Former world champion Bernard Hopkins upset middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik with a unanimous decision in their 12-round, non-title fight on Saturday. There were no knockdowns but the 43-year-old Hopkins defied his age by battering the slower, supposedly stronger Pavlik throughout the one-sided fight to inflict his first defeat as a professional. “Styles make fights,” Hopkins said. “He's a great fighter, but I knew my style and quickness was underrated and was going to give him problems. I wanted him to lead, so I could do what I love to do, counter-punch. He was very heavy-handed. I could feel his power, but I never got hurt.” Hopkins, near tears before the decision was announced, called the performance the best of his 20-year career, better than his wins over Antonio Tarver, Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. All three judges saw Hopkins as the clear winner. Both fighters had a point deducted by the referee, Pavlik for continually hitting Hopkins behind the head in the eighth round and Hopkins for holding repeatedly during the ninth. Hopkins, a Philadelphia native, improved to 49-5-1 while the 26-year-old Pavlik, of Youngstown, Ohio, slipped to 34-1 in the same building where he became middleweight champion by knocking out Jermain Taylor a year ago. Pavlik's World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organisation middleweight titles were not at stake because the fight was contested at a catchweight of 170 pounds. Pavlik said he was eager to move back down to 160 pounds to defend his crowns following the poorest performance of his eight-year career. “I just couldn't get off,” Pavlik said. “I don't know why. It wasn't his slickness, but I just couldn't throw more than a single jab. I couldn't throw a double jab and couldn't do anything that I usually do. It wasn't me tonight.” Golota fight in China Flamboyant US boxing promoter Don King will stage a Nov. 7 fight card in China, with four bouts scheduled including heavyweight Andrew Golota against Ray “The Rainman” Austin. The fights will be staged at Chengdu National Stadium, with King and the Chinese government pledging that a portion of the proceeds would go to rebuilding the Sichuan area hit by a devastating earthquake in May. The November spectacle with see Poland's Golota (41-6-1) up against former number one heavyweight contender Ray Austin (24-4-4) from Ohio, fighting for the WBC International heavyweight championship. A WBC heavyweight elimination bout will also be showcased, pitting established contender Jameel “Big Time” McCline from New York against one of Chicago's best young punchers, “Merciless” Mike Mollo. The interim WBC strawweight championship will be up for grabs when Juan “El Exterminador” Palacios from Nicaragua squares off against Japanese champion Teruo Misawa. The Chinese crowd will also be treated to two of the best professional prizefighters in the sport appearing in separate bouts against opponents to be named. Former five-time world champion “The Baby Faced Assassin” Marco Antonio Barrera from Mexico will appear at lightweight, and undefeated WBC top-ranked super lightweight Devon Alexander “The Great” will also compete. – Reuters __
