 through 2000, Bernard Hopkins fought 16 times. Not once was his opponent found among the top four middleweights in the year end rankings done by Ring Magazine. Hopkins himself was among the top 3 in the rankings in each of those years. Moreover, eleven of the 16 opponents were not to be found anywhere in the top 10 in the Ring Magazine rankings. All the while, Hopkins, a middleweight champion, worked a second job repairing transmissions to help make ends meet. Life inside and outside the ring were becoming startlingly similar in the world of Bernard Hopkins. The object was to stick to the plan and break down his man methodically. In his mind, the opening wasn’t there, if Hopkins chased the money at that time, it would have only served Butch Lewis.

That period in his career strengthened his discipline and hardened his self-reliance, but it also retarded his path to legitimacy as a marketable commodity in boxing. People don’t exactly line up to watch a measured, technical fighter systematically take apart an overmatched opponent, even if he can occasionally deliver a sensational KO, which Hopkins could. On top of that, Hopkins personality was seen as surly more often than not. Hopkins will to avoid incarceration had lead to an almost manic penchant for playing only on his terms. Clearly, that held back his career even more than his similarly uncompromising fighting style.

In the wake of the Trinidad victory, a sharp increase of notoriety and money was unavoidable for Hopkins. Hopkins strung together several wins and eventually broke the record for consecutive defenses of his middleweight title, formerly held by Carlos Monzon. Yet, in many ways, Hopkins remained his own worst enemy. The promise he made years before weighed heavily on his life. Hopkins remained a tough negotiator, willing to walk away from any fight if the terms weren’t to his liking. Hopkins had been willing to work on transmissions before giving in to managers and promoters trying to take what was his, greater stature only strengthened that resolve. On top of that, Hopkins remained willful, bordering on stubborn in the ring as well.
Much as he had taken his time in breaking down Trinidad, Hopkins seemed to solidify a fighting style that matched his approach to life. Hopkins time and again appeared to eschew any unnecessary risk even at the expense of his all important public persona. Hopkins outings in the wake of the Trinidad win produced wins, but not fans. In fact, when Hopkins walked away from yet another chance to fight Roy Jones it appeared that he had exhausted whatever cache his big win may have provided. Yet, Hopkins remained undaunted.

The next big chance for Hopkins came in the form of a young, undefeated Olympian named Jermain Taylor. Hopkins place at the very top of the middleweight division was still undisputed even if he seemed determined to make sure that it produced no major fights or big time money. However, a strong young challenger had finally emerged and not even Bernard Hopkins could get in his own way, or so we would have believed. The fight once again seemed to demonstrate how inseparable Hopkins life and fighting style could be. Hopkins started slowly. From the start, he seemed to be effective in limiting opportunities for the younger man to go on the offensive. On the other hand, his overwhelming lack of activity gave the judges little choice but to give rounds to Taylor. Indeed, half way through the fight, it would have been nearly impossible to give Hopkins a round as he was simply not throwing any punches. The second half of the fight told a different story. Slowly, Hopkins began to open up on offense and was remarkably effective in so doing. Taylor fought gamely and continued to exchange bravely with Hopkins, but the more telling blows were being landed by the champion. Finally, in the 10th round, Hopkins rocked Taylor with a series of punches that sent him staggering back to the ropes. Hopkins pressed his advantage, but was unable to put Taylor down. Even in the heat of battle, Hopkins remained measured and methodical never wavering from his focus on implementing a plan. This time it cost him. Hopkins lost a split decision. The look on his face was one of total shock. In his mind, he had executed his plan and beaten his opponent. That same plan had worked against Felix Trinidad, against Butch Lewis, even against an arrogant prison warden. It didn’t seem possible that it could fail him now. It can be little wonder that Hopkins felt the title had been stolen from him.

