'The Executioner' enjoyed a remarkable career that spanned 67 fights. He became the first undisputed middleweight champion of the 'four belt era' in 2004 and later set a record as the oldest world champion in boxing history. At 49, Hopkins defeated WBA light-heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov in 2014, cementing his place in the sport's history books.
When asked about the hardest punchers he faced, Hopkins' choice caught many off guard. He picked Antwun Echols, whom he defeated twice between 1999 and 2000, over more well-known power punchers like Felix Trinidad and Sergey Kovalev.
"He was clubbing, not swift. Thumping. Also, Felix Trinidad, but that's all. He was really one dimensional. He had great success fighting one-dimensional people. … That's not a knock on him but when you run into a Bernard Hopkins, who's more than one dimensional, then you got a problem. Kovalev was a big puncher but I'm going to stick with Antwun Echols, he could crack."
Hopkins' decision to omit fighters like Roy Jones Jr and Oscar De La Hoya from his list of hardest punchers adds weight to his praise of Echols' power.
Echols, who passed away in July 2023 at the age of 52 after a long battle with diabetes, had a respectable career of his own. He challenged for middleweight and super-middleweight world titles multiple times and amassed 32 wins with 28 knockouts. Fight fans remember him for his thrilling bout with former champion Charles Brewer.
Hopkins hung up his gloves in 2016 after a loss to Joe Smith Jr, ending a career that saw him compete at the highest level for nearly three decades. His recognition of Echols as the hardest puncher he faced serves as a testament to the often-overlooked power of the late boxer.