After one of his best performances in the ring in recent years this past Saturday, light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins was in our Comcast SportsNet studios on Monday with a freshly shaved face and not a sign of a cut. He was in great spirits after retaining his title in Atlantic City on Saturday night with a unanimous decision win over challenger Karo Murat from Germany.
I have always been amazed at how good Hopkins appears after a big fight. He might get hit hard on occasion but he never gets cut.
Hopkins now refers to himself as the "Alien" and he might be right. This guy is not from this world. How do you explain a man, just over two months shy of his 49th birthday, that continues to pound opponents half his age?
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Philadelphia has a long boxing tradition and Hopkins has represented the city proudly for many years. He has become the sport's most fascinating character. He isn't the biggest name out there, but he might get the chance to knock off that man -- Floyd Mayweather. There is talk and interest for a potential bout between the two as early as next May. If Golden Boy Promotions is able to pull off that match, it will be the biggest of Hopkins' career, surpassing his 2004 knockout of Oscar De La Hoya for the undisputed middleweight championship.
Hopkins' mental focus and commitment to his training is off the charts. Years ago, he promised his dying mom that he would retire from boxing by the age of 40. Nearly nine years later, I see no reason why he shouldn't keep entering the ring and defy the odds.
Father Time has treated Hopkins well, but give the champ plenty of credit for using his God given talent, which must come from somewhere beyond this world.