Moments ago in Atlantic City, New Jersey, IBF light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins successfully defended his title against game challenger Karo Murat, scoring a unanimous decision victory after an entertaining 12 rounds of action. Murat was able to bring out the fire in Hopkins, who was willing to brawl and trade shots with the younger challenger. Although Murat was landing more shots than we've grown accustomed to seeing on Hopkins, the champion was never in any serious danger as he appeared to be enjoying himself while getting the best of the exchanges. Relive all the action in FightHype's round-by-round results.
ROUND 1
Hopkins patiently backs up looking to counter. Murat lands a shot to the body. Hopkins lands a jab. Short right hook lands for Hopkins. Murat fires to the body again. Some roughhousing already. Quick 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Murat fires a jab to the body again. Murat misses with some wild hooks. Counter right lands for Hopkins. Left hook lands for Murat. Fairly uneventful round that I give to Murat for landing a few body shots.
Hopkins 9 Murat 10
ROUND 2
Murat fires a right to the body. Nice uppercut lands for Hopkins. Murat misses with a lot of wild punches. Stiff jab lands for Hopkins. Another jab lands for Hopkins. They clinch. Jab to the body lands for Murat. Short right hook lands for Hopkins. Lead right lands for Bernard. Jab from Hopkins keeps Murat at bay. They trade against the ropes. Nice right to the body lands for Hopkins. Hokins lands a rabbit punch that gets some boos from the crowd. Round to Hopkins.
Hopkins 19 Murat 19
ROUND 3
HARD left hook lands for Murat that gets a smile from Hopkins, who sticks his tongue out. Short right lands for Hopkins. They trade to the body. Murat lands a right to the body. Hopkins hiding behind his shoulder. Murat fires to the shoulder. They trade to the body on the inside. Murat gets in a left. Now Murat sneaks in a right. Straight lands for Hopkins. Murat backs up. Another lead right lands for Hopkins. Two jabs land for Hopkins. Some more roughhousing right at the end of the round. I give that round to Murat, but he may have woken up Hopkins, who started to come on strong late.
Hopkins 28 Murat 29
ROUND 4
They trade jabs. Hopkins content to stay in the corner. Hopkins digs a right to the body. Murat grazes him with a left hook. Uppercut lands for Murat, but he eats a left from Hopkins. Nice lead right lands for Hopkins. Another right to the body and a right upstairs lands for Hopkins. Hopkins works him on the inside. They trade jabs. Nice combo lands for Hopkins. Murat lands a left hook. They trade right. Hopkins digs some hard body shots. Murat gets in a combo in the corner. Round to Hopkins.
Hopkins 38 Murat 38
ROUND 5
Murat digs to the body. Right hand lands for Hopkins. They trade jabs. Hopkins backs Murat up to the ropes. Quick right hand lands for Hopkins. Murat lands a nice uppercut. They trade on the inside. Hopkins lands a lead right. Double jab lands for Hopkins. Murat retreats to the ropes. Short right lands for Hopkins. Another right and a left lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands some nice body shots that have Murat covering up and holding on. Three rights in a row land for Hopkins. And another right from Hopkins after the bell. Round to Hopkins.
Hopkins 48 Murat 47
ROUND 6
Short left hook lands for Hopkins. They trade on the inside. Both guys dig to the body. Short 1-2 lands for Murat. Stiff uppercut lands for Hopkins. Nice right hand lands for Murat. Left hook to the body lands for Murat. Hopkins answers with some good body shots. Nice action in this round. Hopkins lands a combo against the ropes. He slips to the canvas and Murat tries to hit him when he's down. A brief break in the action so the referee can warn both guys about the roughhousing. Hopkins digs to the body again. Murat answers with a 1-2. Round to Hopkins.
Hopkins 58 Murat 56
ROUND 7
Hopkins works Murat on the inside. Murat tries to tie him up and rest against the ropes. Murat digs some left hooks to the body. Nice combo lands for Hopkins. HARD left hook lands for Hopkins and Murat looks hurt. Hopkins jumps on him and lands some nice shots. Murat hits on the break and the referee takes a point from him. The action resumes and they trade on the inside. Short right lands for Hopkins. Murat answers with aleft. GREAT combination lands for Hopkins and Murat looks wobbled again, but he fires back. They trade in the corner. Nice right lands for Murat. Another. Hopkins looking to rest now. They trade jabs. Hopkins lands a right. Good round, but Hopkins takes it.
Hopkins 68 Murat 64
ROUND 8
Jab and a right lands for Hopkins. Uppercut lands for Hopkins. Nice right lands for Hopkins. Murat lands a jab. Hopkins digs a right to the body. BIG right hand followed by a left lands for Hopkins. Murat is cut over his left eye. Hopkins lands a couple right hands. Hopkins talks smak to Murat's corner. Murat landsa a couple rights. Hopkins fires back and lands some hellacious shots that have Murat holding on. Hopkins taunting him as he walks him down. They trade shots again. Fun round that I give to Hopkins.
Hopkins 78 Murat 73
ROUND 9
Both guys trade jabs. Right hand and an uppercut lands for Murat. Hopkins smiles and walks him down while talking smack. Left hook lands for Murat. Hopkins rakes him with a right. They trade to the body. Nice uppercut lands for Hopkins. Quick combos land for Hopkins against the ropes. Right hand lands for Hopkins. Murat fires back and digs to the body. Short right lands for Hopkins. Murat lands a right. Hopkins lands a left. HARD 1-2 lands for Murat. Hopkins lands a right. They trade in the corner. Another entertaining round that I thought Hopkins edged out.
Hopkins 88 Murat 82
ROUND 10
Murat lands a left. Hopkins lands a right. Hopkins lands a left and a right hook. Left hook lands for Hopkins. Right uppercut lands for Hopkins. Double left hook lands for Hopkins. Murat lands a jab. They trade jabs. Murat lands a 1-2. Hopkins digs to the body. Jab and an uppercut lands for Murat. They trade jabs. Murat digs to the body. Right hand lands for Murat. Hopkins answers with a right. Close round, but I give it to Hopkins.
Hopkins 98 Murat 91
ROUND 11
Hopkins lands his jab. Left hand gets in for Murat. Some more jabs land for Hopkins. Murat lands a jab. They trade on the inside. Hopkins lands a right. Nice left lands for Hopkins. Murat lands some jabs and an uppercut. Nice left hook and another uppercut lands for Murat. They trade against the ropes. Big right hand lands for Hopkins. They trade to the body. Murat lands a right. Hopkins lands a jab. Another close round, but I give it to Murat this time.
Hopkins 107 Murat 101
ROUND 12
"I need a knockout. I need a knockout. I need a knockout," a fresh Bernard Hopkins jokingly stated while looking into the camera in between rounds. Right hand lands for Murat. Hopkins backs him up to the ropes. Murat lands a right and a left. HARD right hand lands for Hopkins and Murat turns his back. Hopkins jumps on him against the ropes. Another right hand lands for Hopkins. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Murat lands a 1-2. Another lead right lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands a left hook. Another left hook and a right hand from Hopkins snaps the head back of Murat. Murat digs a left hook to the body that strays low. Murat hits Hopkins on the break again. Another right lands for Hopkins. Murat answers with his own right at the bell. Round to Hopkins.
Hopkins 117 Murat 110
Official judges scorecards: 117-110, 119-108, 119-108
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...BERNARD HOPKINS
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