Bernard Hopkins: Execution and Evolution

Constant evolution is a part of life. Accordingly, plenty has changed for North Philadelphia ex-con/turned fighter and entrepreneur, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins since he graced the cover of DUB five years back. Hopkins, the first fighter to retain all four major championship belts in his former middleweight division, has surely gained exponential wealth.

Of course, his former exotic and luxury vehicles have been replaced with new ones. In recent years, to add to his longtime Philadelphia, PA and Hockessin, Delaware addresses, he purchased a couple of new residential properties—a condo on the famed Collins Avenue in Miami, FL and a home in Burbank, CA. All a long stretch from the Raymond Rosen Housing Projects where he was reared, or the Graterford State Penitentiary where he occupied a cell from the ages of 17 through 23.

And, although Hopkins isn’t the overly flashy type, he replaced his Jacob & Company watch with a prestigious Audemars Piguet timepiece (courtesy of a new partnership with the renowned watch maker). “I didn’t really know how prominent Audemars was, but Oscar [De La Hoya] definitely knew all about it,” Hopkins laughs. “Oscar immediately wanted in on the deal.”

In 2004, Hopkins partnered with his former nemesis, De La Hoya, months after his highest earning career fight, which resulted in a ninth round KO victory against the “Golden Boy.” As the East Coast Director of Operations for the rapidly flourishing Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions, his varied efforts include recruiting young talented prospects like Brooklyn middleweight Danny Jacobs and Philly welterweight Danny Garcia.

Hopkins whole heartedly refers to his “discipline,” “ambition” and “carefulness” as being innate traits of his zodiac sign Capricorn. “I’ve proven that it means more to me than just being rich or a successful champion,” he articulates. “I wanted to create a new legacy, so I set goals for myself. I wanted to win 20 consecutive defenses, and I conquered that goal. I wanted to move up and fight at light heavyweight and then conquered that goal. These things motivated me to being where I am today.”

If indeed astrological readings are precise, then no doubt Hopkins exemplifies the thriftiness that is heavily associated with his sun sign. Long before the U.S. entered a “recession,” Hopkins started recession proofing himself. Back when gas prices began soaring, Hopkins wasted no time departing with his gas guzzling Hummer H2 that he posed with in his previous DUB feature. “I have to watch those gas prices,” he smiles.

His current auto collection includes a 1966 Lincoln Continental hardtop, restored using its original frame and equipped with suicide doors and a black and red interior; a four-door 2008 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S; a 2007 Range Rover; and a pair of his and her Bentley GTs. His favorite driving choice, though, is his ’66 Lincoln.

“You can’t find cars like the ’66 Lincoln parked anywhere,” he says. “You won’t see five of them in one day.” Hopkins’ first ride that placed a cease to his public transit days was also an old school classic. His face lights up nostalgically when he discusses the two-door, white-top ’76 Cadillac Coup Deville with whitewall tires and spokes that he purchased back in 1990. “I’ll never forget it,” he says. “To me, it was like having a Rolls-Royce today!”

While he’d like to add the 2010 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe to his collection, Hopkins would rather wait than spending unnecessarily. He acknowledges that people with money like to “keep their money.” “I don’t have to have the 2010 just to say I have a 2010,” he says. “That’s one of the worst investments. What I do is let someone take the initial 2-3 year lease, which is the typical lease length. Once they take the hit, I’ll go for the Drophead for, like, $300,000, with low miles. But I’m not going to take the first hit, nooo.”

Hopkins, with his discerning palate, admits that he never thought he’d own a Ford either. However, he was extremely impressed when he saw the 2010 DUB Edition Ford Taurus SHO at the DUB Show in Philly, so he purchased it. Some 24-inch Lexani LSS-10 black machine-finished wheels with Pirelli PZero Nero 275/25R24 tires were added, as well as H&R lowering springs, which gives the SHO a lowered stance. The car also comes equipped with a two-speed fuel pump and Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off technology, which helps achieve best-in-class gas mileage, and agrees with Hopkins fuel-saving ways. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 in the SHO uses twin-turbo charged direct-injection to deliver the thrust of a V8 with the thirst of a V6.

