Bernard Hopkins collapsed to his knees in his dressing room, drained from a brutal fight and exhausted by the end of his 17-year wait for revenge against Roy Jones Jr.
Two of their generation's greatest boxers just might have ended their careers together in a Las Vegas hospital Saturday night, but only Hopkins earned the right to leave with a victory.
Hopkins won a grueling unanimous decision in his long-delayed rematch with Jones, emphatically avenging his loss in the famed champions' first bout in 1993.
Although both fighters often appeared to be shadows of their former selves, the 45-year-old Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KOs) dominated nearly every round of a light heavyweight fight filled with wily veteran tactics and fueled by obvious mutual dislike.
Hopkins punctuated his dominance with a stirring rebound from the 41-year-old Jones' punch behind his head and the ensuing in-ring fracas late in the sixth round at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Hopkins was hit behind the head twice and below the belt at least once during the bout, leaving him with spots before his eyes in the final rounds.