Bernard Hopkins Quotes

Powerful Bernard Hopkins for Daily Growth

About Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins, affectionately known as "The Executioner," was an American professional boxer and author, renowned for his defensive skills and intellectual approach to the sport. Born on January 15, 1965, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hopkins grew up in a turbulent environment marked by poverty and violence. His mother, Marianne, instilled discipline and resilience in him from a young age. Hopkins began boxing at the age of 11, joining the local Boys & Girls Club. He turned professional in 1988, quickly rising through the ranks with his unique style of counterpunching and ring generalship. Known for his ability to adapt and overcome adversity, Hopkins won major titles six times in two weight classes—middleweight (IBF, WBA, WBC) and light heavyweight (IBF, WBC). His most notable victories include defeating Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 and Felix Trinidad in 2005. Retiring from boxing in 2016 with a record of 55-8-2, Hopkins transitioned into writing. He penned two books: "The Smarts of Boxing" (2014) and "B-Hop's Guide to Life" (2017). In "The Smarts of Boxing," Hopkins shares his wisdom on boxing strategy, life lessons, and his unique approach to the sport. "B-Hop's Guide to Life" offers insights into Hopkins' personal experiences, values, and advice for living a successful life. Throughout his career, Bernard Hopkins was not only an accomplished athlete but also a thoughtful and introspective individual. His influence extends beyond the boxing ring, inspiring readers with his insights on life, resilience, and overcoming adversity.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The secret to life is discipline and routine."

The quote by Bernard Hopkins emphasizes that consistency in discipline and routine can be a key to navigating the complexities of life successfully. By establishing routines, one can create structure, maintain focus, and develop self-discipline – essential elements for growth and achievement in various aspects of life. This philosophy suggests that by following a disciplined daily regimen, individuals can gradually master their lives, improve themselves, and overcome challenges more effectively.

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision."

The quote emphasizes that true champions are not merely molded through physical training alone, but primarily by an internal drive, aspiration, and determination to succeed. This implies that it is the passion, resilience, and relentless pursuit of one's dreams that ultimately define a champion, setting them apart from others in their journey towards greatness.

"Every single punch you throw or take, every minute you spend training hard in the gym, every sacrifice you make, it all adds up to one thing: the champion you are destined to be."

This quote by Bernard Hopkins emphasizes that consistent effort, discipline, and sacrifice over time are essential components in becoming a champion. Every action – from training hard in the gym, to taking or throwing punches, to making personal sacrifices – contributes incrementally towards achieving one's ultimate goal of becoming a champion. It suggests that success is not an overnight accomplishment but rather the culmination of countless small actions and dedication over time.

"I believe greatness is an attraction. You've got to chase it with everything you've got."

This quote by Bernard Hopkins emphasizes that achieving greatness requires relentless pursuit and dedication. He suggests that the qualities of greatness are attractive, inspiring others to strive for their own greatness. Therefore, one should chase after greatness with all their strength and determination, recognizing that it's not just a destination but an ongoing journey towards self-improvement and excellence.

"To be a legend, first you have to think like a legend, then you have to act like a legend, and lastly, you have to become a legend."

This quote by Bernard Hopkins emphasizes that achieving legendary status requires more than just talent or skill; it also necessitates an exceptional mindset. To become a legend, one must think beyond the ordinary, harboring ambitions and dreams that are not commonplace. Then, this extraordinary thinking should be translated into extraordinary actions – consistent effort, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Lastly, the results of these thoughts and actions will determine if one truly becomes a legend, earning recognition and respect over time.

No one's kicking down the door to fight Bernard Hopkins.

- Bernard Hopkins

Door, Kicking, Bernard, Hopkins

They had to debate whether Joe Frazier should be in the Boxing Hall of Fame or not. I'm making sure that it would be a felony to sit down and debate whether or not Bernard Hopkins deserves to be in the hall of fame.

- Bernard Hopkins

Making, Joe, Bernard, Hopkins

I don't think I can get Jack Nicholson to come out and watch me fight.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Come, Jack Nicholson, Nicholson

Protect yourself at all times. It's what I talk to school kids and college kids about when I do my seminars. I'm not just talking about in the ring. Protect yourself at all times.

- Bernard Hopkins

College, Ring, College Kids, School Kids

I like the old school, then I add the new school, and I got a concoction of greatness. I can't miss; you can't miss with that.

- Bernard Hopkins

Greatness, New, Add, Old School

I have to constantly work on my reflexes and hand-eye coordination. I do a lot of puzzles. I play chess.

