John Hopoate
Encyclopedia
John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league
footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
, Wests Tigers
and Northern Eagles
in the National Rugby League
competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga
, in the Australian national team and in the New South Wales
State of Origin
side. His usual position for most of his career was . He is a former Australian heavyweight boxing champion.
Hopoate was born in Tonga
, but moved to Australia
with his family while he was still young. He subsequently took up the game of rugby league. Hopoate began his professional league career with the Manly-Warringah
side while he was only nineteen years of age. Hopoate did not play as a regular first-grade player until two years later in 1995 where he showed his ability by scoring 21 tries, finishing second in the top try-scoring table to team-mate Steve Menzies. After many controversies his reputation became greatly tarnished and his career continued on a downhill slide, seeing him become the "most suspended player of the modern era". A final incident in 2005 led to him being sacked and he retired from playing. He has since become a professional boxer
. He is the father of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles player Will Hopoate
.
recruited Hopoate to his former club at Manly after remembering his skill and power while witnessing him play as a junior for his Manly Cove side before then going on to represent the under nineteen New South Wales side. Hopoate is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
club in 1993 making his first grade debut against the Canberra Raiders
at Brookvale Oval
6 June the same year, however he was in and out of the first grade side on a regular basis during the next two years, not holding down a regular position until 1995. His early season form in 1995 was sublime as he went on to score eleven tries from his first eleven first grade appearances and subsequently lead the try scoring table. Over the remaining rounds of the 1995 regular rugby league season Hopoate went on to score a total of twenty-one tries and became instrumental in Manly's good form leading into the finals series. His talent was not enough to help the Manly side to a grand final victory as they eventually lost to Canterbury
.
His fourth season at the club was one where Hopoate was again instrumental in his teams fortunes, while he began the season slowly in comparison to his previous year with only five tries over the first twenty rounds of the season his defence had improved immensely; helping his side to concede less tries down his side of the field. He went on to score another six tries for the season including four in one game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs
and ultimately help his Manly side to their first premiership in over eight years.
In the 1997 season he again started the season off slowly on the try scoring front with only another two tries in twelve appearances for the club before turning his fortunes around in round twelve match against the St. George Dragons
where he scored three tries before continuing his form from then on scoring eight in his next six games and a total of fifteen for the season.
in 2000 Hopoate brought both talent and experience to his new club, however his fortunes on the field did not change and he could only find the try line a total of five times during the season. He was suspended several times during the season, including being charged with 'contrary conduct' in a late season fixture against Melbourne resulting from over ten separate incidents in that single game.
2001 became the low point of Hopoate's career, he again began the season poorly scoring only one try in several appearances before causing international headlines after a regular season game against the North Queensland Cowboys
where Hopoate had been inserting his fingers into the backsides of several players, allegedly in an attempt to unsettle and upset his opposition. After a long NRL judiciary case Hopoate was suspended for twelve weeks and then mutually agreed to part ways with the Tigers club.
, Hopoate, in an attempt to unsettle several of his opponents, inserted his finger in three players' anus
es, the first occurring during the seventh minute of play. At the conclusion of the match the matter was immediately referred to the rugby league judiciary where a case was put forward from both sides on 28 March.
Hopoate claimed in front of the panel of judges that he was simply attempting to give all three players "a wedgie" with his fingers, denying he had done anything wrong and that he was "a great believer in what happens on the field should stay there".
The three victims in the case, Cowboys players Glenn Morrison
, Peter Jones and Paul Bowman all disagreed with the reasoning put forward by Hopoate and his team. Jones stated, "It wasn't a wedgie. That's when your pants are pulled up your arse. I think I know the difference between a wedgie and someone sticking their finger up my bum", while Bowman stated that he was "disgusted" and "couldn't believe it."
The following year his form finally began to pick up as he went on to score ten tries for the Eagles before the club disbanded in 2003.
