Yet, boxing teaches us that the most interesting stories about the sweet science are rarely just about size.

Here are the 2 biggest lessons we learned from Saturday’s Hopps vs. Vann card:

1. Stephaun Hopps proved that pressure can neutralize reach.

Despite ceding height and reach advantages to the rangy Derrick Vann, it took Stephaun Hopps just five rounds to knock out his foe. Hopps’ highlight-reel finish came courtesy of a thudding headshot that caught Vann flush and put him on his back, with the bout waived off shortly thereafter at the 1:43 minute mark of the fifth round after the Philadelphian was unable to beat the referee’s count.

What stood out from Hopps’ win, however, was the 28-year-old’s systematic approach to beating Vann. For instance, rather than chasing Vann’s head, Hopps spent much of the fight investing downstairs. Working behind a steady stream of body shots, which gradually slowed his taller opponent down, before Hopps began opening up upstairs.

As his nickname, “The Brick Layer,” suggests, Hopps prefers demolition one brick at a time, using a style hatched by head trainer, Andrew Council, that that takes bits and pieces from the styles of boxing greats, Joe Frazier and Dwight Muhammad Qawi, to create a buzzsaw style capable of chopping taller opponents down to size with a steady diet of “stabbing” body shots chased with concussive head shots that separates his competition from their senses.

“Because [Vann] was tall, I was hitting him with the stabs, poking that body early to take some of that air out of ‘em [and] not just head hunt,” Hopps said afterward.

“I wanted to slow him down and make ‘em sit still,” he added. “He’s so rangy, I had to make adjustments like that.”

The strategy worked, with Hopps building a comfortable lead on the scorecards before closing the show with a KO.

Next comes a move from middleweight for Hopps, where he believes his pressure, power, and compact style could make him a difficult assignment for anyone at or near the weight class.

2. Boxing trainer, Andrew Council, is stealthy building a stable of promising young talent.

Boxing fans in the DC-MD-VA area know the region’s established talent factories, including acclaimed trainer Calvin Ford’s Upton Boxing Gym in Baltimore and Barry Hunter’s Headbangers Boxing Gym in DC. What fewer people know about is what former middleweight contender, Andrew Council, is quietly assembling at his Triple Threat Gym in Hyattsville, MD.

Council fought elite competition during his career, including prime versions of Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright. Now he is passing those lessons to a growing stable of prospects.

And, on Saturday, several of them delivered.

While Hopps scored his knockout in the featured bout, Keith Saunders (UD4 over Chicago Smith), Dwayne Holmes Jr. (UD8 over Armando Frausto), and Mohammed Aryeetey (UD6 over Anthony Jackson), all logged well-earned victories on Saturday’s card.

But what also stands out isn’t just the wins, it’s the culture.

Council’s fighters spar against and push one another, all invested in collective progress rather than on individual spotlight. That atmosphere is reminiscent of the creative ecosystems that produced some of hip-hop’s golden eras, where groups of talented artists competed fiercely, but advanced their respective labels in the process.

Although Council’s group remains a work in progress, prospects including Hopps and Saunders have earned spots on our boxing prospects watch list.

***

Other notable results from on the card:

Phillips TKO4 Francisco: Mehki Phillips improved to 10-0 with 10 knockouts, stopping Joseph Franciso (10-6, 1 KO) at 1:40 of the fourth round. Phillips controlled the action throughout, before ending matters during a heated exchange where the duo traded haymakers in the center of the ring. With reports linking him to several potential promoters, he remains one of the more intriguing prospects in the region worth keeping an eye on.

Veazey SD6 Puryear: Joseph Veazey (14-0, 8 KOs) escaped with a split-decision victory over challenger Christopher Puryear (5-4, 0 KOs) after flirting with disaster and nearly giving away a fight he appeared to have under control.

Veazey boxed well early on and built a lead, but Puryear’s sustained body attack caught up with Veazey and changed the momentum late. By the sixth round, Veazey was exhausted, and he was dropped early in the frame. He survived the knockdown, largely through clinching, hanging on long enough to run out the clock and eke out a win.

The official scores were 57-56 [twice] for Veazey and 58-55 for Puryear. My unofficial card also favored Veazey, 57-56, but Puryear’s slow start serves as a cautionary tale of how difficult it is to win on the road after giving away early rounds.

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About the Author:

Paul R. Jones! is a longtime writer and ringside photographer for EAST SIDE BOXING. His articles, photographs, and commentary have appeared in Boxing News 24, scholarly journals, and more.

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @boxingepicenter. Email me or send me a secure tip at prjones1@hotmail.com.