Perhaps one can read too much into a fight. After all, in a strictly literal sense, it’s just two men throwing punches at each other, nothing more. This was simply a fight plan, not some window into the soul of a man. Bernard Hopkins was one of the smartest fighters of his generation. Surely he, of all people, could appreciate how he had given away the early rounds with a listless start. Certainly, in the rematch, it would be different. The second fight was nearly identical to the first. Hopkins started slow, fell behind, rallied late, and lost a close decision. This decision was not quite as close as the first. A lot of credit has to be given to Taylor who seemed better prepared for Hopkins pressure in the second half of the fight and held him off far more effectively. For Hopkins, it was a testament to the shadow side of a willful focus that had served him so well in and out of the ring. The truth was, Hopkins only could approach a fight in one way. He could make modest adjustments, but he could never deviate too far from his true nature, in or out of the ring.

At 41 years old, it seemed like the end for Hopkins. On the other hand, it must have seemed like the end of his life when he was sentenced to 18 years in prison at the age of 17. Yet, here he was, even in defeat he had attained the kind of success that even he must have never dreamed possible. But, Hopkins life and career mirrored his fights in so many ways. He simply would not relent to his opponent.

What would follow were three of the best performances of his entire career. First, Hopkins moved up to 175 pounds to take on Antonio Tarver. Hopkins shocked odds makers and fans alike by dominating Tarver in familiar Hopkins fashion. Hopkins frustrated Tarver all night with speed and defense using feints and angles to set up clean punches. Hopkins wore down Tarver mentally as well as physically. Eventually, he broke through, staggering Tarver with a series of blows in the 11th round. The beating had been systematic, but had finished with a flurry of offense that had, more and more, come to represent a Bernard Hopkins victory. Hopkins followed with an impressive win over Winky Wright before losing to Joe Calzaghe. Once again, Hopkins career seemed to be at an end. But, a certain resilience had become too much of a trademark of Hopkins life and career for it to end that way.

Kelly Pavlik looked unbeatable. He had just beaten Jermain Taylor twice and seemed to have established himself as the next great middleweight champion. It didn’t seem possible that a 43 year old Bernard Hopkins would stand any chance. However, Hopkins knew what he could do. After 11 rounds, Pavlik was thoroughly beaten. Hopkins had beaten another opponent with elusiveness that was both physical and tactical. He had simply taken away what his opponent wanted to do. He would not commit the crime that would have sent him back to a prison system waiting to welcome him home. He would not fight the best middleweights in the 1990’s only to watch Butch Lewis take the money. He would not drop his right hand to allow Trinidad to land his signature left hook. And, he would not walk away from his career when he could still fight. Like so many before him, Kelly Pavlik had bent before willful discipline more than heavy punches. The pattern once again was eerie in its similarity to previous fights in his career. Just as had been the case with Trinidad, Tarver, Taylor, and countless others, Hopkins had been methodical in implementing his plan. As he began to dominate more and more he still took his time. Only in the latter stages of the fight did he step up the pace and truly go after his man. Once again on this night, it was a brilliant performance as he battered Pavlik relentlessly in the final round. Only an incredibly courageous effort from Pavlik allowed him to finish the fight on his feet. Even with this most recent win, for Bernard Hopkins, the end of his career is at hand. If it is the end, from a career standpoint, his post 40 career represents yet another huge final round for Bernard Hopkins.

Boxing fans do not have it easy. Many of us recognize the look we receive when the news breaks to another person that we are fans of boxing. The look is one of curiosity mixed with condescension and just a hint of actual loathing. The worst part is, there is little that one can say to defend himself against the look. Most of us have simply resigned ourselves to shrug our shoulders and simply say that it’s true. The shrug acknowledges and even gives tacit approval of all the arguments against the sport. In reality, we just want to move on, it’s a no win argument and we know it.