- Bernard Hopkins

Play, Lot, Reflexes, Puzzles

When you get older, the first thing that starts to go is reflexes, and reflexes are important for any person, especially an athlete - to react to something in a time when something is going on, and you can't be a second or two behind.

- Bernard Hopkins

React, Behind, Two, Reflexes

Hand-eye coordination and reflexes is something I work on more than anything.

- Bernard Hopkins

Work, More, Than, Reflexes

When you get to a certain age in society, they want to dictate to you when you should pack it in and that you should mentally grab a cane, a box of Depends, Geritol, listen to the oldies, and not eat spicy food after 9 o'clock.

- Bernard Hopkins

Society, Listen, Box, Dictate

The majority of fighters and athletes live double lives.

- Bernard Hopkins

Double, Majority, Lives, Fighters

Any UFC fighter, and any fighter going into the boxing ring and can do what they do in the UFC, nine out of 10 won't be victorious and vice-versa, with a boxer coming from - even myself - coming over to that field will be a fish trying to be in a jungle and survive. It's not going to happen.

- Bernard Hopkins

Ring, Out, Nine, UFC

UFC is street fighting in a cage. Boxing is a controlled, skilled talent. There's no comparison.

- Bernard Hopkins

Cage, Comparison, Controlled, UFC

I love fighting big guys because I'm fast. I'm not a big, light heavyweight. I can move. I can get inside on them. I'm inside, I'm wrestling with them, and they're just wrestling, but all the time, I'm chopping; I'm slapping.

- Bernard Hopkins

Love, Big, Heavyweight, Big Guys

If I can create an atmosphere to make my job easier and your confidence less, why not?

- Bernard Hopkins

Confidence, Why, Atmosphere, Why Not

Oscar De La Hoya is unique. Even Ray Leonard didn't have the star power Oscar has.

- Bernard Hopkins

Star, Oscar, Even, La

You look at De La Hoya, and you think that he is an actor or a singer. I'd like to rearrange a couple of things on his face so the pretty boy becomes just another boxer.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Couple, Boxer, La

Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins is an event where actors and actresses will come out, and I give all credit to Oscar for that.

- Bernard Hopkins

Give, Oscar, Bernard, La

If I go to a restaurant, which I do often, I know what I want, and it's not on the menu half the time. Half the time, they have to adjust the menu or what they got in the back, and they'll make it for me.

- Bernard Hopkins

Restaurant, Which, Half, Half The Time

If your car takes 95 and you put 87 in it, it's gonna run sluggish, right? A lot of people don't realize what you put in your body affects your mechanics, and you're gonna run sluggish.

- Bernard Hopkins

Run, Gonna, Affects, Sluggish

I respect people's opinion. Everybody has they own 'pound for pound' list.

- Bernard Hopkins

Own, Everybody, List, Pound

I don't drink occasionally. I don't drink on the holidays. I don't drink alcohol, period. Not wine, not nothing.

- Bernard Hopkins

Alcohol, Holidays, Period, Wine

We want to give you the roses when you're dead. That's how human beings think. I try not to think like a human.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Give, Like, Roses

If you really look at it, I have done the 'American Dream' that people have died on boats to come here to live.

- Bernard Hopkins

American, Here, Come, Boats

The worst damage a person - a fighter or even a person that's just everyday living - is shorten your life by your lifestyle.

- Bernard Hopkins

Living, Your, Damage, Everyday

I have an orthodox style that a southpaw is confused with me.

- Bernard Hopkins

Style, Me, Confused, Orthodox

If you notice, in every fight, I always have something to get into their head.

- Bernard Hopkins

Head, Always, Get, Notice

I don't react and think off emotions - that gets you in a bad situation.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Emotions, Bad, Bad Situation

Ninety-nine percent of getting over a problem is mental.

- Bernard Hopkins

Problem, Over, Getting, Ninety-Nine

I don't have a diet. Jenny Craig got a diet. Seriously. I eat to live, not to die.

- Bernard Hopkins

Die, Diet, Eat, Craig

I am a great champion.

- Bernard Hopkins

Great, I Am, Am, Champion

I've had a hard life. I smell and sense fear. I didn't get that from Catholic school; I know what fear is.

- Bernard Hopkins

Catholic School, Hard Life, Catholic

You do a deal - business deal, real estate deal, stock deal - protect yourself at all times. I got that from boxing. That's from A to Z: that covers everything in life. And it started when I heard it in the ring. They don't say that in basketball or football or any other sport that I know of but boxing.

