Bernard Hopkins: ‘Alien’ is retired, ‘Executioner’ has one more fight

Bernard Hopkins will return to the ring one more time when he faces Joe Smith Jr on December 17, live on HBO, and says that his “Alien” persona is already retired. For his final fight, he’s coming back as his old persona, and looking to end a long KO dry spell.

“While ‘The Alien’ may be retired, the ‘Executioner’ has one fight left, and Joe Smith Jr is going to find out the hard way how well prepared I am for my final fight,” Hopkins said. “A lot of people will focus on my age, the history of my run in the sport, the titles, et cetera. But I’m focused on one thing — knocking Joe Smith out."

Hopkins, 51, hasn’t scored a stoppage win since his 2004 knockout of his current business partner at Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya. Over that time, he’s gone 10-5-1.

"To accomplish what Bernard has over the course of nearly 30 years inside the ring and still competing at the highest level of the sport at the age of 51; what else can you call him but a bona fide legend,” said De La Hoya. “All of us at Golden Boy Promotions are so proud to work with Bernard each and every day and can’t wait to give him the send-off he deserves with an incredible, dynamic promotion over the next two months.”