Bernard Hopkins vs. Antwun Echols I

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Bernard Hopkins defends his IBF Middleweight Championship for the tenth time when he takes on knockout artist Antwun Echols. The hard-hitting Echols floors Hopkins as Referee Frank Santore Jr. is breaking the fighters in the opening round. From there, Echols momentarily has him in trouble, but Hopkins gets through the round and trades bombs with the challenger for the next several, finally stunning Echols in the fifth. After wobbling Echols in the ninth, Hopkins takes over the fight, imposing his will over the final three rounds, including nearly stopping Echols in the twelfth. Echols survives but loses a lopsided decision.