Joe Smith, Jr., 23-1 (19), out of Long Island, NY, landed 5 punches knocking the former two-division world champion Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, 55-8-2 (32), out of Hockessin, DE, out of the ring and into hopefully a final retirement at 0:53 of the eighth round.
The event was held at The Forum, in Inglewood, CA, Saturday night. Referee Jack Reiss could have counted to 100. There was no way Hopkins was going back into the ring though several people tried pushing him back in. Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events co-promoted the event.
Hopkins complained he hurt his ankle but the replay showed his feet never hit the floor. They were up against the ring apron. It was the first WBC International light heavyweight defense for Smith who won the title in June.
The judges were split with Tim Cheatham having Smith in front 67-66 while Pat Russell had Hopkins up by the same score. Thomas Taylor had Smith in front 69-64. This writer had Smith up 67-66.
Hopkins wasn’t beat up in this one like he was in his previous fight 2 years ago with Sergey Kovalev losing every round. Speaking of Kovalev who was “held up” by a pair of bandits against Andre Ward recently was at ringside. Neither of the boxers had an impressive showing up until the finish and I’m sure Kovalev felt the same.
At the press conference just prior to the event the “old arrogant” Hopkins returned and tried bullying Smith. He kept calling him “common” while calling himself “special”. Smith just smiled like he thought “we will see who is special at fight time!”
Halfway through the first round Smith who aggressively stalked Hopkins ran into solid uppercut to the chin by Hopkins. With about 20 seconds left in the round Smith landed a solid right to the side of the head of Hopkins while pulling out of a Hopkins induced clinch. He would follow seconds later with a left hook to the head as the plodding Hopkins was in retreat mode. “I knew he (Hopkins) had no legs in the first round,” said Roy Jones, Jr.
In the second round Smith landed a pair of lead rights to the mid-section of Hopkins. As Hopkins tied up Smith he threw a right that missed and while coming up there was an accidental clash of heads opening up a cut along the eye brow of Smith’s left eye. In the third round both boxers were pawing with their jabs more than snapping them. With Hopkins backed into a corner Smith lands a straight right to the chin of Hopkins. It looked like Hopkins was trying to beat Andre Ward’s 46 clinches he caused in the Kovalev fight. Go to www.youtube.com and count them. That was a pro Ward referee unlike Jack Reiss in this one.
In the fourth round Hopkins landed a nice left hook to the mid-section of Smith as both boxers fall into a clinch. With less than half a round to go Hopkins lands what seems to be the first combination from either boxer and immediately he falls into a clinch. Coming off the ropes Hopkins lands a solid right to the head of Smith. Hopkins comes in low with Smith leaning on top of him forcing a clinch.
In the fifth round Smith landed a double left hook to the head of Hopkins but got caught with a solid countering right by Hopkins. Smith later landed a pair of left hooks first to the head and followed by one to the body. In addition a chopping right from Smith caught Hopkins on the side of the head buckling the knees of Hopkins who forced a clinch.
In the sixth round Smith had Hopkins against the ropes and missed half a dozen punches due to the defense by Hopkins. Smith halfway thru the round with Hopkins against the ropes unloaded a 3-punch combination. Hopkins would come off the ropes landing a nice right to the chin of Smith.
In the seventh round Hopkins seemed to be tiring though having Smith fighting his fight. Up until this point neither fighter seemed to impress and with Sergey Kovalev at ringside I’m sure he felt the same. The referee Brian Gary was doing an excellent job and fair to both boxers unlike the one sided referee from NV that gave Ward who clinched 46 times nothing more than a warning. In a close fight Hopkins seems to be behind by 67-66 on this writer’s card.
In the corner after the seventh round trainer John David Jackson told Hopkins to “walk around the ring” seeing Hopkins may be feeling some fatigue with 5 rounds left in the fight.
When the bell sounded for the eighth round Hopkins came out looking his age as the referee asks him something before he let the fight continue. At 51 and turning 52 in January what was he even doing in the ring. He has always picked his opponents and must have felt Smith was just another “white boy” but should have learned his lesson from losses to Joe Calzaghe and Kovalev. Following his trainer’s advice Hopkins did as told for the first 30 seconds just walking away from Smith.
While Hopkins backed against the ropes Smith landed a right to the side of the head on the left ear and followed up with a pair of left hooks and while Hopkins was starting to go through the ropes Smith landed another right and a left to the head of Hopkins.
Hopkins landed onto the concrete and was complaining from that position “I was pushed”. The only push in this exchange is when someone tried to push Hopkins back into the ring and he would have nothing to do with it.
As Hopkins was helped to his feet he made no effort to get back into the ring while referee Gary was giving him the 20 second count to return but could have counted to 100. Hopkins was up but limping and it would be interesting if an x-ray would show an injury.
While being administered to sitting outside the ring from what seemed to be a ringside physician he said “I feel a tingling in my right leg.” He was asked if he could go on and replied “I think I can but I won’t be able to move”. This was similar like the first Dawson fight when he seemed to be looking for an out while claiming injury?
The replay showed Hopkins falling through the ropes while his feet were against the ring apron. There was no way his ankle was hurt from the fall since he never landed on his feet. Money can drive many people to stay in the ring much too long and Hopkins is no exception. When asked about an all New York fight with Sean Monaghan Smith commented that would be some fight. Monaghan is ranked No. 6 and Smith is No. 4 for the WBC’s Adonis Stevenson’s title.