Bernard Fernandez: Hopkins wins court battle

IT APPARENTLY is easier to defeat Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins in the ring than in a courtroom.

Hopkins, the WBC light-heavyweight champion from North Philadelphia who turned 47 on Sunday, ran his record to 4-0 in lawsuits filed against him while represented by attorney Arnold Joseph when a jury ruled in his favor Thursday in a breach-of-contract action brought by the estate of Hopkins' former trainer, Bouie Fisher.

The suit, which sought $1.3 million in allegedly unpaid trainer's fees for Hopkins' fights against Oscar De La Hoya, Howard Eastman and Jermain Taylor, could have resulted in a judgment of more than $3 million against Hopkins, factoring in damages under the Pennsylvania Wage Claims Act and attorneys' fees. But the jury that heard the case in United States Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which deliberated for just over an hour, rendered a no-merit ruling, meaning Hopkins is not obligated to pay anything.

Fisher was 83 when he died after a 21-month battle with rectal cancer on June 28. Hopkins called Fisher "more like my father than my trainer," and he blamed the rift that ended their long relationship on Fisher's sons, Andre and James, who are former members of Hopkins' support crew.

"I personally have handled four lawsuits for Bernard in which he was accused of not paying for services rendered," Joseph said. "Each of those, we won. It was proven that Bernard paid what he was supposed to. Either he's a Teflon Don, or those people were bringing frivolous claims.

"The trial couldn't have gone any better. Obviously, the jury saw through the fog that this was not an appropriate claim against Bernard. Still, it's such a relief. I could see the difference in his personality from the day before the verdict was read. It was a stark contrast."

When contacted by the Daily News for a comment regarding the jury ruling, Andre Fisher had no comment.

The celebration continues for Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs) today at 2:30 p.m. at the Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Northern Liberties when the oldest man ever to win a widely recognized world boxing title is present for the local unveiling of the new Bernard Hopkins wax figure which was created by "Ripley's Believe It or Not!"

Tim O'Brien, Ripley's vice president of communications, and David Itskowitch, chief operating officer for Golden Boy Promotion, will be on hand for the presentation of the figure to Hopkins, who will add it to his personal collection of memorabilia at his home in Hockessin, Del.