Bernard Hopkins falls out of the ring to a TKO in loss to Joe Smith Jr.
The punches that Bernard Hopkins had ducked throughout his career and for a good portion of Saturday night finally did him in at age 51, closing his career in the veteran’s farewell bout.
New York’s Joe Smith Jr., throwing a heavy six-punch combination in a neutral corner, hurt Hopkins with a hard right, then use a hard left to send him crashing backward out of the ring, onto the concrete floor, on his head.
Hopkins had 20 seconds to climb back into the ring after spilling under the second rope, but he injured an ankle on the fall and was unable. Referee Jack Reiss waved the bout over, awarding Smith a technical-knockout victory 53 seconds into the eighth round in front of 6,513 at the Forum.
It was Hopkins’ first knockout defeat, and replays refuted his claim he had been “thrown” out of the ring by Smith.
“The fighter [Hopkins] got hit with a legal punch, went out of the ring and was injured. It’s over,” Reiss said.
Indeed, it is for Hopkins (55-8-2), who once reigned with 20 consecutive middleweight title victories, posted legacy triumphs over Felix Trinidad Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya, and defended his former light-heavyweight title at age 49.
Smith (23-1, 19 knockouts), who has designs on Adonis Stevenson’s World Boxing Council light-heavyweight belt, said the urgency of his own plans trumped the sentimental journey of Hopkins.
At the time of the TKO, Smith was leading on two scorecards, 69-64 and 67-66, and Hopkins was ahead on the other card, 67-66.
“I had seen him fall, and I kept hitting him until I saw him go out, and I landed that left hook until he went out,” Smith, 27, said. “I knew he had time to [climb back in], but I hit him with four or five clean shots and they were good shots on the button.
“He was a true champion, and if he didn’t get injured he’d be back here. I came here to do my job. This is my coming-out party too. I had to finish him. It was either my career was going to end [or] his was going to end, but I needed mine to continue.”
After showing early rust from a two-year layoff, Hopkins did his best to dodge some of Smith’s heavy blows during the bout and at times was effective at landing counter punches, but in a round he said, “I was going to make something happen,” his ending, and fate, were sealed.
“I know if I hadn’t made a mess and gotten knocked out of the ring, I would’ve come back like I’m known for and would’ve had my chin,” Hopkins said.
“This is my last fight. I promised it would be and you come to that point in life where it is final and I’m happy with my life in retirement. I know the fans will know I went out as a soldier, fighting the toughest, baddest opponents. I’m not saying I agree, I’m not in denial. Joe was a tough, heavy-hitting fighter.”
In the co-main event, South El Monte featherweight Joseph Diaz Jr. remained unbeaten and enhanced his pursuit of a WBC title shot by shutting out Mexico’s Horacio Garcia on three 100-90 scorecards.
Diaz (23-0) showed sharp movement, steadily found Garcia (30-2-1) with his power hand and impressively answered Garcia’s late desperation with better scoring blows. Garcia exited the ring with a sizable welt under his left eye.
Earlier in the week, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman ordered Diaz, if he could beat Garcia, to meet England’s No. 1-ranked Josh Warrington in an eliminator to face the winner of the Feb. 11 title bout between Gary Russell Jr. and Oscar Escandon.
Also, Ukrainian cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (11-0, 10 KOs) finished off South African challenger Thabiso Mchunu (17-3) with a combination at 1:53 of the ninth round.
Follow Lance Pugmire on Twitter @latimespugmire
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