The following two seasons were poor for Hopoate with several on field and off field incidents earning him both fines and suspensions. His final foul-up occurred during a match in the 2005 season against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Hopoate attempted a reckless "shoulder charge" making contact to the head of forward Keith Galloway
with his elbow. This was seen as the last straw for Hopoate by both his Manly club and the National Rugby League and his career was effectively over. He made a final statement on the Sea Eagles website thanking his fans and supporters and apologising to his wife Brenda and eight children.
by playing in a fifth-grade rugby union
match in the Sydney competition on 9 June under a false name in an attempt to not get caught. After his Manly club found out and confronted Hopoate he admitted that he had breached his contract and was then fined $5000 Australian dollar
s.
During the 2004 club season Hopoate become involved in more controversy. While leaving the field at the conclusion of a match Hopoate started a heated argument with a linesman
in which he verbally abused the official. As punishment he was given a lengthy suspension by the NRL.
In the round one clash with the New Zealand Warriors
, Hopoate attracted more trouble for himself after he verbally abused 14 year old rugby league ball boy Jamel Thompson after Thompson had placed the ball on the sideline of the field rather than throwing it infield to the Manly player. The incident was placed under review with the National Rugby League finding that ball boy Thompson had acted in the guidelines set out and Hopoate was in the wrong over his verbal assault. Hopoate then apologised to the young boy claiming that "he was not aware of the proper interpretation of the rule" and was in the wrong.
with his elbow in a cocked position jumping and striking Galloway in the head immediately knocking him unconscious, leaving him on the field with a laceration to and bleeding from his ear. After immediate review from the third official
Hopoate was sent from the field for the remainder of the match while Galloway was stretchered from the field in a neck brace and took no further part in the game.
At the conclusion of the match against the Cronulla based club, the NRL match review committee immediately referred Hopoate's case
straight to the rugby league judiciary
. On 22 March, Hopoate had his case called up to the judiciary, his lawyer and coach attempted to argue that he was doing nothing more than "trying to go for a shoulder charge" and that his raised arm was just an attempt to protect his ribs. His contrition carried little weight with the panel and ultimately his defence failed to convince anyone that he had done nothing wrong and he was given a seventeen game suspension. With his season over, his loyal club that had stood by him through many of his career indiscretions decided they had no other choice than to terminate his contract with immediate effect on 23 March 2005.
With the termination of his Sea Eagles contract effectively bringing to an end his days of playing rugby league, Hopoate announced that he would begin training in an attempt to undertake a career in professional boxing
.
On 17 May 2006 he fought in his first professional boxing bout, on the undercard of the Anthony Mundine
and Danny Green
fight. Hopoate won his debut after only 47 seconds of the opening round, knocking out
Frank "The Big Ship" Faasolo.
After the quick victory, Hopoate challenged former rugby league player Mark Geyer
to a fight, citing his reasons as being "I know he hates being bagged, but for him to go sit behind a magazine and bag other players, I don't like that". Geyer turned down the challenge on the NRL Footy Show the following week.
Instead, he followed-up against New Zealand
fighter Alex Mene on 4 August, whom he defeated with a somewhat controversial fourth round technical knockout after the referee called a halt to the bout.
Hopoate's third fight was against Ipswich Brothers rugby league prop forward Anthony Fowler. The pair had previously fought during an under-17 representative match 15 years earlier, but Fowler found little opportunity to trade blows with Hopoate as he was left motionless on the canvas after just 34 seconds of his only professional boxing appearance.
Subsequently, he defeated two more heavyweights from New Zealand during bouts in Queensland. Hopoate first put a finish to one-sided event against Oscar Talemaira with a first round technical knockout on 17 November. He then knocked out Hiriwa Te Rangi on 24 February 2007 after a stiffer contest that lasted five rounds, his longest fight to date.
Hopoate then moved to a 6–0 record by dispatching the heavy-hitting Richard "Tootin'" Tutaki with a series of second round body-blows on 7 March 2007 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
, again on an Anthony Mundine undercard. Lovemore N'dou
, the IBF
junior welterweight champion, said after watching the bout that Hopoate is an embarrassment to the sport of boxing, and that he was disgusted with what he saw. As part of his scathing criticism of Hopoate, as well as Willie Mason
's older brother Les, N'dou said: "Footballers like them thinking they can box turns what is a scientific and artistic sport into a circus. They are making fools out of themselves and fools out of a sport I love. I despise them and everything they stand for".
