Bernard Hopkins' best bouts: No. 5 vs. Joe Lipsey

Daily News boxing writer Bernard Fernandez counts down what he considers to be the top five performances by 46-year-old Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins, who bids to become the oldest holder of a widely recognized world championship when he challenges WBC light-heavyweight titlist Jean Pascal on Saturday night in Montreal.

Here is his account of No. 5, Hopkins' fourth-round technical knockout of Joe Lipsey on March 16, 1996, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas:

A relatively young (31) Hopkins, who had yet to evolve into the superb defensive fighter he is now, was making only the second defense of his IBF middleweight title against Lipsey, a rugged southpaw from Lansing, Mich., rated by the IBF as its No. 1 contender. A lot of people, in fact, expected that Hopkins would be dethroned that afternoon in a bout that was televised nationally on ABC's "Wide World of Sports."

Then, as now, Hopkins used any perceived slight as motivation. He professed to be upset with The Ring magazine, which in its most recent edition had listed him as only the third-best 160-pounder on the planet, behind fellow alphabet champs Shinji Takehara (WBA) and Quincy Taylor (WBC).

"That's their opinion," Hopkins growled. "My opinion is that I'm the best middleweight there is."

In addition to The Ring's underestimation of his abilities, Hopkins didn't like that Lipsey had said the Philadelphian was "a gambler. He likes to take chances. But if he takes chances with me, he's going to find out it's a bad bet."

More like a very safe bet. Hopkins, at the height of his offensive powers, battered Lipsey from the opening bell, sending him to the canvas in the fourth round with a three-punch combination that was so emphatic that referee Mitch Halpern dispensed with the formality of a count.

Lipsey didn't ask for a rematch afterward. He never fought again, retiring at 29 with a 25-1 record that included 20 victories inside the distance. *