INGLEWOOD, Calif. Buffalo Bills Jerseys . -- Joe Smith Jr. stopped Bernard Hopkins 53 seconds into the eighth round of their WBC international light heavyweight title fight Saturday night.Smith used a six-punch combination to send Hopkins through the ropes and on to the floor, effectively ending the 51-year-olds 28-year boxing career.Smith successfully defended his title when Hopkins was unable to return to the ring after 20 seconds. Hopkins hit his head on the way down and twisted his right ankle -- he cited the ankle as the reason he couldnt finish. A WBC official said the injuries incurred forced a TKO.I knew he was a true champion, and if he didnt get injured hed be back here, Smith said. I came here to do my job. This is my coming out party, too. I had to finish him. It was either my career was going to end and his was going to end, but I needed mine to continue.Hopkins was reluctant to accept the outcome, initially claiming that he was shoved out of the ring.I was throwing the right hand and a combination and then using the rope as an offensive as Im known for, and making a mess, Hopkins said. He got frustrated, and I might have gotten glazed with a left hook and next thing I know he was throwing me out of the ring.The reason I said Im upset they are giving Smith the TKO is because the momentum threw the ropes, he added. I didnt dive through the ropes.Hopkins (56-8-2) was looking to wrap his career with one last showing of defensive-minded boxing in front of an enthusiastic, star-studded crowd at the Forum. Instead, he finished in the same manor he started, with a loss.This is my last fight, I promised it would be and you come to that point in life where it is final and Im happy with my retirement, Hopkins said. I know the fans will know I went out as a soldier, fighting the toughest, baddest opponents. Im not saying I agree, Im not in denial -- Joe was a tough, heavy hitting fighter.Wearing his old Executioner shorts as a throwback to his earlier fighting days, Hopkins looked his age early as Smith (23-1, 19 KOs) was the aggressor to start. Hopkins regained some footing in the fifth and sixth rounds but Smith gained momentum and took it with him through the eighth, when he pummeled Hopkins in a corner and sent him through the ropes.I had seen him fall, and I kept hitting him until I saw him go out, and I landed that left hook until he went out, Smith said. I knew he had time to go out, but I hit him with four or five clean shots and they were good shots on the button.In his prime, Hopkins won a record 20 consecutive middleweight title fights. He became the oldest-ever champion when he defended his light-heavyweight belt at 49. However, Hopkins hadnt fought in more than two years, losing to Sergey Kovalev on Nov. 8, 2014, in his last bout.Oleksandr Usyk (11-0), a 2016 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist out of Ukraine, successfully defended his WBO cruiserweight title with a knockout of Thabiso Mchunu (17-3) with a knockout in the ninth round, his 10th.Local El Monte product Joseph Diaz (23-0), wearing Lakers colors in their former home, defended his NABF featherweight title, beating Horacio Garcia (30-2-1) of Mexico in the NABF featherweight title by unanimous decision. Bruce Smith Jersey .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Jim Kelly Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Customized/ . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match.England captain Dylan Hartley is expecting an arm wrestle when they face Italy in Rome on Sunday. Italy came within a wayward last-minute drop goal from captain Sergio Parrise of beating France in Paris last week, going down 23-21.England scrapped to a 15-9 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield and Hartley expects a similar, forward-dominated battle in Rome. Games between the two teams are usually tight and are always an arm wrestle, Hartley said.Sergio Parisse is their captain and talisman, and a good bloke. He takes the game on by himself and hes someone we go after. Hartley poses with the Calcutta Cup following his teams victory last week They are proud team playing at home but we are confident going out there. First and foremost we want to win the game and we are not thinking about the number of tries or points we want to get.Hartley says the victory over Scotland means they can travel confident of chalking up their second straight win under new coach Eddie Jones.Why shouldnt we be confident? We have the best players in England, great coachingg set up, great head coach and we are a good team, he said. Andre Reed Jersey. We should always be confident. We just need to get them on the same page and do the right things. Parisse was wide with a drop goal attempt that would have won the match in Paris Former captain Chris Robshaw says England are aiming to improve from last week.Its about being clinical and kicking on from last week, he told Sky Sports News HQ. We feel last week was a good result but there were areas we could improve on. Were looking to move up a gear. We know it is going to be tough going over there.Looking at them last week, its going to be a tight game. Its going to be a physical encounter - they are playing extremely well.They are developing their game every year and improving every year so we are under no illusions. Also See: England change three for Italy McLean to start against England Jones: Itoje has lots to learn Italy v England in focus ' ' '