- Bernard Hopkins

Ring, Deal, Other, Stock

When I left the penitentiary, I learned to stay away from the Philly cheesesteaks, the pizza, the junk that clogs your arteries and kills you.

- Bernard Hopkins

Away, Philly, Learned, Junk

I have to be smarter than my opponents. I have to figure out their styles in the ring. I have to be three or four steps ahead of them. So my mind has to be sharp.

- Bernard Hopkins

Mind, Ring, Figure, Smarter

I looked up to Marvin Hagler, Ali.

- Bernard Hopkins

Up, Looked, Ali

I'm a health-awareness guy, and all of that includes how I eat, how much I rest, and how I keep my skin good. Any kind of maintenance that I would do on a car, I do on myself.

- Bernard Hopkins

Myself, Rest, Kind, Maintenance

It's the inner that produces the outer.

- Bernard Hopkins

Inner, Outer, Produces

A body that doesn't move mentally or physically dies.

- Bernard Hopkins

Body, Move, Physically, Dies

I would love to play with the Flyers. I got the two front teeth missing, so I can look the part. I'm ready cosmetically. I could fit right in.

- Bernard Hopkins

Love, Play, Could, Missing

My whole career, I got a lot of credit for not taking punches.

- Bernard Hopkins

Career, Punches, Lot, Credit

If you get your body right, you get your mind right, whatever you do, you have a fighting chance, and you have a chance to be victorious.

- Bernard Hopkins

Chance, Mind, Get, Victorious

I think I got the ability to speak the truth, and that gets in peoples' heads.

- Bernard Hopkins

Truth, Think, I Think, Heads

It's two sides to everybody. I'm a manager - I'm a promoter - and I'm a fighter, so it is two sides to me. That's a balance there.

- Bernard Hopkins

Balance, Manager, Everybody, Sides

If you smoke, plain and simple, stop smoking. If you drink, plain and simple, stop.

- Bernard Hopkins

Smoking, Smoke, Stop, Plain

When you grow up hard, when you grow up surviving, unfortunately, it helps.

- Bernard Hopkins

Grow, Grow Up, Surviving, Unfortunately

I say the sweet science is to understand not only how to fight coming forward, how to be a big puncher, but also understand, if you run into a guy who can take your punch for the first time, how to react.

- Bernard Hopkins

Run, Big, Guy, Punch

When they say you can't, show them you can.

- Bernard Hopkins

Say, Show, Them, They Say

Soda is the worst thing.

- Bernard Hopkins

Worst Thing, Worst, Thing, Soda

That materialistic life, that's not my god.

- Bernard Hopkins

Life, God, Materialistic

There is nothing more important than staying alert, reading your opponent, that counts for both inside and outside the ring.

- Bernard Hopkins

Ring, More, Counts, Alert

Ninety percent of the media picked Pavlik, and I always appreciate naysayers. That's what motivates me.

- Bernard Hopkins

Media, Always, Ninety, Ninety Percent

I think being 50 and being me is different than any other fighter in any era.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Other, I Think, Era

I like to do things that are noncombat- or boxing-related. So I jump rope a lot, and then I run a lot.

- Bernard Hopkins

Rope, Like, Lot, Jump

I am not going to eat something that I have been told is not good for my system, and I do what I can to eat energy food, such as lean meats, whole grains, and lots of fruit and vegetables. Without this daily habit, my body would have given up a long time ago. There is no magic pill, no magic drink, no magic food.

- Bernard Hopkins

Magic, Fruit, Been, Pill

Hagler was a puncher-slugger. He'd box sometimes, but boxing wasn't his forte. His thing was relentless punishment and 'beat you.'

- Bernard Hopkins

Sometimes, Box, Punishment, Forte

I have already bent time to my will.

- Bernard Hopkins

Time, Will, Bent

I saw worse stuff inside prison than I ever saw in the streets.

- Bernard Hopkins

Streets, Than, Ever, Prison

I'm not downplaying my age - because humankind is such that people run away from their age. Especially women. Guys pretend not to care, but they do. Age is not a good thing to most human beings. But, being an alien, I embrace it.

- Bernard Hopkins

Run, Away, Humankind, Good Thing

I'm a guy that likes to work in the spa and get on the elliptical.

- Bernard Hopkins

Work, Guy, Get, Likes

Yes, we have to look at our opponents and study our opponents. But you have to look at you first and know you can do it.

