[bigben]

Bernard Hopkins wanted to make history Saturday night. And he made it, big time.

Using his trademark guile and a bulked-up body, Hopkins beat Antonio Tarver by a one-sided decision, and won the world's light heavyweight title. A 3-1 underdog, Hopkins was in charge from the beginning, using movement and dialing in a consistently accurate right hand over the 12-round bout, as Tarver appeared flat and increasingly puzzled, trying to acquire timing that never really came.

Hopkins' desire to make history was based on the attempt of his idol, "Sugar" Ray Robinson, who as middleweight champ in 1952 failed in his attempt to take the light heavy title from Joey Maxim in 1952, quitting on his stool after 13 round due to extreme heat despite leading. Hopkins encountered so such trouble, shutting down Tarver with relative ease.

"I never had trouble with southpaws," Hopkins said afterward in his post fight interview with HBO's Larry Merchant, citing his fights years ago with John David Jackson and Robert Hines. "He's got a pretty good punch. But people are underestimating me..I've got a decent chin. Tarver has a good punch. But I never gave him that clear shot. I used that Jersey Joe Walcott, Archie Moore/Mongoose type of style to keep him off-balance."

Tarver entered the ring with a fight-time weigh of 187, five pounds more than Hopkins, who'd hired guru Mackie Shilstone to add weight for the bout. But Hopkins was clearly stronger throughout, muscling Tarver in the clinches when he wasn't circling and snapping off right hand leads and the occasional flurry to keep Tarver in check.

Hopkins explained that he probably would've risen in weight five or so years ago if not for the circumstances at hand.

"It was more money at the small weights. I'm so disciplined I stayed there without no problems. I wanted to capitalize and make history," he said.

Asked by if he would retire in the face of big money offers, he happily replied, "I'll talk to you tomorrow and give you the answer."

Hopkins, 41, becomes the rare middleweight champ able to turn the trick at the higher weight, joining legends like Bob Fitzsimmons, Dick Tiger, and Roy Jones. With lucrative avenues available to him, whether or not he'll retire is one of boxing's new fascinating plotlines. There's bouts with super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe; Glen Johnson (who Hopkins stopped in 11 rounds as middleweight champ in 1997); the winner of next week's Winky Wright-Jermain Taylor bout. And, though it's more a marketable than marquee match, you have to wonder if Roy Jones, Jr. and Hopkins won't be talking soon, if the aging Jones gets past Prince Badi Ajamu July 29.

Tarver made no excuses, and refused to blame his much-discussed drop in weight to make the 175 lb. limit as a factor in the bout, where he was listless and flat, though Hopkins clearly did a lot of it with his clever strategy.

"Sometimes you wake up and it's just not your day," Tarver said. "I take my hat off to Bernard Hopkins. He had a helluva game plan and he stuck to it. I was flat for some reason. Physically I felt like I never had the pop. He's a great champion, a legend."

Hopkins, who lost two close decision to Jermain Taylor in his last bouts, had lost his middleweight title after 20 successful defenses, and the venture north to meet Tarver seemed curious, at best. But tonight he showed everyone why he's such a great fighter and added a nice piece of history he'll carry with him into Canastota, whenever that day comes.

[bigben]

well my man lost the fite (tarver)
on to the next big show (fite)

[Tommy]

Hopkins goes out in Style! Nice way to end his career. I've always liked him, mostly because hes from Philly