Boxing: Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Smith, Jr.
Tonight the sweet science will say farewell to an athletic living legend. A master pugilist with a storybook career, who has inspired greats like Andre Ward. This will be the last time Bernard Hopkins (55-7-2; 32 KO) answers the bell as he faces Joe Smith Jr. (22-1; 18 KO).
Billed as Final One this truly is supposed to be the 51 year olds retirement fight. Formerly known as The Executioner and reincarnated as The Alien due to his consistent fit physique, Hopkins turned pro in 1988, paradoxically one year before Joe Smith was born.
His list of victims read like a whos who of boxing: Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, and Antonio Tarver among a few. Hes the oldest world champion in boxing history, fought in countless weight classes and is coming back now from a two year hiatus.
This fight is Hopkins’ first since losing to Sergey Kovalev in 2014. To top that off he is a co-owner of Golden Boy Promotions which handles the career of Mexican superstar Saul Canelo Alvarez.
In June, when Joe Smith was chosen to headline a PBC card against Andrzej Fonfara, popular opinion saw Smith as a sacrificial lamb. However, that assumption proved faulty and Smith stepped onto the world stage when he knocked the Polish boxer out in the first round. This is Smith’s first fight since that upset and beating the veteran Hopkins would bring a heightened cache to his seven-year career.
Win or lose, Hopkins has proven himself in the sport of boxing. A win would literally just be the icing on top of an already well-baked career full of technical brilliance and rugged marksmanship.
Catch all the action tonight live from The Forum in Inglewood, CA on HBO at 10:00pm EST and tape delayed PST.
UFC on FOX: Van Zant vs. Waterson
Fighting for the third and final time of his illustrious career this year, The California Kid Urijah Faber faces off against U.K. stalwart fighter Brad Pickett tonight from his hometown of Sacramento, CA.
Faber lost his two Octagon appearances this year, one to Dominick Cruz at UFC 199 for the UFC bantamweight belt and the other to Jimmie Rivera at UFC 203. Both were by unanimous decision.
Topping off a career laden with championships and leading Team Alpha Male — which boasts a roster of juggernauts like Chad Mendes, Joseph Benavidez, Danny Castillo and former UFC bantamweight champion, T.J. Dillashaw — Fabers impact has been felt within the sport in many ways.
His teammate and former Dancing with the Stars contestant, Paige Van Zant headlines the event facing off against Michele Waterson in a UFC women’s straw weight bout.
Van Zant earned Performance of the Night bonus honors when she KO’d Bec Rawlings via a switch kick and punches back in August. Prior to that, she lost her first bout in the UFC to Rose Namajunas via submission by rear naked choke last December.
Waterson has only one prior fight in the UFC where she submitted Angela Magana over a year ago in mid-2015. Although she is the former Invicta FC atomweight champion, Van Zant will definitely be her toughest challenge to date.
Catch all the action live from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA tonight on FOX at 8pm EST / 5p PST.
