Will Hopkins call it a career after losing to Kovalev?

ATLANTIC CITY - At about a quarter to 2 yesterday morning, an hour after relinquishing his shiny IBF and WBA light heavyweight belts, the man who holds the record as the oldest world champion in boxing history emerged from his locker room at Boardwalk Hall.

Flanked by a hoard of supporters, Bernard Hopkins made the short walk to the postfight news conference. He stepped behind the podium, offered opening remarks and then took the first question.

It was the query on everyone's mind. The gist: Would Hopkins again lace up the gloves?

"Asking me to fight right now," the 49-year-old Philadelphian said with his trademark grin, "is just like asking a woman that was just in 9 hours of labor to have another baby."

Before departing the ring after the most lopsided defeat of his illustrious, 26-year-career, Hopkins professed in his televised postfight interview that it was "50-50" whether he would continue fighting or retire. The highly anticipated unification bout wasn't close, the hard-punching Sergey Kovalev dominating throughout, from the right hand that knocked Hopkins to the canvas just 2 minutes into the fight, to the final bell that sounded well after midnight.

Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 knockouts), a 31-year-old Russian wrecking ball who has staked his claim for fighter of the year, won each of the 12 round in a clear-as-day unanimous decision (120-106, 120-107, 120-107). He threw 390 more punches than Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) and landed 101 more. The 38 punches he landed in an intense, one-sided final round marked the most in a single round against Hopkins in the veteran's 41 fights tracked by CompuBox.

This might have been it for Hopkins, AARP-eligible 9 weeks from Thursday, but it could prove difficult for the future International Boxing Hall of Famer to turn down a fight at 50. Before leaving Boardwalk Hall a quarter after 2 a.m. yesterday, he mentioned the possibility of dropping down in weight and taking a fight at 168 pounds. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya tossed around the names of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and rising superstar Gennady Golovkin.

"I don't know what he'll do," De La Hoya said of Hopkins. "But one thing for sure I know is he's not going to retire."

Hopkins, who last lost to Chad Dawson in 2012 in the same building, entered Saturday's fight as the underdog. It was evident early on he was in for a long night. Kovalev had ended 23 of his first 26 fights with knockouts - each of his previous 13 decisions came via a KO - and at several points, most prominently in the 12th round, it appeared Hopkins might be headed for his first loss via stoppage in 66 bouts.

Alas, Hopkins still has never been knocked out. He was actually the first fighter to last more than eight rounds with Kovalev.

Against the physically imposing Kovalev, Hopkins said he "felt like a middleweight in there, maybe a super middleweight, in there with a cruiserweight." He lauded Kovalev's game plan and the work of a man he said he believes will be "a Hall of Fame trainer" in John David Jackson, the former middleweight and light middleweight champ whose history with Hopkins has been well documented.

"I'm not looking for a cigar for second place or a pat on the back," Hopkins said. "No, I'm not 'cause I'm not that type of guy. But I'm just saying I recognize real, and I've been in there with a lot of great fighters, from the middleweights to now. And Sergey is the real deal."

Jackson, who lost to Hopkins way back in 1997 and spent six fights as his assistant trainer from 2006-10, said he thinks it's time for Hopkins to step aside and let the young guys beat each other up. Hopkins, he noted, could still defeat many of the top guys in the light heavyweight division, but what's the point?

"As a friend and an ex-fighter, I hope so," Jackson said when asked if he thought we'd seen the last of Hopkins in the ring. "I don't know what he said in the [postfight, in-ring] interview, but I'd like to see him walk away. I mean, listen, you didn't get knocked out. You went 12 rounds with one of the hardest punchers in boxing today. What more do you have to accomplish? To get knocked out by somebody?

" . . . If he left now, his career is cemented. He'll go in the Hall of Fame in 5 years. What more is there to prove?"

Jackson won't be the only one sharing that sentiment. But for Hopkins, there always seems to be more to prove, more legacy-building to be done, and there is no doubt fighting once more at 50 years old would be a Hopkins-esque way to go out. His career started in 1988 in Atlantic City with a loss and since has featured a record-setting 20 middleweight title defenses and a successful second act as a light heavyweight.

Despite the lopsided defeat, Hopkins seemed his normal self after the bout, offering memorable one-liners as efficiently as always when he meets with reporters. As is customary the Monday after fights, he says he will be back at Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Northern Liberties today. No boxing, just to "shake out," he said.

He will take some time to rest. The next 2 months are big ones for him. A 50th birthday bash in Philadelphia is already in the works. And, of course, there is the looming decision regarding the future of an unprecedented boxing career.