PRINTER'S NO. 4246
No. 796 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY WILLIAMS, BEBKO-JONES, BEYER, BISHOP, BLACKWELL,
CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA, CRUZ, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS,
FORCIER, GEIST, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HERMAN,
HERSHEY, JAMES, LEDERER, McGILL, MILLARD, NAILOR, PALLONE,
PETRARCA, ROEBUCK, SABATINA, SAINATO, SANTONI, WALKO,
WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, SURRA, RAMALEY, O'NEILL,
PHILLIPS, DeWEESE, TURZAI, FAIRCHILD, READSHAW AND B. SMITH,
JUNE 19, 2006
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 19, 2006
A RESOLUTION
1 Congratulating Bernard Hopkins on winning the International
2 Boxing Organization world light heavyweight title and
3 recognizing his success as a professional boxer.
4 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins was born on January 15, 1965, in
5 North Philadelphia; and
6 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins did not allow his early life's
7 adversity, which included serving 56 months, beginning at the
8 age of 17, in Graterford State Penitentiary, to deter him from a
9 successful future; and
10 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins learned how to box while in prison,
11 hoping to turn his life around; and
12 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins began his career as a professional
13 boxer in 1988, losing his first professional boxing match; and
14 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins won his first professional boxing
15 match on February 22, 1990; and
1 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins posted an additional 19 consecutive
2 victories before winning the United States Boxing Association
3 middleweight title on December 4, 1992; and
4 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins won his first world middleweight
5 title on April 25, 1995, by defeating Segundo Mercado; and
6 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins has been a public spokesman for
7 boxers' rights and the fair and professional treatment of
8 boxers, testifying before Congress in support of the Muhammad
9 Ali Boxing Reform Act; and
10 WHEREAS, Boxing experts attribute Bernard Hopkins' continued
11 success at the age of 41 to a Spartan work ethic and philosophy
12 of clean living; and
13 WHEREAS, Inspired by his idol Sugar Ray Robinson, who in 1955
14 moved from the middleweight division to challenge for the world
15 light heavyweight title, Bernard Hopkins challenged Antonio
16 Tarver for the International Boxing Organization world light
17 heavyweight title; and
18 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins won the world light heavyweight
19 title by unanimous decision on June 10, 2006; and
20 WHEREAS, Bernard Hopkins has announced his retirement from
21 professional boxing, with a 47-4-1 career record; therefore be
22 it
23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
24 hard work, dedication and perseverance of Bernard Hopkins in
25 winning the International Boxing Association world light
26 heavyweight title on June 10, 2006; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend Bernard
28 Hopkins for a successful professional career, for his out-of-
29 the-ring advocacy for fighters' rights and, above all, for
30 transcending mistakes and adversity early in his life to achieve
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1 great success and realize his dreams.
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