By Jack Welsh

Bernard Hopkins, boxing’s ultimate innovator, didn’t waste much time showing Howard Eastman a full package, smashing his way into history at 40, as an undisputed world middleweight champion with 20 title defenses Saturday in Los Angeles.

Hopkins, a legend from Philadelphia, was making only his second start in Southern California since turning pro in 1988. As a going-away12-round winner over the valiant but outclassed Eastman, a roaring crowd of 12,828 in Staples Center got the message why admirers laud this champ as “The Executioner”, now without a a loss in11 years.

Hopkins is now in super select company with only five world champions proceeding him in a record number of title defenses. The charmed quintet is headed by heavyweight Joe Louis with 25 defenses, a standard that may never be broken. After that figure, next up is light-heavyweight Dariusz Michalczewski 23; super middleweight Sven Ottke 21, light-flyweight Ricardo Lopez, 21 and heavyweight Larry

Homes 20.

Hopkins, who admittedly has overcome an armed robbery conviction at 18, in Pennsylvania, to become a useful citizen, has scaled a mountain that a person with less determination could never handle. Bernard knew how to handle himself with his fists on the mean streets in Philly, but once out of prison, he had to learn how to function in society.

In reflection, Hopkins said reaching “the top of that mountain was a long way but after getting 10 or 11 defenses, I knew I wouldn’t quit. Brick by brick, I elevated a monument to myself with a record 20 defenses, Its accomplishment,” the pleased champion confided.

“Before I turned 40 on Jan.15, I was thinking I might have two or three more fights but that would be later in the year.

Maybe I could fight Glen Johnson or Antonio Tarver at 175, remember when they fought each other before, they had both given up their belts. In the semi-windup tonight, that kid, Jermain Taylor, looked good with that kayo win, he’s like 23-0. It might be a little early, he might not be ready yet but if HBO set it up and the fans want it, I’d be ready.”

Hopkins, improving his resume to 46-2-1, 32 KOs, earned $3.8M while Eastman collected $800,000 as his record dipped to 40-2, 35 KOs.

Ringside judges unanimously and correctly scored the decision for Hopkins at 119-110, 117-111, and 116-112. There were no knockdowns in the bout although Hopkins rocked Britain’s challenger with some heavy combinations to the head and body from the sixth round to the final bell.

Eastman, 34, a Guyana native now

out of London’s Battersea, took his second loss in America, having lost a decision in 12 to William Joppy in Las Vegas when the latter still had the WBC crown in 2001.

Eastman, coming in as the WBC’s

mandatory challenger, wasn’t pleased with the decision.

“The way I see it, Hopkins was chasing me all night. He ran and ran. He was the champion fighting in his own backyard and I knew what that meant. I know I dictated the pace. Hopkins never fought like a champ and there was never a time when he really hurt me.”

Eastman, who formerly reigned as European and British Commonwealth 160-pound champion, reputedly arrived with punching power in both hands and durable stamina, having never been stopped or knocked off his feet as a pro.

Hopkins made early moves to keep Eastman off balance with side-to-side and lateral moves in working behind his jab.

Nevada’s licensed oddsmakers had the WBC/WBA/ IBF champion as a 6-1 choice and by the fifth round, Hopkins began to take the wraps off offensively to show the house why he is a Hall Of Famer in progress.

To no one’s surprise, ringside stats disclosed Hopkins was on target with 148 of the harder punches from 346 thrown while Eastman’s accuracy had 82 landing of the 609 thrown.

Though it was Eastman accusing Hopkins of being in pursuit over the route, the UK import was the primary catcher when the Philly phenom started ripping to the head and body with combinations, most just a shade lighter than the bombs Bernard used Sept. 29, 2001 to win the WBA crown with a 12-round TKO of Felix “Tito” Trinidad in a sold out Madison Square Garden.

There were junctures when Eastman’s best defense was clutching, holding and clinching around the waist whenever Hopkins scored on the inside. Before the night as over, referee Paul Cazi had stepped in 23 times.

Eastman lunges Hopkins into the ropes late in the seventh round, the latter slipping to the canvas before the former employed a headlock.

Hopkins had plus action in the eighth round when he pinned Eastman on the ropes, stunning him with a six-punch salvo to the head and body and fought beyond the bell.

Hopkins was like a skeet shooter as he moved Eastman around the ring in the 9th and 10th rounds with head snapping jabs and hooks to the ribs.

The wearying challenger was shaky from any punch Hopkins elected to throw in the final six minutes. Reeling but keeping his feet, Eastman drew the respect of the partisan assembly when his jaw sponged up everything things the unmarked Hopkins delivered.

The spectators were delighted to be part of boxing’s newest history and the evening was spiced when they realized Hopkins-Eastman was the first world middleweight title bout in Los Angeles since Sugar Ray Robinson and Gene Fullmer fought to a15-round draw in 1960 at the Sports Arena.

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist with headquarters in Las Vegas and is a regular contributor to Boxing Press, Boxing Insider, Ringsports.Com and other American sports publications).