Hopkins v. Kovalev: Just How Old Is Bernard Hopkins?

By Bill Barner - 11/02/2014 - Comments

Approaching his 50th birthday, Bernard Hopkins is now a full eighteen years older than Rocky Marciano was when he [Marciano] retired from boxing. As B-Hop faces yet another World Champion in Sergey Kovalev on Saturday, November 8, 2014, here is a look at some historical events and landmarks that put Hopkins’ age as a prizefighter into perspective:

When Bernard Hopkins was born…

– Lyndon B. Johnson was President of the United States
– Winston Churchill was alive
– No professional baseball player had ever hit an indoor home run (Mickey Mantle would hit the first one shortly after Hopkins’ birth]
When Bernard Hopkins began his professional boxing career…
– Ronal Reagan was President of the United States
– A gallon of gas was $0.91
– A stamp was $0.24
– A new drug called “crack” appeared in the US
– Canelo Alvarez had not yet been born
– Neither had Chris Brown, Taylor Swift, Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, or Iggy Azalea
– President Obama had just started his first semester of law school
When Bernard Hopkins fought for his first major world title…
– It was the one year anniversary of Johnny Carson’s last night as host of Tonight Show
– Kurt Cobain was still alive and touring
– So was Tupac
– Justin Bieber had not yet been born yet
– Don Shula was coaching the Miami Dolphins
– The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had not yet opened
– Cleveland Indians had yet to play a game in Jacobs Field
– Jurassic Park & Schindler’s List had yet to be released
– Nolan Ryan was still playing professional baseball

Watch HBO Saturday, November 8, 2014 to see if Hopkins can defy father time once again.

Bill Barner is a former certified “USA Boxing” Judge, Referee, and Trainer. He is a former sparring partner for several amateur and professional fighters and currently practices criminal and immigration law in South Florida for BarnerRossen PA. He has appeared in The Ring Magazine, Bleacher Report, VOICE Magazine, Youngstown Vindicator, USABF, and is a regular contributor to East Side Boxing. He can be reached at barner@barnerrossen.com or on twitter @BarnerBill.