Joe Smith Jr. sent shockwaves through the boxing world on Saturday night, knocking out the legendary Bernard Hopkins with a devastating combination in the eighth round. The fight, for the WBC international light heavyweight title, saw the 51-year-old Hopkins floored and unable to return after a brutal six-punch onslaught from Smith. Hopkins, a boxing icon with a career spanning nearly three decades, hit his head on the way down and appeared to injure his ankle.

While Hopkins claimed the ankle injury prevented him from continuing, the official ruling was a TKO due to injuries sustained from the punches. Smith Jr., the young champion, successfully defends his title and cements his name as a rising star in the light heavyweight division. However, Mike Tyson had no idea of this happening in the last fight with Bernard Hopkins.

Antonio Tarver introduces Mike Tyson with Hopkins’s ended career

Boxing icons Mike Tyson and Antonio Tarver discussed Bernard Hopkins’ final fight on DJ Whoo Kid’s show, with Tarver suggesting Hopkins’ dramatic knockout might be a case of karma. “I don’t like the way Bernard Hopkins…the way he ended his s**t,” DJ Whoo Kid started, prompting Tarver to chime in with “That’s Karma though.”

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Tyson, ever curious, interrupted with a simple “Who knocked him out?” Lost in the moment, Whoo Kid fumbled for the fighter’s name before Tarver clarified, “It was Smith. Smith from New York.” To clarify, his name was Joe Smith Jr. Whoo Kid emphasized the brutality of the knockout, asking Tyson, “Didn’t see that Mike?” Tyson admitted, “I don’t know.” Tarver reiterated, “Smith from New York I think knocked him out the ring.”

Despite the back-and-forth, Tyson desired to see the clip of the fight, and then DJ Whoo Kid concluded with, “That was ugly.” In the conversation, Tarner stated that this was a karmic punishment for Hopkins. So, what happened?

Bernard Hopkins had to eat his words

Bernard Hopkins, before the last fight of his career, trashed his opponent to the level that he stated Smith Jr. was a novice boxer. Moreover, he’ll make sure that he’ll teach him the basics of sweet science. During their press conference, he said, “See I’m not gonna predict that I will end his career mentally, emotionally, physically – I’m not gonna wish the Kelly Pavlik on him, but what I’m gonna do is spank him, teach him is ABC’s, and then send him back to Long Island up the road from Philadelphia.”

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He further continued, “And then, one day, if he recovers mentally, he might have something to salvage, and go forward. See that’s what I’m about. I’m a career stopper to most of my opponents that talk like him.” So Bernard Hopkins had to eat his words since he was the one who was knocked out by a person he considered a novice.

So, there’s somewhat of a karma that came into play in this case, as Hopkins was the one who was knocked out. Moreover, it wasn’t a typical knockout, he was thrown out of the ring instead. What are your thoughts about this legendary stoppage? Let us know in the comments section.

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