Bernard Hopkins gets knocked out of ring in last fight

Bernard Hopkins experienced a first in his last fight.

In a career that spanned 67 fights, Hopkins never had been knocked out -- until Saturday against Joe Smith Jr. at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

The first seven rounds were even but then came the fateful eighth round where Smith literally knocked the 51-year-old Hopkins out of the ring and into retirement.

With Hopkins on the ropes, Smith unleashed six straight shots that sent Hopkins through the ropes and onto his head on the Forum ringside floor.

Hopkins got to his feet, the referee gave the customary 20-count for fighters outside the ring, and then his illustrious career was over. Hopkins (55-8-2) never made it back inside the ring.

At the time the light heavyweight fight was stopped, Smith led on two of the judges' cards, 69-64 and 67-66. Hopkins led on the third judge's card, 67-66.

"I might have got hit. Next thing I know he shoved me out of the ring," Hopkins told reporters after the fight. "I hit my head first and my ankle got hurt. Between the ankle and the back of my head hitting the ground, I feel worse now than I felt when I was 25."

Hopkins reiterated that he now would retire.

"This is my last fight, I promised it would be and you come to that point in life where it is final and I'm happy with my retirement," Hopkins told USA Today. "I know the fans will know I went out as a soldier, fighting the toughest, baddest opponents. ... I know if I hadn't made a mess and gotten knocked out of the ring, I would've come back like I'm known for and would've had my chin."

"He was a true champion, and if he didn't get injured he'd be back here," said Smith, who upped his record to 22-1 with 19 knockouts. "I came here to do my job. This is my coming-out party too. I had to finish him. It was either my career was going to end (or) his was going to end, but I needed mine to continue."