“Ford has stepped their game up a million times with the last three models that came out,” he says. “When I saw the Taurus at the show, I said, ‘What is that?’ I drove it, and I loved it!” Hopkins says it’s perfect for riding through the hood, going downtown or hanging with the boys. “It’s rugged and sexy, so it’s really an all-purpose vehicle.”

Hopkins is wise enough to know certain cars you just don’t drive through the hood, but the Taurus definitely gets a pass. “You got to respect the hood,” he says. “And that doesn’t mean tucking your chain in or coming around late at night when no one is around. You’re going to have haters whether you’re wearing bummy clothes or designer fabrics. But when you come through flossing too much, them boys are coming to get you, so you got to keep them guessing…”

The inner-city (hood) and its perils, The Executioner knows all too well. He vividly recalls at 13, riding to the movies on the Philly Sub (train) with a girlfriend, a night that turned quite ugly. Once he recognized that a few guys were scheming to rob him, he told his female companion, “Take your earrings off…”—seconds later the melee ensued.

“At that time I was smoking weed, popping pills and drinking,” he recalls, noting that he’s been sober for the past 25 years. “I was aware, but I wasn’t aware enough to fend off three out of four guys.” He was stabbed and rushed to the hospital operating room where they performed surgery, followed by a six month stay. That incident made for one of three times in which Hopkins had been stabbed as a teen.

Finally, his evil deeds—robbing people on the streets, at crap games and through verbal intimidation—had caught up with him. At 17, he was sentenced to 5-15 years at Graterford State Prison, where he enrolled in the prison’s boxing program. He served five years of his sentence, and while making his exit, a guard told him, “You’ll be back.” Hopkins thought different. “I’ll never come back here,” he says he contested. He described his prison experience as one that made the HBO series “OZ” look like Disneyland.
“I did nine years on parole,” Hopkins says. “That’s like not getting into a fight in Watts, because after a while of being in Watts, somebody is going to step to you. That’s just the way it is. Staying out has been more challenging than winning any championship belt in my career.”

Hopkins is what most young fighters aspire to be. Typically, boxing managers urge their fighters to solely focus on boxing and not other aspects of the business because it reduces the fighter’s focus. However, Hopkins was an exception to the commonly implemented rule. For much of his career, Hopkins managed and promoted himself up until 2004 when he partnered with Golden Boy Promotions.

Having been through the many trials and tribulations of an independent fighter, Hopkins is an advocate of fighter’s rights and even testified before Congress in support of The Muhammad Ali Act. “I’m a guy that if I feel things need to be challenged—I don’t care who it is—I’m going to challenge that, even if it means career suicide.”

Don King’s belief that you can present a fighter with a check for $1 million or $50,000 cash, and the fighter would opt for the cash because he’s not used to having money doesn’t resonate well with Hopkins; he refers to that ideology as an old street hustle. “I’ve been in the presence of Don King many times, and what he didn’t say is that you have to get the fighter in debt,” he says with conviction. “You let the fighter know that he needs to be dependent. It’s like a drug dealer having a drug user, so he’ll always have to come back. He has to get a fighter in that state of mind; dependent, not independent.”

Hopkins is a rare breed. He’s faced a multitude of heavy-hitting, elusive opponents. Unlike many of them who’ve aged and lost their touch, at 45, Hopkins still possesses his unrelenting, youthful drive. Today, he remains the oldest man to hold a title in the middleweight division.

“Once you reach your important goals, it’s easy to lose the discipline you once had,” he says. “In fact, it’s normal to lose that discipline.” But, apparently Hopkins is anything but the norm. And right now retirement is far from his mind. “Why should you get divorced if you’re happy?”

Ultimately, his philosophy is that life experiences are what make you stronger or weaker. One look at his resume and there’s no contest as to how The Executioner’s life journey has affected him.

Photos: Greg B.