Image by AP Photo/Tim Larsen
At age 48, light heavyweight titleholder Bernard Hopkins defended his title against challenger Karo Murat Saturday night.
In front of a majority Hopkins supportive crowd of 6,324 people, B-Hop pounded Germany’s Murat to retain his 175-pound title en route to a clear unanimous decision.
“The plan was to let the dog follow the bone into the dark alley,” Hopkins said. “He doesn’t know what he’s about to get into, but he’s waiting. You stalk him. He doesn’t know what he has gotten himself into.”
This is Hopkins’ first defense of the title belt, which he won back in March by easily beating Tavoris Cloud. After that fight, Hopkins became the oldest fighter in boxing history to ever win a world title.
The boxer beat Murat, 119-108, 119-108 and 117-110, adding to his historic legacy by becoming the oldest fighter to defend a world title.
“I’m a freak. I’m an alien,” Hopkins said, referring to the new nickname — “The Alien” — that he labeled himself before this fight.
“Aliens don’t have years, months, days or minutes,” he said. “We’re aliens.”
Hopkins is three months away from his 49th birthday.
