Hopkins turns back the clock…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
I anticipated a thorough beat down when Kelly Pavlik fought Bernard Hopkins last night. A virtuoso performance that would help clear things up in the sport.
Well, I saw it – just not from who I expected. Hopkins bludgeoned the Ohio native for 12 rounds. Had him dejected in his corner, looking like he was ready to quit multiple times.
As I was watching it, I was simply marveling at what I was seeing. That was, I don’t know how to describe it, because it wasn’t one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. Maybe one of the most surprising?
Or a performance that we (as fight fans) have been waiting for from B-Hop since that magical night seven years ago against Tito Trinidad. Ever since, it seemed like Bernard just wanted to do as little as possible to win.
On this night, he attacked Pavlik, who simply had no answer. The weight wasn’t good for Kelly at 170, that’s for sure. He looked soft in the gut. He always looks lean at 160, but at 170, he looked soft. There’s a difference.
I begged him to double, triple his jab. Against Bernard, he was lucky if he even threw one jab. Because like all great B-Hop performances, he kills you mentally and then just finishes the job physically.
Hopkins rocked Pavlik in the second round with a left hook on/above the the right ear. Pavlik’s legs did a little dance, but Hopkins didn’t attack. He stayed with his flawless plan and countered beautifully, got off first, everything a 43-year-old fighter is not supposed to be doing.
When I think about this fight, it will be rounds 2, 7 and 12 that will stand out. I’ve never seen anything from B-Hop like in round seven. Showboating and landing, sapping any last ounce of will left with Pavlik. And the bolo punch made its return to the fight game.
It’s not Pavlik’s fault he got destroyed. It’s people like me, who have been waiting to write off Hopkins. We thought we finally had that opportunity to do it.
Eh, we didn’t. I entered the night hoping Pavlik would knock off the old guard, but in rounds 10-12, I was hoping Hopkins would close the show. He deserved this moment. He put in the work at 43 to put on this type of show. I reiterate, he deserved the KO.
“I could box another two to three years,” Hopkins said. “I think this was my best performance, better than Tarver, better than Trinidad, better than Oscar [De La Hoya]. I am extremely happy tonight. Ninety percent of the media picked Pavlik. I always appreciate naysayers. That is what motivates me — when people are against me. I don’t wish I was like that but that’s the way it is.”
Pavlik had no answers in the fight and none afterward either. “I just couldn’t get off,” he said. “I don’t know why. It was not his slickness. I just couldn’t throw a jab, a double jab. I couldn’t do what I was used to doing. We’ll go back to the drawing board. It just wasn’t me tonight. I will be more comfortable going back to 160.”I agree with Hopkins about this being his best outing. Well, maybe 1a with Trinidad. The Oscar fight was a joke, and Tarver was in NO condition at all to fight on that night.
As Hopkins was tagging Pavlik with rights and lefts in the 12th round, he stared him down as the bell sounded. I don’t think it had one thing to do with Pavlik. It might have a lot to do with Pavlik’s arrogant/cocky trainer, Jack Loew. It might have had to do with everyone counting him out. But he stared Pavlik down and as had happened all night, Pavlik backed away.
I had it a wipeout. Hopkins 119-107, only cuz of that frivolous point deduction in the ninth round for holding.
I’ll definitely watch the replay next week. One, to see the masterful display once again. The masterpiece, if you will. Two, to find out what Hopkins told Pavlik said after the fight. He was tutoring the youngster about what he needs to do. It was interesting. It was eerily reminiscent of Rocky and Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies.
Well, I’ve just turned into the biggest Roy Jones fan. I want to see this version of Hopkins against Jones in a fight that could be labeled “10 years too late.” It’ll be interesting to see what RJJ has left in the tank and heart against Joe Calzaghe on Nov. 8.
Worst. Undercard. EVER. That’s all I can say about the Hopkins-Pavlik card. In these down times, to force people to spend $50 on that garbage is embarrassing. I may rant on this later, but I wanted to make sure it got out there. Bored out of my mind with that crap.
Well, up next on the docket is the return of arguably the best MMA fighter in the world, Anderson Silva. That’ll be at UFC 90 next week from my old stomping grounds, Chicago.
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