But, there is something different about boxing. Boxing, more than any other sport is a window to something deeper. Often, a fight will underscore larger political and social issues. However, the truth is that something even deeper and more basic is at work. The commitment required in boxing is qualitatively, if not quantitatively different than that required by other sports. In boxing, more so than any other sport, a man is required to subject himself to pain and even fear. He is required to persevere through rigors that would seem almost inhuman at times. Because of those realities, the ring is a crucible that will inevitably yield the absolute truth about a man. What a man does in the ring invariably will provide a deep insight into just who he is outside of it. In and out of the ring, Bernard Hopkins has shown himself to be willful almost to the point of being stubborn. He has shown himself to be intelligent and master strategist, but also careful and measured. He is a man who has survived a violent life and thrived in a violent business by believing in his abilities, sticking to a plan, and refusing to give in to the will of those that want something from him. His life, his career, indeed most of his fights have shown us the same man. Boxing fans know, it couldn’t have been any other way.

[Jersey-Jim]

Originally Posted by jas80s

Hey guys,

I just wrote something here. I guess if I were going to write a biography of Bernard Hopkins this might be the angle I would take. Anyway, I know there are only a few people who can even finish something on boxing so if I want a reaction it seems like a good idea to post it here.

Two things. First, it might be a little redundant in parts. Sorry, it's just a first draft. Second, I hope there isn't too much hyperbole. I respect fighters, but it's not like I think they are superior humans. Anyway, I hope you will read and respond. Do you agree? Or, am I kind of off the deep end here?....Independent of this post, both are possible....


September 29th, 2001 was to be a coronation. Felix Trinidad was to finally depose a prickly, even unpopular champion named Bernard Hopkins and ascend to his throne as the next great middleweight champion. Trinidad would claim his title by virtue of winning a four man tournament in the middleweight division. Only the three belt holders and Trinidad would vie for the rarest of all prizes, an undisputed world title, or as close to it as could be created in the new era of multiple champions in boxing.

Everything seemed to be in order. Trinidad looked fantastic in May as he overwhelmed William Joppy, the WBA champion, on his way to a dominating 5th round TKO victory. Trinidad was making his first appearance at the 160 pound limit and it seemed he would have no trouble carrying his vaunted punching power from the welterweight division to the middleweight limit of 160. Just to make things seem all the more assured, Hopkins had looked listless, though still typically efficient, in dispatching WBC champ Keith Holmes. Hopkins was victorious, but somehow the victory was less than scintillating. It was a familiar refrain which had haunted his career.

The unification fight was one sided as Bernard Hopkins systematically broke down the smaller Trinidad. Worse for Trinidad was the fact that not only was he overmatched physically, he was overmatched in terms of tactics as well. Hopkins was well aware of the potency of the Trinidad left hook and was resolved to keep his right hand glued to his left cheek all night, Trinidad never adjusted. Hopkins was so firmly in control that he likely could have ended things anytime in the latter half of the fight. Yet, there was Trinidad, badly beaten, but still standing to start the 12th and final round. One minute later, a Hopkins right hand landed flush and dropped Trinidad. Trinidad gamely regained his feet, but a few seconds later it was his father who would bring a halt to a fight that had ended long before by entering the ring to save his son from further punishment. Bernard Hopkins won the fight in vintage Bernard Hopkins style. His performance was savage yet calculated, violent yet disciplined, almost willful in its deliberative brilliance. The reality is, Hopkins probably could have taken the smaller man out earlier in the fight, but Hopkins resisted a temptation that would have provided Trinidad with the only glimmer of hope he might have had to emerge victorious that night. Hopkins only truly let his hands go once he had set his man up, not a moment before.

None of that should seem surprising given the events of Bernard Hopkins’ life and career. Hopkins was already a felon by his teenage years. Inevitably, his criminal exploits landed him in prison at the age of 17. The nine felonies he had committed resulted in an 18 year sentence. Were it not for his discovery of boxing while in prison, it seems safe to say his life would have ended there. Upon his release, the warden of the prison parted company with Hopkins by saying that he looked forward to his return. Hopkins replied, “I ain’t never coming back here.” The lessons he had learned during his boxing training had no doubt already taken hold. The life lessons he had gleaned from his stint in prison had also taken hold. From that point on, those lessons would become less and less distinct. Bernard Hopkins as a fighter cannot be distinguished from Bernard Hopkins as a man. It takes discipline to avoid the pitfalls that condemn a man to the recidivism that lands him back in jail. In the Trinidad fight, waiting for the right moment to throw that right hand was all about discipline. Hopkins would not be lured from his plan, or his promise.

