It may sound surprising, but ‘The Executioner’ remains among the few champions and greats who lost bouts early in their careers. Probably that’s where their greatness lies, for they took it on the chin and fought back hard, forging a legacy hard to match. Though he retired seven years ago, Bernard Hopkins remains active in boxing. He often marks his presence with Golden Boy promotions. As a pundit, he never minces his words while voicing his opinion on a fight or any other issue. Then there are Hopkins cameos as well. Incidentally, there couldn’t have been a better example to illustrate than a short video unfurled on YouTube and social media.

Boxing’s ageless warrior took time to teach a few nuances of the sport to actor-comedian Michael Rapaport. But what turned out was a sheer viewer’s delight for ages. The video begins with Rapaport extending his left hand as a jab and Hopkins standing nearby.

Side-splitting exchange: Michael Rapaport and Bernard Hopkins

So ‘The Executioner’ quickly moves, dodging the jab, “Once I get past here...” Rapaport immediately cuts in, “I am not letting you; I am running…” Hopkins says, “The jab is the most underrated punch in boxing.” Agreeing, the actor-comedian labels the jab like a jackhammer and quickly switches the stance. Hopkins once again tries to explain that he needs to move through the jab. The former champion explains – with the jab covering his face, he won’t see the straight right or the right cross coming over.

Nevertheless, the witty exchange continues, with Michael Rapaport even saying that he could come up with a left hook, to which Hopkins replied that now he was getting into the innovative mode, thinking out other approaches. ‘The Executioner’ also shared the clip through an Instagram post early today. On YouTube, one of the fans seems to wonder why Rapaport would even try to teach boxing to someone like Bernard Hopkins.

Then, on Instagram, one of the fans addressing the actor-comedian said he was talking to one of the ‘greatest athletes in sports history.’ Calling the former champion a genius, the fan shared that he topped divisions where everything depended on speed.

A career extraordinary

Commencing his professional career in 1988, Bernard Hopkins became a world title holder in 1995. However, he kept adding more belts to his kitty for the next eight years. Among the most notable fights of all time remains the one against legend Felix Trinidad. Hopkins became the undisputed Middleweight champion in 2004, defeating Oscar De La Hoya. At age 41, he became a Light Heavyweight champion. He continued in the division, becoming the oldest world champion at age 46 (2011), then later at age 48 (2013), and finally at age 49 (2014).

Read More: “This Is Why Bernard Touch Him”: Gervonta Davis Trainer Accuses Boxing Legend Bernard Hopkins of Rubbing “Testosterone Cream” on ‘Tank’

Who is your favorite Middleweight boxer of all time? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

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