On 30 March 2007, Hopoate experienced his first defeat, which came at the hands of Brian Fitzgerald. The result, a split decision
after six rounds, proved controversial and inspired Hopoate to say, "I'm being vilified again. It obviously has something to do with my playing days. I know I'm going to be 'John Hopoate' for the rest of my life. But I've tried to take a new road and I thought I was going along good, until this. They are racist cause I'm from Tonga, it's not bloody right. I never get a fair go from Aussies".
On 13 April 2007, Hopoate suffered his second straight loss, inflicted by former national kickboxing
champion, Ben Edwards
, who was making his professional boxing debut. Hopoate's performance, which was brought to an abrupt end by technical knockout after just 90 seconds of the first round, was jeered and ridiculed by the 200-odd paying spectators, several of whom were seen to throw plastic beer cups in the direction of Hopoate.
With three further bouts scheduled before July, he aimed to continue his career. However, following his earlier criticism, Lovemore N'dou
has commented that Hopoate needs to "learn to fight properly", as well as the more inflammatory "Hoppa should stop putting his finger up other guys anus
es "; however, has now offered to help him out at no charge.
On 10 September 2008, Hopoate became Australian heavyweight boxing champion. The Sydney fighter finished defending champion Bob Mirovic
deep into the ninth round of an epic bout at the Gold Coast convention centre.
Hopoate cornered "The Big Bear" Mirovic and hit him with more than six clean punches to knock the 42-year-old to the floor. Mirovic got to his feet but his trainer Jeff Fenech
threw in the towel to end the fight.
Subsequent to the title fight, controversy ensued, Mirovic claiming that Hopoate used illegal tactics during the bout which resulted in Mirovic having his arm broken. Mirovic believes he was illegally shoved to the ground in the sixth round, which left him with a broken arm and no hope of carrying on."I couldn't throw a punch for the final three rounds because of what Hoppa did," Mirovic said.
"I'd cop it on the chin if I lost the fight fair and square, but there's no way I'll sit back if something illegal was done to me. It was a dog act by Hoppa. I can't do anything now for three months and I'm demanding Hoppa doesn't fight anybody else until he gives me a rematch."
He fought Cliff Couser
on 20 March 2009 and won the fight by technical knockout after Couser did not answer the bell for the fourth round.
Hopoate fought Oliver McCall
on 22 May 2009 for the International Boxing Association (IBA) Intercontinental heavyweight title in a fight which he lost by second round technical knockout after being knocked down twice in the fight.
He fought Bob Mirovic again on 23 July 2009, beating him on points after a gruelling 10-round match.
Hopoate fought Colin Wilson
on 10 October 2009, on the undercard of the David Tua
and Shane Cameron
fight. Hopoate started the fight well scoring a knock down in the third round, before Colin Wilson came back from the knock down to knock Hopoate down late in the same round. Wilson went on to win the fight knocking Hopoate out in the fourth round.
Hopoate then fought Shane Cameron
on 20 March 2010, losing the fight by disqualification in the second round after Hopoate wrestled with Cameron and tried throwing him to the ground more than he tried throwing punches.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
, Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
and Northern Eagles
Northern Eagles
The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
, in the Australian national team and in the New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
side. His usual position for most of his career was . He is a former Australian heavyweight boxing champion.
Hopoate was born in Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, but moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with his family while he was still young. He subsequently took up the game of rugby league. Hopoate began his professional league career with the Manly-Warringah
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
side while he was only nineteen years of age. Hopoate did not play as a regular first-grade player until two years later in 1995 where he showed his ability by scoring 21 tries, finishing second in the top try-scoring table to team-mate Steve Menzies. After many controversies his reputation became greatly tarnished and his career continued on a downhill slide, seeing him become the "most suspended player of the modern era". A final incident in 2005 led to him being sacked and he retired from playing. He has since become a professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He is the father of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles player Will Hopoate
Will Hopoate
William "Will" Hopoate also known as Viliami in Tonga is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin three-quarter back, he has also represented NSW City...
