- Beating Felix Trinidad (2001)
Hopkins – as he so often did – upset the odds to win the middleweight tournament, stopping Trinidad in the final round of their unification fight.
- Beating Jean Pascal (2011)
In an immediate rematch, Hopkins won the WBC light-heavyweight title from Pascal to become, at 46, the oldest world champion in history.
- Beating Antonio Tarver (2006)
After consecutive losses to Jermain Taylor, Hopkins bounced back by dominating a younger Tarver, revitalising his career in the process.
- Beating Oscar De La Hoya (2004)
Hopkins’ profile soared after he destroyed pay-per-view star De La Hoya with a ruthless body shot. Later they became business partners.
- Beating Kelly Pavlik (2008)
Immediately after his loss to Joe Calzaghe, Hopkins dismantled the unbeaten Pavlik to prove he was nowhere near washed up.
- Leaving prison (1988)
Following a five-year stretch in prison, Hopkins vowed to never again be behind bars, and committed to boxing.
- Beating Tavoris Cloud (2013)
Hopkins broke his own record as the oldest fighter to win a world title when he defeated heavy hitter Cloud at the age of 48.
- Beating Winky Wright (2007)
In a surprisingly entertaining scrap, Hopkins outpointed Wright at light-heavyweight.
- Beating Segundo Mercado (1995)
After drawing in their first meeting, Hopkins stopped Mercado in the return to win the IBF middleweight title – his first belt. He held onto it for 10 years.
- Beating Beibut Shumenov (2014)
Hopkins added the WBA light-heavyweight title to his IBF strap by outfoxing Shumenov and setting up a meeting with Sergey Kovalev.
