BoxRec

41 Year Old Wladimir Klitschko came close to KOing Anthony Joshua but was ultimately TKO'd himself in a war of attrition. You can't help but remember how much more explosive, strong and quick Klitschko was in his youth when he KO'd Calvin Brock, Sam Peter, Chris Byrd, Kubrat Pulev or when he decisioned David Haye in another "megafight" years back. You can't help but think if Klitschko had been younger and in his prime, he likely would have KO'd Joshua and perhaps even Tyson Fury.

Even more embarrassing 50 Year Old+ Bernard Hopkins getting KTFO out of the ring literally and given a 20 count by a much younger Joe Smith Jr was another fight that signalled a passing of the torch and an old fighter who was desperate to recapture glory he once had. Bernard of years prior would have toyed with someone like Smith Jr, much in the way he outboxed Kelly Pavlik in 2008 or Felix Trinidad in 2001. When you think of how good a boxer Hopkins was in his day, it was a strange way for him to exit the sport.

You can't beat the clock. Father time is "undefeated".

Boxing is a young man's sport and after 35, as a prizefighter your best days are gone, long gone. The fire cannot be recaptured. You end up losing to guys you would have easily beat in your day. Now we see why Joe Calzaghe and Floyd Mayweather Jr were smart to exit the sport under their own terms.

The end of a generation. Sadly its ultra rare that a prizefighter leaves the sport on good terms.

There is a *brilliant* short story by Jack London, 'A piece
of steak', about the dilemma of the old stager against the up and coming talent.

I can't believe I'm saying this but...

Good post TML. You've got it right

Wlad lost to a potential superstar
Hopkins lost to a construction worker

Let's face it, most of it comes down to money. Those not motivated by the money are motivated about the notoriety. Those not into the notoriety, just don't know any other way because they've been doing it since they were born (Roy Jones Jr). No one even watches Roy Jones Jr fights anymore and he gets knocked out and he's ringside being his usual boxing genius self though very rough with the English language, he did a fantastic job as an analyst in my opinion.

Back in the day, guys like Joe Louis HAD to keep fighting or they would have to go to jail or pay back the taxes they owed. I didn't feel bad at all when Bernard Hopkins got knocked out of the ring. That should be the clip they show any fighter thinking about getting back in the ring. That knockout is such a black mark and memorable scar on a super career. Boxers know now that they can ruin their legacy with something like that.

You guys really think Hopkins didn't know he was eventually going to get beat up by somebody he would have dominated in his younger years?

Hopkins was never going to go out on a win, he wanted to keep going until it was clearly proven he no longer belonged and that's what he did.
In a way Hopkins did go out on his own terms.
Getting blasted out of the ring by Joe Smith proved he no longer belonged and losing any fight past your 50th birthday is not a black mark on the career of any fighter ever.
That highlight reel ending to his career is more likely to enhance his story than diminish it.
When Hollywood makes a movie about his life it will have his career ending with a sensationalized version of that KO with plenty of drama to go with it and it will be more than just "based on" a true story.

Wlad just put on a great performance in a losing effort to a much younger opponent who happens to the #1 heavyweight in the world right now, hardly an indication that he has stayed too long.
Like Hopkins if Wlad keeps boxing he will be completely aware that somebody who likely could not defeat a younger version of himself can beat him now.

Perseus wrote:You guys really think Hopkins didn't know he was eventually going to get beat up by somebody he would have dominated in his younger years?

Hopkins was never going to go out on a win, he wanted to keep going until it was clearly proven he no longer belonged and that's what he did.
In a way Hopkins did go out on his own terms.
Getting blasted out of the ring by Joe Smith proved he no longer belonged and losing any fight past your 50th birthday is not a black mark on the career of any fighter ever.
That highlight reel ending to his career is more likely to enhance his story than diminish it.
When Hollywood makes a movie about his life it will have his career ending with a sensationalized version of that KO with plenty of drama to go with it and it will be more than just "based on" a true story.

Wlad just put on a great performance in a losing effort to a much younger opponent who happens to the #1 heavyweight in the world right now, hardly an indication that he has stayed too long.
Like Hopkins if Wlad keeps boxing he will be completely aware that somebody who likely could not defeat a younger version of himself can beat him now.

We just saw that last night...and about a year and a half ago.

Nothing shameful in either of the losses being discussed here. It's definitely time for BHop to check out -- he's in his goddamn fifties. Klitschko just fought a drawish ten rounds with the up-and-comer that people won't stop jizzing on (before getting beat to all hell in the eleventh) and he did it with determination and made for an exciting fight.
In a sense, he can't win with fans. To say he would've beaten aj a few years ago is pretty much to say that he would've jabbed and grabbed and smothered and spoiled his way to a win that everyone would have hated.

I think that RJJ is an excellent example of someone staying waaaaay too long. In the cases of BHop and Wlad, I think that they went out on their own terms.

BHop ends his career with his first KO loss by having to be literally knocked clean out of the ring at 50. That is storybook, as is Wlad's old Lion King act trying to wrest back control of his kingdom.

punchoutsb wrote:I can't believe I'm saying this but...

Good post TML. You've got it right

My thoughts exactly

Wlad could have taken the easy exit like Floyd did. Beat couple of Bertos of the heavy weight division. Dig up the corpse of Briggs and call it a great great win over former champion

Instead Wlad went against maybe the biggest challenge available. The champion who is seen as the new face of boxing. He then put the young guy trough hell to loose in the last rounds. That if something is going out on your shield. I have huge respect for Wlad for doing this.

In my opinion this fight took nothing away from Wlads legacy. Just as Joe Luis or Ali loosing some fights when they were too old doesn't make any of their achievements any less great.

Counter-puncher wrote:There is a *brilliant* short story by Jack London, 'A piece
of steak', about the dilemma of the old stager against the up and coming talent.

The flow of that fight didn't go all that differently to Klitschko-AJ! I just wish that Wlad put in the same finishing effort that King did at the end, because I think he could've gotten Joshua out of there in the 6th.

crusader wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:There is a *brilliant* short story by Jack London, 'A piece
of steak', about the dilemma of the old stager against the up and coming talent.

The flow of that fight didn't go all that differently to Klitschko-AJ! I just wish that Wlad put in the same finishing effort that King did at the end, because I think he could've gotten Joshua out of there in the 6th.

thats why I said that