Boxing News: Bernard Hopkins' Appeal Denied by NSAC

Bernard Hopkins, hot on the heels of last weekend’s controversial split-decision loss of his middleweight titles to Jermain Taylor at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, filed an appeal with the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Wednesday, asking them to overturn his loss, based primarily on judge Duane Ford’s incomprehensible scoring of the twelfth and final round.

The NSAC, which has never overturned the results of a fight based on incompetent scoring – bad math is another story – examined tapes of the bout, deliberated accordingly, and decided to there were no grounds for Hopkins’ appeal. As a result, the decision stands. Had the commission decided in Hopkins' favor, the fight would have been declared a draw.

Exactly where that leaves The Executioner is anyone’s guess. The rematch with Taylor cannot take place until December, according to Taylor’s promoter Lou DiBella, allowing Jermain, who suffered a nasty gash on his scalp as the result of an accidental headbutt in the fifth round (earlier reports of a slight concussion were false), to properly heal.

There has been talk of Bernard moving up in weight and fighting either Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson or Roy Jones Jr., but as of now that’s just talk. Whoever Hopkins ultimately fights – he made a promise to his deceased mother to not compete beyond the age of forty – he has hurt himself, at least in the eyes of the public and the press, with this latest move, at least as much as he hurt Taylor, and vice-versa.