The result of the fight was widely seen as a surprise, to everyone, everyone except Bernard Hopkins that is. Although the tournament was a pretext to anoint Trinidad as the new king of the division, Hopkins saw it as his own coronation. This was a chance for Bernard Hopkins to emerge from the shadows of relative anonymity and complete his own journey to the top of the sport.

Despite an impressive record, Hopkins occupied his place in the shadows largely by his own doing. Hopkins succeeded in exiling himself from big money fights by insisting on representing himself in fight negotiations. That had not always been the case. Hopkins had originally tried to play ball, but the game did not treat him too well. Hopkins originally worked with Butch Lewis, a well known fight promoter and manager. However, that relationship frayed in the wake of Hopkins fight with Roy Jones Jr. in 1992. Hopkins take for the fight was to be 700,000 dollars. Yet, at the end of the day, Hopkins maintained that he ended up only receiving roughly 50,000 dollars after taxes. It must have been a sobering moment for Hopkins who surely realized that, despite leaving Grateford State Penitentiary a few years earlier, the free man could still find himself in a prison of different sort.

For the record, Lewis maintains that he plucked Hopkins from obscurity and helped guide him to a middleweight Title only to be cast aside by Hopkins once he gained some success. The history of the fight game would seem to suggest that Hopkins version of events is the more plausible. On the other hand, Hopkins has subsequently accused other managers and promoters of ripping him off in deals they had made. The reality is that only Hopkins and Lewis truly know which version of their business relationship represents the whole truth.

In 1993 however, Hopkins simply knew that he was not going to be used by Butch Lewis. In the years that followed, Hopkins would defend his title with a passionate anger of a man who would not yield to a system that seemed designed to break him. Hopkins negotiated his own deals and won his fights. There were only two problems: He wasn’t fighting the best and, thus, he wasn’t making the money he wanted and the lack of money lead, inevitably, to a lack of respect and notoriety typically bestowed on the best fighters in boxing. By the mid to late 90’s Hopkins was almost unanimously overlooked in discussions about the top fighters in the sport. Hopkins pursuit of career success was going to require the same remarkable discipline he had had to summon just to keep him out of prison in the first place.

As Hopkins moved away from Lewis he continued to toil in relative anonymity. He had begun to take greater control of his career, but, despite winning the IBF Middleweight Championship in 1995, Hopkins seemed to be on the outside looking in when the discussion turned to big money fights. Indeed, from 1994 through 2000, Bernard Hopkins fought 16 times. Not once was his opponent found among the top four middleweights in the year end rankings done by Ring Magazine. Hopkins himself was among the top 3 in the rankings in each of those years. Moreover, eleven of the 16 opponents were not to be found anywhere in the top 10 in the Ring Magazine rankings. All the while, Hopkins, a middleweight champion, worked a second job repairing transmissions to help make ends meet. Life inside and outside the ring were becoming startlingly similar in the world of Bernard Hopkins. The object was to stick to the plan and break down his man methodically. In his mind, the opening wasn’t there, if Hopkins chased the money at that time, it would have only served Butch Lewis.

That period in his career strengthened his discipline and hardened his self-reliance, but it also retarded his path to legitimacy as a marketable commodity in boxing. People don’t exactly line up to watch a measured, technical fighter systematically take apart an overmatched opponent, even if he can occasionally deliver a sensational KO, which Hopkins could. On top of that, Hopkins personality was seen as surly more often than not. Hopkins will to avoid incarceration had lead to an almost manic penchant for playing only on his terms. Clearly, that held back his career even more than his similarly uncompromising fighting style.