.
Childhood and early career
After moving with his family to Australia he originally lived and grew up in the Manly area of Sydney before moving to the western suburbs as a teenager. Former Australian international Bob FultonBob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
recruited Hopoate to his former club at Manly after remembering his skill and power while witnessing him play as a junior for his Manly Cove side before then going on to represent the under nineteen New South Wales side. Hopoate is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (1993–1999)
Hopoate signed for the Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesManly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
club in 1993 making his first grade debut against the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
6 June the same year, however he was in and out of the first grade side on a regular basis during the next two years, not holding down a regular position until 1995. His early season form in 1995 was sublime as he went on to score eleven tries from his first eleven first grade appearances and subsequently lead the try scoring table. Over the remaining rounds of the 1995 regular rugby league season Hopoate went on to score a total of twenty-one tries and became instrumental in Manly's good form leading into the finals series. His talent was not enough to help the Manly side to a grand final victory as they eventually lost to Canterbury
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
.
His fourth season at the club was one where Hopoate was again instrumental in his teams fortunes, while he began the season slowly in comparison to his previous year with only five tries over the first twenty rounds of the season his defence had improved immensely; helping his side to concede less tries down his side of the field. He went on to score another six tries for the season including four in one game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
and ultimately help his Manly side to their first premiership in over eight years.
In the 1997 season he again started the season off slowly on the try scoring front with only another two tries in twelve appearances for the club before turning his fortunes around in round twelve match against the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
where he scored three tries before continuing his form from then on scoring eight in his next six games and a total of fifteen for the season.
Wests Tigers
Signing for the newly formed Wests TigersWests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
in 2000 Hopoate brought both talent and experience to his new club, however his fortunes on the field did not change and he could only find the try line a total of five times during the season. He was suspended several times during the season, including being charged with 'contrary conduct' in a late season fixture against Melbourne resulting from over ten separate incidents in that single game.
2001 became the low point of Hopoate's career, he again began the season poorly scoring only one try in several appearances before causing international headlines after a regular season game against the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
where Hopoate had been inserting his fingers into the backsides of several players, allegedly in an attempt to unsettle and upset his opposition. After a long NRL judiciary case Hopoate was suspended for twelve weeks and then mutually agreed to part ways with the Tigers club.
Controversy
During a 2001 clash with the CowboysNorth Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, Hopoate, in an attempt to unsettle several of his opponents, inserted his finger in three players' anus
Human anus
The human anus is the external opening of the rectum. Like other animals, its closure is controlled by sphincter muscles...
es, the first occurring during the seventh minute of play. At the conclusion of the match the matter was immediately referred to the rugby league judiciary where a case was put forward from both sides on 28 March.
Hopoate claimed in front of the panel of judges that he was simply attempting to give all three players "a wedgie" with his fingers, denying he had done anything wrong and that he was "a great believer in what happens on the field should stay there".
The three victims in the case, Cowboys players Glenn Morrison
Glenn Morrison
Glenn Adam Morrison is a former Australian professional rugby league player. He played for the Parramatta Eels, Balmain Tigers, North Sydney Bears, and the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League before moving to England to play for the Bradford Bulls and then the Wakefield Trinity...
, Peter Jones and Paul Bowman all disagreed with the reasoning put forward by Hopoate and his team. Jones stated, "It wasn't a wedgie. That's when your pants are pulled up your arse. I think I know the difference between a wedgie and someone sticking their finger up my bum", while Bowman stated that he was "disgusted" and "couldn't believe it."
Northern Eagles
As he had publicly humiliated both himself and his former club, most thought his career would be over. However, his former employers in the Manly reserve grade side signed him onto their books for the remainder of the season where his good form earned him a call-up to the Northern Eagles first grade side late in the season.The following year his form finally began to pick up as he went on to score ten tries for the Eagles before the club disbanded in 2003.
