Bernard Hopkins vs Karo Murad

On October 26, 2013, at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins defended his IBF light heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Karo Murat in what became an unexpectedly action-packed contest. Hopkins, who had captured the title seven months earlier from Tavoris Cloud, entered the ring at 172 pounds against the 174-pound Murat.

The fight's character transformed dramatically from its tactical opening rounds. Hopkins employed his typical measured approach early on, though Murat landed a significant right hand in round three. The bout featured several controversial moments:

• Hopkins kissed Murat's neck during a fifth-round clinch.
• Murat struck Hopkins while he was down in the sixth.
• Murat lost a point in the seventh for hitting on the break.

The second half saw Hopkins abandon his usual conservative style. During a dominant eighth round, Hopkins called out to Murat's corner to stop the fight as their fighter bled from a cut over his left eye. CompuBox statistics showed Hopkins' dominance, landing 247 of 565 punches (44%) compared to Murat's 147 of 486 (30%). Despite seeking his first knockout since 2004, Hopkins settled for a unanimous decision with scores of 119-108 twice and 117-110.

The victory extended Hopkins' record as boxing's oldest world champion, making him the oldest fighter to successfully defend a world title. The 6,324-person audience witnessed Hopkins, now calling himself "The Alien" rather than "The Executioner," demonstrate remarkable stamina and skill against an opponent who was just five years old when Hopkins turned professional in 1988.