In the wake of the Trinidad victory, a sharp increase of notoriety and money was unavoidable for Hopkins. Hopkins strung together several wins and eventually broke the record for consecutive defenses of his middleweight title, formerly held by Carlos Monzon. Yet, in many ways, Hopkins remained his own worst enemy. The promise he made years before weighed heavily on his life. Hopkins remained a tough negotiator, willing to walk away from any fight if the terms weren’t to his liking. Hopkins had been willing to work on transmissions before giving in to managers and promoters trying to take what was his, greater stature only strengthened that resolve. On top of that, Hopkins remained willful, bordering on stubborn in the ring as well.
Much as he had taken his time in breaking down Trinidad, Hopkins seemed to solidify a fighting style that matched his approach to life. Hopkins time and again appeared to eschew any unnecessary risk even at the expense of his all important public persona. Hopkins outings in the wake of the Trinidad win produced wins, but not fans. In fact, when Hopkins walked away from yet another chance to fight Roy Jones it appeared that he had exhausted whatever cache his big win may have provided. Yet, Hopkins remained undaunted.

The next big chance for Hopkins came in the form of a young, undefeated Olympian named Jermain Taylor. Hopkins place at the very top of the middleweight division was still undisputed even if he seemed determined to make sure that it produced no major fights or big time money. However, a strong young challenger had finally emerged and not even Bernard Hopkins could get in his own way, or so we would have believed. The fight once again seemed to demonstrate how inseparable Hopkins life and fighting style could be. Hopkins started slowly. From the start, he seemed to be effective in limiting opportunities for the younger man to go on the offensive. On the other hand, his overwhelming lack of activity gave the judges little choice but to give rounds to Taylor. Indeed, half way through the fight, it would have been nearly impossible to give Hopkins a round as he was simply not throwing any punches. The second half of the fight told a different story. Slowly, Hopkins began to open up on offense and was remarkably effective in so doing. Taylor fought gamely and continued to exchange bravely with Hopkins, but the more telling blows were being landed by the champion. Finally, in the 10th round, Hopkins rocked Taylor with a series of punches that sent him staggering back to the ropes. Hopkins pressed his advantage, but was unable to put Taylor down. Even in the heat of battle, Hopkins remained measured and methodical never wavering from his focus on implementing a plan. This time it cost him. Hopkins lost a split decision. The look on his face was one of total shock. In his mind, he had executed his plan and beaten his opponent. That same plan had worked against Felix Trinidad, against Butch Lewis, even against an arrogant prison warden. It didn’t seem possible that it could fail him now. It can be little wonder that Hopkins felt the title had been stolen from him.

Perhaps one can read too much into a fight. After all, in a strictly literal sense, it’s just two men throwing punches at each other, nothing more. This was simply a fight plan, not some window into the soul of a man. Bernard Hopkins was one of the smartest fighters of his generation. Surely he, of all people, could appreciate how he had given away the early rounds with a listless start. Certainly, in the rematch, it would be different. The second fight was nearly identical to the first. Hopkins started slow, fell behind, rallied late, and lost a close decision. This decision was not quite as close as the first. A lot of credit has to be given to Taylor who seemed better prepared for Hopkins pressure in the second half of the fight and held him off far more effectively. For Hopkins, it was a testament to the shadow side of a willful focus that had served him so well in and out of the ring. The truth was, Hopkins only could approach a fight in one way. He could make modest adjustments, but he could never deviate too far from his true nature, in or out of the ring.

At 41 years old, it seemed like the end for Hopkins. On the other hand, it must have seemed like the end of his life when he was sentenced to 18 years in prison at the age of 17. Yet, here he was, even in defeat he had attained the kind of success that even he must have never dreamed possible. But, Hopkins life and career mirrored his fights in so many ways. He simply would not relent to his opponent.