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (2003–2005)
With the reinstating of the Sea Eagles for the beginning of the 2003 season Hopoate was signed on to the club where he originally made his debut for ten years earlier. He began the season well with several impressive performances but again his on field indiscretions were the only headlines he was achieving.The following two seasons were poor for Hopoate with several on field and off field incidents earning him both fines and suspensions. His final foul-up occurred during a match in the 2005 season against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Hopoate attempted a reckless "shoulder charge" making contact to the head of forward Keith Galloway
Keith Galloway
Keith Galloway is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks...
with his elbow. This was seen as the last straw for Hopoate by both his Manly club and the National Rugby League and his career was effectively over. He made a final statement on the Sea Eagles website thanking his fans and supporters and apologising to his wife Brenda and eight children.
Controversy
In the 2003 season Hopoate breached the terms of his playing contractContract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
by playing in a fifth-grade rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
match in the Sydney competition on 9 June under a false name in an attempt to not get caught. After his Manly club found out and confronted Hopoate he admitted that he had breached his contract and was then fined $5000 Australian dollar
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
s.
During the 2004 club season Hopoate become involved in more controversy. While leaving the field at the conclusion of a match Hopoate started a heated argument with a linesman
Rugby league match officials
Rugby league match officials are responsible for fairly enforcing the Laws of the Game during a match of rugby league football and imposing penalties for deliberate breaches of these Laws...
in which he verbally abused the official. As punishment he was given a lengthy suspension by the NRL.
In the round one clash with the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
, Hopoate attracted more trouble for himself after he verbally abused 14 year old rugby league ball boy Jamel Thompson after Thompson had placed the ball on the sideline of the field rather than throwing it infield to the Manly player. The incident was placed under review with the National Rugby League finding that ball boy Thompson had acted in the guidelines set out and Hopoate was in the wrong over his verbal assault. Hopoate then apologised to the young boy claiming that "he was not aware of the proper interpretation of the rule" and was in the wrong.
Keith Galloway incident
On 19 March 2005, Hopoate was again in trouble with the NRL, this time in a match against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. During the 30th minute of the game he made a charge at Cronulla forward Keith GallowayKeith Galloway
Keith Galloway is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks...
with his elbow in a cocked position jumping and striking Galloway in the head immediately knocking him unconscious, leaving him on the field with a laceration to and bleeding from his ear. After immediate review from the third official
Official
An official is someone who holds an office in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority .A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public...
Hopoate was sent from the field for the remainder of the match while Galloway was stretchered from the field in a neck brace and took no further part in the game.
At the conclusion of the match against the Cronulla based club, the NRL match review committee immediately referred Hopoate's case
Legal case
A legal case is a dispute between opposing parties resolved by a court, or by some equivalent legal process. A legal case may be either civil or criminal...
straight to the rugby league judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
. On 22 March, Hopoate had his case called up to the judiciary, his lawyer and coach attempted to argue that he was doing nothing more than "trying to go for a shoulder charge" and that his raised arm was just an attempt to protect his ribs. His contrition carried little weight with the panel and ultimately his defence failed to convince anyone that he had done nothing wrong and he was given a seventeen game suspension. With his season over, his loyal club that had stood by him through many of his career indiscretions decided they had no other choice than to terminate his contract with immediate effect on 23 March 2005.
New South Wales
After his spectacular form and try scoring feats during the 1995 season Hopoate was called up to his first senior representative match for New South Wales in game one of the 1995 State of Origin series. After a decent performance from Hopoate he was retained for the second game but then subsequently dropped from the third game because of an injury.Australia
With Tonga looking to pick Hopoate for his nation of birth for the 1995 World Cup, Australia took no chances and instead called him up to the Australian side under the residency ruling. He was selected in the opening match of the cup yet failed to score and then made a vital mistake that turned out to be the turning point in a match that was eventually won by Australia's opponents England. Hopoate also played in Australia's following match against the South Africans, scoring three times in a crushing 86 to 6 victory.Boxing career
- See also Complete boxing record
With the termination of his Sea Eagles contract effectively bringing to an end his days of playing rugby league, Hopoate announced that he would begin training in an attempt to undertake a career in professional boxing
Professional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
.
