ATLANTIC CITY (New Jersey), Oct 19: Bernard Hopkins, 43, handed Kelly Pavlik his first defeat on Saturday, dominating the 26-year-old en route to an unanimous decision in a non-title light-heavyweight fight.

The ringside judges scored it 119-106, 118-108 and 117-109 in favor of Hopkins, who had lost three of his previous five fights and came in as a decided underdog against the reigning World Boxing Council middleweight champion.

Hopkins improved to 49-5-1 with 32 wins inside the distance. “The Executioner” beat Pavlik to the punch throughout, landing crisp combinations and rocking Pavlik several times.

Pavlik, who fell to 34-1, appeared to have trouble in his first foray in the light heavyweight class.

He took the fight with Hopkins after struggling to find a quality opponent in his own division.

But “The Ghost” struggled to find his range and never had Hopkins in trouble, looking much the slower fighter despite being 17 years younger.

Hopkins shook Pavlik in the second round with a left uppercut that left Pavlik with swelling under his right eye.

Hopkins dictated the pace of the fight, avoiding Pavlik’s jabs and big right hands while scoring himself with short left hooks.

Hopkins had Pavlik in trouble again in the seventh round, scoring with a combination to the head and even showboating while the crowd rose to its feet.

Pavlik finished the round with blood running from his nose.

Hopkins kept the pressure up until the bitter end. He landed another big combination early in the 12th to rattle Pavlik and put an exclamation point on his dominant showing.—AFP