What would follow were three of the best performances of his entire career. First, Hopkins moved up to 175 pounds to take on Antonio Tarver. Hopkins shocked odds makers and fans alike by dominating Tarver in familiar Hopkins fashion. Hopkins frustrated Tarver all night with speed and defense using feints and angles to set up clean punches. Hopkins wore down Tarver mentally as well as physically. Eventually, he broke through, staggering Tarver with a series of blows in the 11th round. The beating had been systematic, but had finished with a flurry of offense that had, more and more, come to represent a Bernard Hopkins victory. Hopkins followed with an impressive win over Winky Wright before losing to Joe Calzaghe. Once again, Hopkins career seemed to be at an end. But, a certain resilience had become too much of a trademark of Hopkins life and career for it to end that way.

Kelly Pavlik looked unbeatable. He had just beaten Jermain Taylor twice and seemed to have established himself as the next great middleweight champion. It didn’t seem possible that a 43 year old Bernard Hopkins would stand any chance. However, Hopkins knew what he could do. After 11 rounds, Pavlik was thoroughly beaten. Hopkins had beaten another opponent with elusiveness that was both physical and tactical. He had simply taken away what his opponent wanted to do. He would not commit the crime that would have sent him back to a prison system waiting to welcome him home. He would not fight the best middleweights in the 1990’s only to watch Butch Lewis take the money. He would not drop his right hand to allow Trinidad to land his signature left hook. And, he would not walk away from his career when he could still fight. Like so many before him, Kelly Pavlik had bent before willful discipline more than heavy punches. The pattern once again was eerie in its similarity to previous fights in his career. Just as had been the case with Trinidad, Tarver, Taylor, and countless others, Hopkins had been methodical in implementing his plan. As he began to dominate more and more he still took his time. Only in the latter stages of the fight did he step up the pace and truly go after his man. Once again on this night, it was a brilliant performance as he battered Pavlik relentlessly in the final round. Only an incredibly courageous effort from Pavlik allowed him to finish the fight on his feet. Even with this most recent win, for Bernard Hopkins, the end of his career is at hand. If it is the end, from a career standpoint, his post 40 career represents yet another huge final round for Bernard Hopkins.

Boxing fans do not have it easy. Many of us recognize the look we receive when the news breaks to another person that we are fans of boxing. The look is one of curiosity mixed with condescension and just a hint of actual loathing. The worst part is, there is little that one can say to defend himself against the look. Most of us have simply resigned ourselves to shrug our shoulders and simply say that it’s true. The shrug acknowledges and even gives tacit approval of all the arguments against the sport. In reality, we just want to move on, it’s a no win argument and we know it.

But, there is something different about boxing. Boxing, more than any other sport is a window to something deeper. Often, a fight will underscore larger political and social issues. However, the truth is that something even deeper and more basic is at work. The commitment required in boxing is qualitatively, if not quantitatively different than that required by other sports. In boxing, more so than any other sport, a man is required to subject himself to pain and even fear. He is required to persevere through rigors that would seem almost inhuman at times. Because of those realities, the ring is a crucible that will inevitably yield the absolute truth about a man. What a man does in the ring invariably will provide a deep insight into just who he is outside of it. In and out of the ring, Bernard Hopkins has shown himself to be willful almost to the point of being stubborn. He has shown himself to be intelligent and master strategist, but also careful and measured. He is a man who has survived a violent life and thrived in a violent business by believing in his abilities, sticking to a plan, and refusing to give in to the will of those that want something from him. His life, his career, indeed most of his fights have shown us the same man. Boxing fans know, it couldn’t have been any other way.

I thought you did an excellent job. When it comes to writing, you will always find way to improve (at least in your own opinion) on your creations as you look back on them.

Perfectionism is the kiss of death in many fields, including writing. If you wait until you have something perfect before it "goes to press," you'll never go to press.

Some of the most talented people I know don't have a dime in their pockets while people with a quarter of the talent they have are living well.

Following through is the hardest lesson of them all, and the most rewarding, too!

Boxing, in my opinion, has always been a microcosm of life. We're born. We live. We die.

That's the career of the fighter. And like life itself, every fighter accomplishes from the least to the greatest, every imaginable outcome in-between.

You did a good job with the Hopkins piece. His story can inspire a lot of people.

.