The 48-year-old boxer claimed a unanimous decision
against Tavoris Cloud, winning 116-112, 116-112, and 117-111 on the
judges' cards at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Saturday night to eclipse
his 2011 WBC light heavyweight title victory over Jean Pascal at the
age of 46.
"(Trainer) Naazim (Richardson) told me what to do, I stuck to the
game-plan, it was trying to throw combination punches, and throw them
often," Hopkins said after improving his record to 53-6-2 (32 KOs).Age has shorn him of his power but Hopkins proved he remained a master technician as "The Executioner" claimed a satisfying victory over a boxer from the stable of his former promoter Don King.
Hopkins opened a cut on Cloud's left eye in round six with a short left hook even though referee Earl Brown ruled it to be from an accidental headbutt.
Cloud, who subsequently complained of an elbow problem, sustained a cut on his right eyelid as well in the 12th round from a clash of heads.
"I have a history of destroying young champions and then we don't see them again. Not sure if you'll see Cloud again," Hopkins said after handing his opponent a first loss in 25 bouts.
"I wanted to show the forty-and-up club still rules," the Philadelphia-born fighter added.
Hopkins made his professional debut in 1988, the start of an illustrious career which included a decade-long reign as the world middleweight champion.
In other fights on Saturday night, Filipino mini flyweight Merlito Sabillo extended his unbeaten record with an eighth-round TKO over Colombian Luis De La Rosa, claiming the WBO title in the process.
The all-action scrap in Cordoba, Colombia, saw De La Rosa cut in the first round before fighting back with a series of big hits. He was edging the contest on points before southpaw Sabillo unleashed a right hook before finishing him off with a straight left.
In Costa Mesa California, Argenis Mendez of the Dominican Republic also won his bout by knockout, taking down Juan Carlos Salgado in the fourth round of their IBF super-featherweight title clash.
It was revenge for Mendez, who lost the then-vacant title to Mexico’s Salgado by a close points decision in 2011.
Source
Yahoo News
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