Bernard Hopkins vs Robert Allen II

On February 6, 1999, at the Convention Center in Washington, D.C., Bernard Hopkins defended his International Boxing Federation Middleweight Title against Robert Allen in their second encounter. This bout marked Hopkins' 9th defence of his IBF middleweight crown.

Both fighters weighed in at 159 pounds, just under the middleweight limit. The match was a rematch of their controversial first meeting six months earlier, which had ended in a No Contest when referee Mills Lane accidentally pushed Hopkins out of the ring while attempting to break up a clinch.

The early rounds of the fight were marred by frequent fouls from both fighters. However, referee Rudy Battle established control as the bout progressed, resulting in cleaner exchanges between Hopkins and Allen.

Hopkins demonstrated his superior punching power throughout the contest. He scored knockdowns against Allen in the 2nd and 6th rounds, establishing a clear advantage on the scorecards. The judges' scoring clearly validated Hopkins' dominance, with Al DeVito and Shiela Harmon Martin scoring the fight 59-52 in Hopkins' favour, while Paul Artisst had it slightly wider at 59-51.

The decisive moment came in the 7th round. Hopkins intensified his attack, and Allen struggled to withstand the pressure. At 1:18 of the round, referee Rudy Battle intervened to stop the fight, awarding Hopkins a TKO victory.

This win solidified Hopkins' status as the IBF Middleweight Champion and set the stage for a third meeting between the two fighters later in their careers. The result improved Hopkins' record and demonstrated his ability to settle unfinished business from their previous inconclusive encounter.