By Jack Welsh

We’re not certain who documented the axiom, “Life Begins At 40”, but it wouldn’t be a major surprise if the recipient was a traveling Philadelphian named Bernard Hopkins.

Hopkins is a hard-core easterner who boxing buffs dubbed “The Executioner’ many moons before he celebrated that magic birthday Jan.15 as one of the game’s most celebrated personalities.

Now it seems doubly ironic that a warrior who has paid his dues as the undisputed world middleweight champion has come west for a historic fight that belongs in Philly, which is legendary for producing great and near-great world champions.

The Staples Center in Los Angeles isn’t quite five years old but when Hopkins steps into the ring Saturday to face Britain’s Howard Eastman he will be making a record 20th defense, this time using the WBC crown for 12 rounds or less with HBO televising.

Perhaps one of the reasons, The City of Brotherly Love, didn’t get this intriguing fight goes back to last Sept.18 in Las Vegas when Hopkins stretched Oscar De La Hoya with a classic left hook to the ribs.

De La Hoya had already launched Golden Boy Promotions in 2001 and though he gave a top effort against Hopkins, he wisely signed the only fighter to stop him as a promotional partner before the year was out.

Hopkins, with 45-2-1, 32 K0s credentials, has only fought once in California, going back to July 20,1997 in Indio, Ca., when he chilled Glencoffe Johnson in 11 rounds in the sixth defense of the IBF title. He won the crown Apr.29,1995 when he TKO’d Segundo Mercado in seven rounds in Landover, Md.

There have always been touches of irony in the controversial Philadelphian’s incredible climb as a future Hall of Famer. Notably, Oct.11,1988 when Hopkins turned pro in Atlantic City at 177 and lost a four-round decision to Clinton Mitchell.

There was no rematch and Hopkins came back 90 days later as a natural middleweight, winning 23 bouts over three years and finally getting a shot at the very reluctant Roy Jones, Jr., for the vacant IBF160-pound title May 22,1993 in Washington, D.C.

It was a tactical battle from start to finish, with three judges voting 116-112 for Jones. The Executioner never lost again but he spent a lot of energy trying to get an arch-rival into a return date that wouldn’t happen.

Although Hopkins managed himself, Bouie Fisher was irreplaceable as an astute winning trainer. Picking up his second title, Bernard won it Apr. 14, 2001 in New York with a unanimous 12-round decision over WBC champ Keith Holmes (35-2) on scores of 119-108,118-109, 117-110.

In a spectacular performance that made him fighter of The Year, Hopkins handled undefeated Felix “Tito” Trinidad like he invented him, scoring a 12th round TKO to win the WBA diadem Sept.29, 2001 in a solld out Madison Square Garden.

With 40 straight victories, Trinidad was under pressure from the first bell from the challenger’s lateral movement. The Puerto Rican icon was staggered in the middle rounds and almost went down in the ninth and10th rounds. When Trinidad went down in the final round, he valiantly struggled to rise but his corner called if off at 1:18.

Over the years, Hopkins had built a reputation for talking trash while berating promoters, media, and opponents, but the public’s opinion radicaly changed after the way he hammered Trinidad into temporary

retirement.

“I’ll admit the Trinidad fight showed boxing fans there is a helluva lot more that I bring into the ring than my mouth. I really respect the guys I fight and that certainly includes Howard Eastman. But I’m more than ready for whatever he brings to the table. When you make 20 defenses, that’s rare ring history. I don’t care what division it is,’ said the confident triple champion.

Nevada’s licensed oddsmakers have installed Hopkins as a 6-1 favorite, but there are some high-rollers on and off the Strip who feel the price could be larger even though the British import reputedly has a durable chin.

Eastman, 34, with an impressive 40-1, 34 KOs resume, sounded extremely sure of himself as he broke training camp in Miami.

Eastman, who was undefeated when he was the European 160-pound ruler, indicated his road game was superior power in both hands.

“I feel I can punch as hard as Hopkins and take a punch just as well. Look at the records and the guys I have beaten I feel are more experienced. My only loss was controversial four years against William Joppy, the former WBA champion, I knocked him down in the 12th round which was enough for the decision. Joppy was never off his feet with Hopkins.”

In a management change, Eastman’s new trainer is Robert McCracken, a long-time friend and former rival who was stopped in 10 rounds by Eastman four years ago.

“I really think this is going to be a much tougher fight for Hopkins than the fans realize. Howard’s strength alone can make it tough for Bernard. From my own experience, I know you have to get the other gut’s respect early, especially when you can punch,” McCracken reflected.

“Hopkins is a great fighter and has been for years, which makes his confidence high that nobody can beat him. For Joppy, Howard’s mood wasn’t up as much as it should have been. That won’t happen again. The big thing is to stick to our game plan from the outset and not worry about Hopkins.”

With 19 title defenses behind him, it is almost a certainty, an awesome Bernard Hopkins has heard those lyrics before***

AUSSIE IRE LIT BY N.Y.’s JUDAH GALA

Promoter Don King threw a double media celebration for Zab Judah Tuesday in New York but it wouldn’t have been appreciated by Australia’s boxing fraternity.

It was Gallagher’s for a luncheon at noon plus dancing and drinking at the Pink Elephant after sundown in Manhattan.

In particular, Sydney’s Vlad Wharton was steaming, having heard Judah was getting red carpet for the press after winning the world welterweight title with an upset ninth round TKO of Cory Spinks Feb.5 in St.Louis.

Wharton, one of the sport’s most

respected managers, pulled no punches in declaring “Judah is just a little prick and he didn’t deserve to be fighting for anybody’s championship. It will hurt boxing big time if he reverts back to his old personality which was a prick with a horrible ego.”

There was an element of U.S. press as resentful as their Australian counterparts when asked about Kostya Tszyu, ranked universally as pound-for-pound 140-pound champion even before he TKO’d Judah in two rounds Nov.3, 2001.in Las Vegas.

Rather than mention Tszyu is now training for a fight June 4 with Ricky Hatton in England, Judah took one of his patented cheap shots at the Russian-born champion, who has now made Sydney a permanent home with his family since the early ‘90s.

“I know that Tszyu would never give me a rematch. He was very lucky that night. I’m a different fighter now. Kostya knows he could never beat me,” snapped the WBC/WBA/IBF titleholder.

Judah, now 146, and Tszyu, firm at 140, are going in different directions.

Since he is now under contract to King, Judah let the rotund promoter do the talking about the future.***

“The main event at the MGM Grand is May 14 with Tito Trinidad facing Winky Wright at 160 without any titles. In the semi-windup. it will be Judah defending against Mexico’s Cosme Rivera, who is ranked at 147-pounds with a 38-7-2. ledger.

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist who is headquarted in Las Vegas and is a regular contributor to Power Boxing, Boxing Insider, and Ringsports.Com).