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Hopkins defies age to upset Pavlik
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-19 14:48 ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey - Former world champion Bernard Hopkins upset middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik with a unanimous decision in their 12-round, non-title fight on Saturday.
There were no knockdowns but the 43-year-old Hopkins defied his age by battering the slower, supposedly stronger Pavlik throughout the one-sided fight to inflict his first defeat as a professional. "Styles make fights," Hopkins said. "He's a great fighter, but I knew my style and quickness was underrated and was going to give him problems. I wanted him to lead, so I could do what I love to do, counter-punch. He was very heavy-handed. I could feel his power, but I never got hurt." Hopkins, near tears before the decision was announced, called the performance the best of his 20-year career, better than his wins over Antonio Tarver, Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. All three judges saw Hopkins as the clear winner. Both fighters had a point deducted by the referee, Pavlik for continually hitting Hopkins behind the head in the eighth round and Hopkins for holding repeatedly during the ninth. 'IT WASNT ME' Hopkins, a Philadelphia native, improved to 49-5-1 while the 26-year-old Pavlik, of Youngstown, Ohio, slipped to 34-1 in the same building where he became middleweight champion by knocking out Jermain Taylor a year ago. Pavlik's World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organisation middleweight titles were not at stake because the fight was contested at a catchweight of 170 pounds. Pavlik said he was eager to move back down to 160 pounds to defend his crowns following the poorest performance of his eight-year career. "I just couldn't get off tonight," Pavlik said. "I don't know why. It wasn't his slickness, but I just couldn't throw more than a single jab. I couldn't throw a double jab and couldn't do anything that I usually do. "It wasn't me tonight." |
