‘The Executioner’ bamboozled the younger champion with expert tactics to frustrate Cloud, make him hit fresh air and give him virtually no target to hit for the duration of the bout.
Apart from a few close early rounds, Hopkins dominated between rounds four and ten, before Cloud, 31, came back late on – but by that time it was too late for the previously unbeaten fighter to reverse the outcome.
Hopkins also opened a cut on Cloud’s eyelid that referee Earl Brown ruled an accidental headbutt, although replays showed that is was caused by a genuine punch from ‘B-Hop’ to further cement his control of the contest.
The three judges at ringside carded 117-111 and 116-112 twice to hand Hopkins the IBF belt, a seventh career world title and extend his record as the oldest world champion of all time by another year.
