Monday, December 20, 2010

Bernard Hopkins Does Everything But Make History

Photo credit: Tom Casino, Showtime.

He rose from two knockdowns. He won more rounds. He turned back time and the tide and the fight put forth by a champion nearly 18 years his junior.

He did everything but make history.

Bernard Hopkins' draw amazed in what the nearly 46-year-old was able to do, and so many of the writers who watched the fight gave him recognition that the judges didn't. Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins fought to a draw, a result that this scribe felt was fair but an ending that others felt robbed Hopkins – not just of what they saw as a rightful victory, but of a record as the oldest man to win a lineal championship.

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com:

"Hopkins turns 46 on Jan. 15 and deserved the decision, but didn't get it. Was it highway robbery? No. But he did more than enough to overcome flash knockdowns in the first and third rounds to dominate virtually the entire rest of the fight, a stunning performance against a [28-year-old] champion in his prime."

Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia Daily News:

"Hopkins has yelped about being on the wrong end of controversial decisions before, but maybe never one so obviously incorrect as the majority draw he was obliged to accept in Saturday night’s matchup with 28-year-old WBC light-heavyweight champion Jean Pascal in the Pepsi Coliseum."

This seemed to be the dominant theme among writers, though this scribe had it a draw, and Bart Barry of 15rounds.com actually found the fight 115-113 for Pascal:

"After the final bell sounded, Hopkins began to campaign for his victory. He protested a bit too much – almost like Marvin Hagler dancing after his final round with Sugar Ray Leonard. It was for the judges, you figure. The cards they returned, really, were fine. Hopkins’ reaction was the usual. But he’d have made a more sympathetic figure of himself if he had tried harder for a knockout in the sixth, seventh and eighth rounds."

Lee Groves of BoxingScene.com analyzed the stats compiled through his role with CompuBox:

The CompuBox numbers certainly were in "The Executioner's" favor. He threw and landed more total punches (153 of 502, 30 percent to 86 of 350, 25 percent), attempted and connected on more jabs (24 of 191, 13 percent to 19 of 148, 13 percent) and governed the power punches (129 of 311, 41 percent to 67 of 202, 33 percent). The round-by-round breakdowns showed that Hopkins landed more total punches in 11 of the 12 rounds, with only a 9-9 tie in the fifth preventing a clean sweep in that category. In fact, of the 36 total categories, Hopkins held a commanding 27-2-7 advantage as Pascal's only edges were in connected jabs in rounds nine (3-1) and 10 (3-1).

All the numbers were in his favor, indeed, except for the two scorecards that made the result a majority draw. And one number not in his favor is his age. When – well, if – Hopkins gets another shot, he will be 46, another fight deeper into his career, more months of aging to defy.

Could Hopkins do it again? Hasn't he taught us to stop doubting him by now?

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