Bernard Hopkins’ boxing career ends with him being knocked clean out of the ring

Bernard Hopkins' boxing career has ended in scenes that wouldn't look out of place in the WWE Royal Rumble.

The 51-year-old American boxer was knocked out of the ring in his bout against Joe Smith Jr. in California on Saturday night. Hopkins said before he entered the ring that it would be the final fight of his 28-year career, and he went out with a bang. Literally. The fighter from Philadelphia was cornered by his opponent in the eighth-round, and was hit with a stinging combination of punches, which sent him flying from the ring. Hopkins twisted his ankle and hurt his head when landing and the referee counted him out, awarding Smith Jr. victory by TKO in the light-heavyweight bout. The 51-year old claimed he had been pushed by his opponent, but footage suggests otherwise.

Watch: Highlights from @beastsmithjr's win by TKO in round 8 over @THEREALBHOP. #Final1 #HopkinsSmith pic.twitter.com/XIuE0VRxxS

— HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) December 18, 2016

And from another angle.

“And Bernard Hopkins has been eliminated from the Royal Rumble”pic.twitter.com/HM0fa3EcxJ — Barbancourt Papi (@NY_Wiseass) December 18, 2016

Hopkins bows out on a sour note, but he's had some career. The fighter was middleweight champion between 1995 and 2005, and finishes with a record of 55 wins, 32 by knockout, eight defeats and two draws. He was also the oldest fighter to ever hold a world title, when he was light-heavyweight champion age 49. Catch up with this week's episode of Football Friday Live: