Hopkins (30-2-1, 24 KOs), from Germantown, knocked down James with an overhand right to the jaw in the second round, and the champion's relentless body attack wore down the Newark, N.J., fireman until he was fully engulfed. After a series of ripping left hooks to the ribs sent James reeling across the ring, Hopkins caught up to him along the ropes and delivered the exclamation point, a hook that caused James to fold over in pain. Referee Rudy Battle halted the mismatch 2:02 into the 11th round.
At the time of the stoppage, Hopkins led by 12, 11 and nine points on the official scorecards.
``I knew body shots would be the difference,'' Hopkins said. ``I was determined to knock this guy out. I took my time, set up my body shots and didn't get off my fight plan.''
Not that James (20-7-1, 11 KOs), whose six previous losses all came on split decisions, went as quietly as some had expected. Preceded into the ring by banner-carrying members of the Newark Firefighters Union, he was cheered loudly whenever he landed a punch, or even threw one. Toward the end, when he obviously had no chance of winning, his noisy contingent cheered him merely for enduring Hopkins's onslaught.
James, however, was fighting on borrowed time since the second round, when the shot to the jaw and another hook to the body left him aching for the rest of the bout.
``The body shots were all over me,'' James said. ``By far, he's the best fighter I've ever fought.''
Hopkins said he didn't know James had never been stopped, but the news didn't surprise him.
``He didn't come to lay down,'' Hopkins said. ``I heard the guy was tough. I heard he took a good shot. I hit him with some big punches early and he recuperated well.''
In the top undercard bout, middleweight Lloyd Bryan (15-0, 7 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., scored a 10-round, unanimous decision over another overmatched shock absorber, Curtis Mombelly (19-4-1, 8 KOs), Newport, R.I.
