Bernard Hopkins faced many earnest fighters throughout his decorated career, including Sergey Kovalev and Felix Trinidad, but only one fighter stands out as the hardest-hitting fighter he ever faced.
However, when it comes to those who have built their identity around being a prolific knockout artist, it must be said that Kovalev and Trinidad immediately come to mind.
In addition to these, Hopkins also discovered that Roy Jones Jr, who had generated considerable power thanks to his incredible speed, was also not a featherless customer.
The pair first collided in 1993 when Jones, despite suffering a hand injury, won the world middleweight title in an emphatic unanimous decision victory.
But in Hopkins’ case, it wasn’t until 1999, when he fought top middleweight contender Antwun Echols, that he faced the most powerful punch he had ever faced.
During the 12-round bout, Echols knocked down his tough opponent with a right hand, but due to the punch coming as the referee called a timeout, he was ultimately denied the knockdown.
Instead, Hopkins ultimately claimed a unanimous decision victory, then defended his IBF title again after a stoppage in a 10th-round rematch the following year.
Following this event, Echols became something of a gatekeeper in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions, yet Hopkins called him the greatest puncher he had ever faced in an interview with Ring Magazine.
“[Antwun Echols] he was clubbing, not swift. Damn. Plus Felix Trinidad, but that’s all. He was really one-dimensional. He has had great success against one-dimensional people.
“It’s not a knock on him, but when you meet Bernard Hopkins who is more than one-dimensional, there’s a problem.
“Kovalev hit strenuous, but I’ll stick with Antvun Echols – he could crack.”
Ring Magazine reports that Anderson withdrew from his fight with Solomon Dacres after suffering a bicep injury. The 10-round heavyweight bout was scheduled for Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.
Anderson (18-1, 15 KO) was looking for another step back after a knockout loss to Martin Bakole in 2024. Instead, the 26-year-old now faces another delay at a bad time in his career.
The fight at Dacres was not a world-class test, but it had value. Anderson needed rounds, activity and a consistent win on a major heavyweight card. Now that’s gone, and the injury gives critics more room to question where his career is headed.
The reaction from boxing fans was fierce, with several responses pointing out Anderson’s injury history and durability. Some questioned whether his body would hold up in the heavyweight division. Others suggested he might have to consider considering the cruiserweight division if physical problems persist.
It may be tough, but it’s the kind of failure that changes the way you view your prospect. Anderson still has talent, but he’s no longer talked about as a pure future heavyweight star. Now he’s trying to prove he can stay vigorous long enough to rebuild.
Moving to Queensberry and fighting in the UK seemed like a desperate attempt to find a novel environment that could boost his confidence. But this bicep injury is a disaster because it adds another year of rust to a psyche that already looked feeble. You won’t rebuild your self-confidence at the gym.
A torn bicep effectively means Jared Anderson’s career will be in frigid storage until the end of 2026. Recovery from this type of surgery usually takes six to nine months before a player can even think about hitting a full-power shot with that hand.
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most significant fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career as Floyd Mayweather’s recent cancellation of an exhibition may have put the final nail in the coffin.
Tyson’s Hall of Fame tenure, which incredibly extended at the age of 57 against Jake Paul in 2024, was approaching his final appearance against Mayweather.
The fight had been talked about for months as if it had actually happened. A date was set, attention was paid, but the reality never lived up to the headlines as the proposed event failed to advance beyond early discussion and quietly faded away.
There was a lack of explanation, space and real emphasis. In the case of a Floyd Mayweather event, this is usually the biggest prize.
When Mayweather wants a fight, he promotes it. This time he didn’t.
Instead, Mayweather moved on. His confirmed return against Mike Zambidis in Athens made it clear what his focus was, leaving the Tyson fight on the sidelines – most likely for good.
Time and injuries
Time has also caught up with this idea.
Tyson will turn 60 in June, and his next fights will be a huge surprise considering everything that has already happened.
He almost died when Paul’s fight was postponed from April to November two years ago, which Tyson himself later detailed after an in-flight medical emergency left the former champion fighting for his life.
That alone should be a warning.
Combine that with previous back surgery, appearing in a cast on his arm just last month, and the massive amounts of marijuana Mike is consuming, and another comeback seems unthinkable.
Tyson has been through a lot, but it’s a completely different situation for the hard-hitting Modern Yorker.
Ariel Helwani show
The last chapter
The Mayweather fight was the one that could have sent Mike flying with fanfare.
It had the name, the curiosity and the setting that could allow Tyson to make one last appearance without everything that comes with a full comeback.
Now that’s gone and it looks like his fight with Paul is all she wrote.
World Boxing News has already reported that Tyson’s former rival, Oliver McCall, is continuing to fight at the age of 61, but Tyson was never that type of fighter.
If he does not regain full health in the coming months, boxing fans will likely see the last of the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.
At this point, the opportunity has passed and nothing else on the table carries the same weight.
Mainly because it feels like Mike Tyson’s swan song has already happened.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has interviewed world champions, published exclusive international performances and reported on in-ring performances. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Naoya Inoue received another career-defining challenge before she even stepped into the ring against Junto Nakatani.
First and foremost, “The Monster” must defend his undisputed super bantamweight crown against Nakatani on May 2, headlining the blockbuster Japanese event at the Tokyo Dome.
This will mark Inoue’s seventh defense of his four major 122-pound titles, and the uncompromising feeling has been considered the top star of the two-pound-for-pound division.
The 33-year-old’s most notable victories came against the likes of Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas, who both defeated the undisputed two-division champion but were ultimately stopped in rounds six and eight, respectively.
Meanwhile, Nakatani is widely considered to be Inoue’s toughest opponent to date, even though the three-division world champion lost debatable points of victory over Sebastian Hernandez in December last year.
However, to be fair, this was his first appearance at 122 pounds and many expected the 28-year-old to raise his level against Inoue.
However, in a world where Inoue is winning, it is becoming more and more likely that he will consider a potential fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
The unified super flyweight champion will move up to 118 pounds for his next fight, where he will face WBA champion Antonio Vargas on June 13.
If this next assignment is successful, Rodriguez will talk about it Ring Magazine that he will jump up another weight class to face Inoue.
“I’m ready at any time. If I was offered this fight right now, I would definitely accept it.”
Although Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed initial talks about the fight, there is equally a chance that “Bam” will drop down to 115 pounds in pursuit of undisputed glory.
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