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Boxing

Hopkins claims comfortable points win

11/06/2006

Former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins claimed an unanimous points win over Antonio Tarver in their light heavyweight contest in Atlantic City.

The 41-year-old had moved up two weight divisions for the fight but looked comfortable throughout. All three judges scored the bout 118-109 in Hopkins' favour.

Hopkins, who was middleweight champion for ten years, said before the fight that this might be his last appearance in the ring but he hinted afterwards that he may be tempted to stay.

"I wanted to make history in the middleweight division and then go up and fight the winner of Roy Jones v Tarver - that was my plan last year and I've completed that," Hopkins said.

"But Tarver is a great champion, a man that I've got a lot of respect for, and if I was to consider coming back, this is the only man that I'd give a rematch to and not Jones Jnr."

Former undisputed champion Tarver was always struggling against Hopkins despite having the height advantage.

Hopkins was the quicker of the two fighters throughout but he couldn't finish off his opponent, restricted to forcing the 37-year-old to take a standing eight-count in the fifth after a good right.

Tarver admitted afterwards that Hopkins was the better boxer on the night.

"It wasn't my night but you have days like this," Tarver said.

"There are no excuses and I give all praises to Bernard Hopkins."

Hopkins made a record 20 successful middleweight title defences before losing twice to Jermain Taylor.

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