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Hopkins vs Shumenov: Bernard Hopkins anxious to end knockout drought on April 19

Bernard Hopkins is nearing a decade without a knockout win, and says he's looking to change that against Beibut Shumenov.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Bernard Hopkins hasn't stopped an opponent since his win over Oscar De La Hoya on September 18, 2004, so he's closing in on a decade without a knockout win, and the 49-year-old "Alien" tells Percy Crawford of FightHype.com that he's aiming to end that streak against Beibut Shumenov on April 19.

"I'm on a drought, man. I'm on a serious drought, so I'm looking to have a knockout, man. I need a TKO or anything having o do with a referee or a corner saying, 'Look, enough is enough.' I came close against Murat. ... I don't want to go through the rest of my career and the golden years of my career without stopping one of these dudes."

Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO) is 8-2-1 as a light heavyweight, but it's not really and great suprise that he hasn't been stopping his larger opponents. Hopkins is a natural middleweight, of course, and dominated that weight class for years before moving up. He may have lost his "Executioner" nickname, but he gained a new one, at least.

It wouldn't seem likely that B-Hop will stop Shumenov (13-1, 8 KO), either, but if he starts fighting for knockouts -- and he did seem to be doing so against Murat -- then that adds another wrinkle to his game and another reason to watch this living legend every time out.

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