Bernard Hopkins not looking for charity win in farewell bout

Bernard Hopkins will say farewell to a long Hall of Fame boxing career Saturday when he meets Joe Smith Jr. to headline an HBO event at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Hopkins, who turns 52 in January, is finally ready to hang up the gloves and close the chapter on his 28-year profession. The feats Hopkins reached will most likely never be achieved again, especially what he did in his 40s.

It seemed like the perfect time to ask Hopkins to reflect on his 12 Las Vegas fights. Hopkins fought some of the biggest names of his era in Las Vegas, but the boxing legend wasn’t ready to look back.

“I had a lot of fights in Las Vegas, but don’t you think it’s kind of counterproductive to reminisce before I close the chapter on a fine history book of my life?” Hopkins asked.

The response wasn’t surprising. Hopkins has always been one to look forward and reach the next goal. It’s what has made him special.

Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 knockouts) reinvented himself multiple times in the ring with his “Executioner” and “Alien” personas. So asking him to take a trip down memory lane was silly.

“You know I’ve been different,” Hopkins said. “I don’t want to reminisce before a battle that is important to me, and I want to go out with respect and pride.

“Dec. 17 will be just like you watching Kobe Bryant making his last run. Just like watching the great Michael Jordan when he was making his last run.”

Hopkins, who hasn’t fought since falling to Sergey Kovalev two years ago, isn’t going up against a pushover in order to end his decorated career on a high note. It would be uncharacteristic of “B-Hop” to find the easiest opponent, even if he is a half-century old.

Smith, 27, is a promising light heavyweight prospect from Long Island, New York, who picked up an impressive victory against Andrzej Fonfara in June.

“I have to keep myself honest and not be a charity fighter or a comedy show,” Hopkins said. “I need to do what I’ve done all my life. I’ve never been criticized of ducking. I’m just going out the way the book started. I ducked no one.”

Hopkins battled the best middleweights and light heavyweights, such as Roy Jones Jr., Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, Joe Calzaghe, Winky Wright, Antonio Tarver, Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik.

The victory against De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in 2004 was a historic one because Hopkins became the first boxer to hold all the major belts of one division simultaneously, but it also helped him begin his life after boxing.

Hopkins formed a business relationship with De La Hoya and invested in his Golden Boy Promotions. Hopkins has been a minority partner of the company for the last 12 years.

The former two-division champion is set for life after boxing with his duties at Golden Boy and as a boxing analyst for HBO. Oh, and a possible political career in his hometown of Philadelphia.

“Not sure about that one yet, but all of this will be included in the movie they make about my life, hopefully,” Hopkins said.

The life of Hopkins is definitely worthy of a feature film. Hopkins grew up on the rough streets of Philadelphia. At 17, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison for nine felonies. Hopkins only served five years and turned to boxing to avoid going back to his cell.

“I wasn’t good at basketball or football and I didn’t like school,” Hopkins said. “I learned to read and write in prison. Boxing was my only way out. I wasn’t going back. I was told I would be dead by 20.”

Hopkins doesn’t like to reminisce, but he’ll never forget his time in prison or his first professional loss in his debut.

“I took a year and a half off after my debut loss,” Hopkins said. “I spent all that time making sure I got boxing right. I wasn’t going to fall back and be another statistic in my city.”

Hopkins won his next 22 fights before colliding with Jones in a unanimous decision loss in 1993. He got his revenge when he defeated Jones at the Mandalay Bay Events Center 17 years later.

After the Jones loss, Hopkins didn’t drop a fight from 1993 to 2005 and became arguably the greatest middleweight ever.

He went on to have a successful light heavyweight career in his 40s and won a world title at the age of 46, 48 and 49, the oldest boxer to ever win a belt.

Hopkins certainly beat the odds and plans on reminding anyone who will listen.

“I’m about to be 52 with more than 60 fights and I can still hold a sentence,” Hopkins said. “I’m most proud of that.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.