Saturday night, March 9, Bernard Hopkins (53-6-2), age 48, defeated Tavoris Cloud (19-1) with a unanimous decision victory in order to become the oldest boxer to win a world title. The bout was held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and televised on HBO.
For Hopkins, the victory adds to his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of all time and will certainly provide the opportunity to take on some of boxing's top young contenders. Consequently, it will be interesting to view what Hopkin's next move is as he now holds an IBF light heavyweight title, which will make him more attractive to promoters looking to get their young contenders a world title.
On the other hand, Cloud takes a significant step back in his campaign to become a notable fighter within the boxing world. With a 13 month layoff from the ring, Cloud must reassess his current promotional situation as it is evident that his current promoter, Don King, has not provided him with the type of ring activity that would take his career to the next level.
Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to view where both fighters take their respective careers from this point. Hopkins will surely have additional opportunities presented to him, while Cloud must look to climb back up the ladder in order to regain a world title. Only time will tell, but the boxing world should take this historical mark in the sport of boxing as a lesson that a focused clean fighter can accomplish great feats for years after their prime.
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