He's nearly 40. He realizes he has to cement his legacy, and time may be his toughest opponent.

Most fighters Bernard Hopkins' age are either long gone from competing or are embarrassing themselves for another payday, tarnishing their legacy along the way. Not Hopkins. He's making the best of it, with a list of opponents he wants to confront that will help secure him a spot amongst the all-time greats in the sport.

On December 13 he will defend his unified middleweight crown for a record 17th time against William Joppy at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Joppy is hardly a cornerstone opponent, but it is an important fight if wants to reach his goal of 20 title defenses and a place as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

"There's bigger things in life than just being labeled a pugilist," Hopkins told the assembled media on a conference call last week. "There's more about Bernard Hopkins than just being a fighter. I'm doing what I can now, so in 15-20 years, and more than 20 title defenses, young athletes will see what Bernard Hopkins is about.

"They have to see that you have to go through stuff to be great -- to be who they are in history."

Since his stunning victory over Felix Trinidad in 2001, Hopkins has looked to the verge of tarnishing his own legacy. He dumped and was later sued by advisor Lou DiBella, he played hardball in negotiations for fights and then dumped longtime trainer Bouie Fisher, who he has now made amends with.

But if you ask Hopkins, it's not his fault that these things have happened; it comes with the territory when you are establishing your legend.

According to Hopkins, there were two attacks that went down in New York City that month when he beat Trinidad. Obviously there was the World Trade Center attack, that when compared to Hopkins' plight, makes the "Executioner's" troubles seem minuscule. Hopkins suspects some JFK-like conspiracies went on in the aftermath of his Trinidad victory.

"It goes deeper than that night," Hopkins said. "At the press conference it was like President Bush was assassinated ‹ nobody said anything. They were all sad and quiet."

Hopkins feels that barring his late rounds stoppage of Trinidad, the fight would have swung to the tough Puerto Rican. All the proof he needs is in the Sugar Ray Robinson Trophy, created to give to the winner of promoter Don KIng's middleweight tournament. The trophy, according to Hopkins already had Trinidad's name on it when he was presented with the prize.

"The gods of this world weren't God that night," Hopkins said. "They may be God to others, but they're not God to me."

But, that's what happens when you want greatness. Hopkins said his struggle for legendary status started when he was a street thug. Having served time for strong-arm robbery, he realized he could hit people and still get paid, and get a lot doing it, if he boxed for a living.

He feels he's come along at a critical time in our nation's history just like Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Satchel Paige did.

Ali, Brown, and Russell were all in their primes during the turbulent 1960s, when the civil rights movement was gaining steam, and each of them shattered the stereotype of the black athlete. Obviously Ali shook up the country by refusing to go into the service, and caught people's attention with his outspoken antics. Brown, who never missed a game in his NFL career, retired at age 30 and helped form the Negro Industrial Economic Union to assist black-owned businesses and in the 1980s he created the Amer-I-Can program to help turn gang members into productive members of society.

Russell, once boycotted an exhibition game in Lexington, Kentucky, when two of his teammates were refused service in a hotel coffee shop. Russell's defensive style helped change the way the game of professional basketball was played.

Paige, one of the greatest Negro League pitchers of all time, was the oldest player to make his major league debut (at the age of 42) when his contract was sold to the Cleveland Indians in 1948. That year he helped the Indians to the American League pennant.

Whether or not Hopkins will be remembered in history in the same way these men are remains to be seen. It wasn't until the last 15 or so years that Ali became a revered person who changed people's perception for the better, and depending on how Hopkins handles his business once he's out of the ring will go a long way in shaping his legacy.

Obviously Ali, Brown, Russell and Paige were all missed once they stopped performing in their chosen athletic theater and that is Hopkins' hope for himself once he leaves the ring for good.

"After I'm gone, you'll miss me," Hopkins said. "Love or hate me, one thing is I'm all about doing my job."

And whether or not we care that he's gone, Hopkins knows he's already achieved more than most people ever thought he could.

"From a street fighter to future Hall-of-Famer," he said. "This is gravy. I've already won."