On 17 May 2006 he fought in his first professional boxing bout, on the undercard of the Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
and Danny Green
Danny Green
Daniel "Danny" Green is an Australian professional boxer and the former IBO cruiserweight champion.- Amateur boxing career and the Olympics :...
fight. Hopoate won his debut after only 47 seconds of the opening round, knocking out
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
Frank "The Big Ship" Faasolo.
After the quick victory, Hopoate challenged former rugby league player Mark Geyer
Mark Geyer
Mark Geyer , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-rower, he is currently a rugby league media identity...
to a fight, citing his reasons as being "I know he hates being bagged, but for him to go sit behind a magazine and bag other players, I don't like that". Geyer turned down the challenge on the NRL Footy Show the following week.
Instead, he followed-up against New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
fighter Alex Mene on 4 August, whom he defeated with a somewhat controversial fourth round technical knockout after the referee called a halt to the bout.
Hopoate's third fight was against Ipswich Brothers rugby league prop forward Anthony Fowler. The pair had previously fought during an under-17 representative match 15 years earlier, but Fowler found little opportunity to trade blows with Hopoate as he was left motionless on the canvas after just 34 seconds of his only professional boxing appearance.
Subsequently, he defeated two more heavyweights from New Zealand during bouts in Queensland. Hopoate first put a finish to one-sided event against Oscar Talemaira with a first round technical knockout on 17 November. He then knocked out Hiriwa Te Rangi on 24 February 2007 after a stiffer contest that lasted five rounds, his longest fight to date.
Hopoate then moved to a 6–0 record by dispatching the heavy-hitting Richard "Tootin'" Tutaki with a series of second round body-blows on 7 March 2007 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers...
, again on an Anthony Mundine undercard. Lovemore N'dou
Lovemore N'dou
Lovemore N'dou is an Australian based South African boxer.He was the IBF world light welterweight champion, until he lost the title to Paul Malignaggi.-Fight career:...
, the IBF
IBF
IBF may refer to:*International Boxing Federation is one of several boxing organisations* International Bandy Federation former name of Federation of International Bandy , an international governing body for bandy...
junior welterweight champion, said after watching the bout that Hopoate is an embarrassment to the sport of boxing, and that he was disgusted with what he saw. As part of his scathing criticism of Hopoate, as well as Willie Mason
Willie Mason
William Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful...
's older brother Les, N'dou said: "Footballers like them thinking they can box turns what is a scientific and artistic sport into a circus. They are making fools out of themselves and fools out of a sport I love. I despise them and everything they stand for".
On 30 March 2007, Hopoate experienced his first defeat, which came at the hands of Brian Fitzgerald. The result, a split decision
Split decision
A split decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which two of the three judges score for the same fighter as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other...
after six rounds, proved controversial and inspired Hopoate to say, "I'm being vilified again. It obviously has something to do with my playing days. I know I'm going to be 'John Hopoate' for the rest of my life. But I've tried to take a new road and I thought I was going along good, until this. They are racist cause I'm from Tonga, it's not bloody right. I never get a fair go from Aussies".
On 13 April 2007, Hopoate suffered his second straight loss, inflicted by former national kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
champion, Ben Edwards
Ben Edwards (kickboxer)
Ben "The Guvner" Edwards is an Australian Super Heavyweight kickboxer and Heavyweight boxer. He is the current K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Canberra tournament champion...
, who was making his professional boxing debut. Hopoate's performance, which was brought to an abrupt end by technical knockout after just 90 seconds of the first round, was jeered and ridiculed by the 200-odd paying spectators, several of whom were seen to throw plastic beer cups in the direction of Hopoate.