- Bernard Hopkins

Study, Yes, Opponents, You Can Do It

I'm so glad that I didn't give up on myself and there were people who didn't give up on me.

- Bernard Hopkins

Myself, Give, Were, Glad

I'm the guy still driving a Nissan.

- Bernard Hopkins

Guy, Still, Driving

I am a proud man and never takes things for granted in my life.

- Bernard Hopkins

Proud, My Life, Proud Man, Granted

To me, you can be young in your mind, in the way you think, but if your body don't come with that, then it's wishful thinking.

- Bernard Hopkins

Mind, Think, Young, Wishful

I want to be the spokesman for the 40-and-older crowd, inspiring people to believe that no matter their age, they can be healthy and save their lives.

- Bernard Hopkins

Want, Crowd, Lives, Spokesman

Always have to think like a guy with no food in his refrigerator.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Always, His, Refrigerator

If I can convince you that I'm going to beat you up, and you believe me, that's your fault.

- Bernard Hopkins

Believe, Fault, Going, Convince

Money is great, but history is something that you can never get rid of and act like it didn't happen.

- Bernard Hopkins

Never, Happen, Act, Rid

Boxing is the sweet science. You hit and not get hit. There's no reward for you to hit me more than I hit you other than on the scorecards.

- Bernard Hopkins

Reward, More, Other, Boxing

Boxing is a small world where the same thing that goes on, goes on in corporate America.

- Bernard Hopkins

Small, World, Same, Boxing

Boxing should not let - we should not let - the people in business of boxing should not let a person to just walk right in and get the grand prize of boxing. You can't do it in basketball, football, hockey.

- Bernard Hopkins

Business, Hockey, Right, Boxing

Most of my fights are intelligent.

- Bernard Hopkins

Most, Fights, Intelligent

I'm tired of proving myself.

- Bernard Hopkins

Myself, Tired, Proving

I've shown, for twenty-plus years, with a legacy that will be talked about way after I'm gone, that I am different.

- Bernard Hopkins

Legacy, Will, About, Shown

I'm special, in a way that is good. I don't have to explain 'special.' There is no definition for special. Special speaks for itself.

- Bernard Hopkins

Special, Explain, Itself, Definition

If you read Bernard Hopkins' name in the dictionary, the definition would be 'discipline.'

- Bernard Hopkins

Bernard, Hopkins, Read, Definition

I avoid processed food.

- Bernard Hopkins

Food, Avoid, Processed

Just because you started off one way don't mean the ending of the book has to be the way you started.

- Bernard Hopkins

Book, Started, Off, One Way

Some people might think they're invincible, but I don't.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Some, Might, Invincible

You cannot go into combat without putting the work in.

- Bernard Hopkins

Work, Go, Putting, Combat

When guys say at the press conference, 'I'm not scared' - now, for a guy to tell me he's not scared of me means that you are scared.

- Bernard Hopkins

Say, Tell, Means, Conference

If I was a bad guy, I probably would be incarcerated.

- Bernard Hopkins

Bad, Guy, Would, Bad Guy

I do much less sparring and always with the purpose of working on something in particular.

- Bernard Hopkins

Purpose, Working, Always, Sparring

My personal feeling is that Bernard Hopkins has never been an industry boy.

- Bernard Hopkins

Never, Been, Bernard, Hopkins

Father Time is whether you're an athlete or not an athlete. Father Time is always around. I think I'm just special.

- Bernard Hopkins

Think, Always, I Think, Athlete

Most people remember the ending of the book more than the beginning and the middle.

- Bernard Hopkins

Remember, Middle, Most, Ending

I learned a lot from being in hell. I learned discipline. I learned that I choose what to put in my body.

- Bernard Hopkins

Choose, Lot, Learned, Discipline

Being able to do what I do in the ring and out of the ring is evidence that I'm not from this world.

- Bernard Hopkins

World, Evidence, Able, Ring

I'm amongst you all, but I'm not one of you all.

- Bernard Hopkins

You, Amongst

The young is always there to replace what we call the old. That's the process, even in nature.

- Bernard Hopkins

Process, Always, Call, Replace

Age is not an enemy to me.

- Bernard Hopkins

Age, Me, Enemy

I say the sweet science is to hit and not get hit.

- Bernard Hopkins

Science, Hit, Get, Sweet

There's more to life than having things: a Rolls-Royce, a big house, bling bling.

- Bernard Hopkins

Big, More, Having, Big House

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