Pugilist Bernard Hopkins is another fascinating tale of a teenage tyrant ruling the concrete jungles of Philly ruthlessly. The “baddest of the bad,” as he termed himself, eventually segued from the streets to the prisons of Pennsylvania for an assortment of illegalities.
But Hopkins says his life was saved when, after learning his brother was murdered while he was imprisoned, the man convicted of his brother’s killing chose solitary lockup instead of general population with Hopkins. Hopkins was thankful for that because he said he would have had to kill him or order a hit on the killer’s life. After release, Hopkins eventually became the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.