By Kurt Ward

Bernard Hopkins, 55-7,(32), the 49-year-old alien, was brought heavily back down to earth on Saturday night in Atlantic city at the fists of Sergey Kovalev, 26-0-1 (23).

The former undisputed middleweight champion, who went into Saturday's fight defending his two light heavyweight titles, was down early and was never in the fight.  He took a lot of punishment throughout, but managed to see out the final bell, and become the first man to hear the scorecards against the man they call “Krusher” in a scheduled twelve-round contest.  The judges ‘cards of 120-107, 120-107 and 120-106 reflected what was a one-sided fight.

Let’s hope that Hopkins, two months shy of his 50th birthday, now decides to hang up his gloves; for good this time.  He has had an extraordinary career and has nothing now left to prove.

Now holding three of the four major titles at 175lbs (WBA, IBF and WBO), boxing fans want to see Kovalev matched with the other title-holder at the weight; the Canadian based Haitian Adonis Stevenson, 24-1 (20).

With both men defending their titles on the same card in Canada at the end of 2013, the matchup between the two power-punching light heavyweights was being set up nicely for the first quarter of 2014.

Enter Mr Haymon.

Stevenson then crossed the street and left HBO to join up with Haymon on rival TV network Showtime.

He was named 2013 fighter of the year after scoring four knockout wins and announcing himself on the world scene as the premier light heavyweight fighter.  Since hooking up with Haymon, however, he has had just one fight [A twelve round unanimous decision victory over the unheralded Andrzej Fonfara].  He is scheduled to return in December against Dmitry Sukhotsky, and by then Stevenson will be 38-years-old.  With Haymon involved the chances of fans seeing the fight to determine the true light heavyweight king appear, sadly, to be slim.

Felix Sturm and Robert Stieglitz battled to a twelve round draw on Saturday night in Germany in a fight that surprised many with the amount of great action it produced.  Vying for a shot at Arthur Abraham’s WBO strap at 168lbs, former middleweight champion Sturm, the technically better boxer, landed the better punches in most of the rounds but Stieglitz, having the greater engine, started to find more success as the fight wore on.

I had Sturm edging it 115-113, but the draw was a fair result and means we will now surely get to see it again.  That’s fine with me.  A Sturm win sets up a huge fight in Germany between him and Abraham, two former middleweight champions who, inexplicably, never fought when both held titles at 160lbs and were both at their best.  Stieglitz has already fought Abraham three times and I doubt many are anxious to see them get it on for a fourth time.

Former light heavyweight and cruiserweight title-holder Tomasz Adamek, 49-4 (29), now competing at heavyweight, lost in his native Poland to the once beaten Artur Szpilka and quickly announced his retirement from the sport.  ‘Goral’ was always a great watch at his best, but it was clear on Saturday that it was the right time to call it a day and enjoy retirement after a long and successful career.

Welterweight contender Keith Thurman became the latest fighter to turn down a huge offer from rapper Jay-Z’s newly created promotional outfit Roc Nation this week.  Unbeaten middleweight Peter Quillin turned down a career high $1.4m payday to face Matt Korobov in a mandatory defence of his WBO strap, and heavyweight banger Deontay Wilder was approached with a $2m offer to face Bermane Stiverne.  Both offers were politely declined.  All three, Thurman, Quillin & Wilder, are advised by a certain Mr Al Haymon.

Great advice, eh?

Whatever the reasons for the turning down of big purses one thing is certain; all fighters advised by the mysterious Haymon are extremely loyal to him and seem happy in turning down life changing money.  Qullin was gave up the one thing that kept him relevant in the middleweight division—his world title.  While Wilder sits on the shelf awaiting his date with destiny against Stiverne for the WBC title.  It doesn’t look like it will be happening any time soon.

Thurman, one of the most exciting, young fighters in the sport, is patiently waiting for the big fight boxing fans want to see him in.  It is frustrating that Diego Chaves, a good boxer stopped in ten rounds by Thurman last year, shares the ring with Brandon Rios and Timothy Bradley in big fights in 2014, while Thurman, who’s only been seen in the ring once so far, is scheduled to face 39-year-old Leonard Bundu in December.

After his loss to Kovalev, Bernard Hopkins told the world that the best must face the best.  It’s what the fans deserve and what the sport needs.

I think we all hope Mr Haymon was listening.

Catch Kurt on Twitter @BoxingAsylum and listen to him and his fellow panelists every Sunday for the live boxing podcast 8pm GMT/3pm EST http://mixlr.com/the-nuthouse/