Retirement not in plans for boxer Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins during his World Boxing Council light-heavyweight fight against Chad Dawson on April 28. Hopkins has no plans to retire from boxing after losing his crown to Dawson. Instead, boxing's oldest-ever champion wants to win another title

Bernard Hopkins has no plans to retire from boxing after losing his World Boxing Council light-heavyweight crown to Chad Dawson. Instead, boxing's oldest-ever champion wants to win another title. Hopkins -- who is 47 -- dropped a 12-round majority decision to fellow American Chad Dawson on Saturday at Atlantic City. Two judges scored Dawson a 117-111 winner and the third saw the fight as a 114-114 draw. But Hopkins, who became the oldest man to win a major world boxing title when he defeated Canada's Jean Pascal last year, said Monday he intends to win a new crown to break his own age mark, one he took from legend George Foreman. "I fought hard and feel the fight was closer than two of the scores reflected," Hopkins said. "Regardless of the result, I will continue my career and challenge any champion in my division. "I might be older, but I don't feel a decline in my skills or abilities in the ring. I love to fight and am still competing at a level where boxing cannot deny me the opportunity to succeed." Other light-heavyweight champions as targets for Hopkins, 52-6 with two draws and 32 knockouts, include Britain's undefeated Nathan Cleverly in the World Boxing Organization, unbeaten American Tavoris Cloud in the International Boxing Federation and Kazak fighter Beibut Shumenov in the World Boxing Association. "He can still beat anyone else in our division," Dawson said.