HOPKINS, BERNARD-WILLIAM JOPPY & JOHNNY RUIZ-HASIM RAHMAN PRESS PASS (2003)

JO Sports Inc.

Regular price $165.00

HISTORY: On December 13, 2003 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City world middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins defended his title against William Joppy. Hopkins won a unanimous 12 round decision. Joppy held the WBA middleweight "regular" title and Hopkins held the WBA middleweight "super" title. Joppy was Hopkins' WBA mandated opponent. Hopkins broke the CompuBox record for total power punches landed by a middleweight at 375. He landed 419 of 819 total punches. Hopkins defended The Ring Magazine world middleweight title. After Joppy lost, the WBA declared the middleweight "regular" title vacant. Hopkins bet Joppy $50,000 that he would knock him out. Joppy only had to put up $25,000 and took the bet. After the fight, Hopkins said, "He earned that $50,000." In the co-feature Johnny Ruiz won a 12 round unimous decision over Hasim Rahman to win the interim WBA Heavyweight Title. Ruiz, who became interim titleholder with this victory, was upgraded to WBA heavyweight champion after Roy Jones, Jr. vacated the title on February 20, 2004, choosing to fight Antonio Tarver for the WBC and IBO light heavyweight titles (already in 2003), rather than Ruiz. Offered here is an original, Press Pass for this event.

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original Press Pass which names and pictures the fighters and names the venue and date. Bold color and print. Bold, clear images. Clean front and back. Not creased or torn. Sharp corners. 3 1/2" x 6."

Size: 3 1/2" x 6"

Condition: Near Mint