With three further bouts scheduled before July, he aimed to continue his career. However, following his earlier criticism, Lovemore N'dou
Lovemore N'dou
Lovemore N'dou is an Australian based South African boxer.He was the IBF world light welterweight champion, until he lost the title to Paul Malignaggi.-Fight career:...
has commented that Hopoate needs to "learn to fight properly", as well as the more inflammatory "Hoppa should stop putting his finger up other guys anus
Anus
The anus is an opening at the opposite end of an animal's digestive tract from the mouth. Its function is to control the expulsion of feces, unwanted semi-solid matter produced during digestion, which, depending on the type of animal, may be one or more of: matter which the animal cannot digest,...
es "; however, has now offered to help him out at no charge.
On 10 September 2008, Hopoate became Australian heavyweight boxing champion. The Sydney fighter finished defending champion Bob Mirovic
Bob Mirovic
Bob "The Big Bear" Mirovic is an Australian boxer. Standing at 6 ft 5 in and with a reach of 80 inches, he started boxing at the age of 22 in 1987. He has fought a number of famous fighters, including Nikolai Valuev, Joe Bugner, and Frans Botha.He currently resides in Wyongah, New South...
deep into the ninth round of an epic bout at the Gold Coast convention centre.
Hopoate cornered "The Big Bear" Mirovic and hit him with more than six clean punches to knock the 42-year-old to the floor. Mirovic got to his feet but his trainer Jeff Fenech
Jeff Fenech
Jeff Fenech is a retired Australian boxer and a three-time world champion who is now a boxing trainer.-Boxing career:...
threw in the towel to end the fight.
Subsequent to the title fight, controversy ensued, Mirovic claiming that Hopoate used illegal tactics during the bout which resulted in Mirovic having his arm broken. Mirovic believes he was illegally shoved to the ground in the sixth round, which left him with a broken arm and no hope of carrying on."I couldn't throw a punch for the final three rounds because of what Hoppa did," Mirovic said.
"I'd cop it on the chin if I lost the fight fair and square, but there's no way I'll sit back if something illegal was done to me. It was a dog act by Hoppa. I can't do anything now for three months and I'm demanding Hoppa doesn't fight anybody else until he gives me a rematch."
He fought Cliff Couser
Cliff Couser
Clifford Couser is a heavyweight boxer. Nicknamed "The Black Bull" and often "Twin Tyson" for his resemblance to Mike Tyson, Couser fought several contenders from his era...
on 20 March 2009 and won the fight by technical knockout after Couser did not answer the bell for the fourth round.
Hopoate fought Oliver McCall
Oliver McCall
Oliver "The Atomic Bull" McCall is an American professional Heavyweight boxer best known for winning the WBC Heavyweight Championship in 1994 after scoring an upset knock out victory over Lennox Lewis, in Lewis' home town of London, England, followed by his infamous in-ring meltdown in the rematch...
on 22 May 2009 for the International Boxing Association (IBA) Intercontinental heavyweight title in a fight which he lost by second round technical knockout after being knocked down twice in the fight.
He fought Bob Mirovic again on 23 July 2009, beating him on points after a gruelling 10-round match.
Hopoate fought Colin Wilson
Colin Wilson
Colin Henry Wilson is a prolific English writer who first came to prominence as a philosopher and novelist. Wilson has since written widely on true crime, mysticism and other topics. He prefers calling his philosophy new existentialism or phenomenological existentialism.- Early biography:Born and...
on 10 October 2009, on the undercard of the David Tua
David Tua
David "Tuamanator" Tua is a New Zealand professional heavyweight boxer, fighting out of South Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.He is a former WBO Asia Pacific and WBO Oriental Heavyweight champion....
and Shane Cameron
Shane Cameron
Shane "Mountain Warrior" Cameron is a former 2002 Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner currently competing in the cruiserweight division...
fight. Hopoate started the fight well scoring a knock down in the third round, before Colin Wilson came back from the knock down to knock Hopoate down late in the same round. Wilson went on to win the fight knocking Hopoate out in the fourth round.
Hopoate then fought Shane Cameron
Shane Cameron
Shane "Mountain Warrior" Cameron is a former 2002 Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner currently competing in the cruiserweight division...
on 20 March 2010, losing the fight by disqualification in the second round after Hopoate wrestled with Cameron and tried throwing him to the ground more than he tried throwing punches.