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Hopkins, 44, the former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion, used his experience to land sharp counters, and when Ornelas stood back, scored with lead right hands.

"I'd like to give Ornelas a lot of credit, he didn't come to lay down," said Hopkins, who improved to 50-5-1 (32 KO's). "He hung in there, he took some great shots. I took some great shots. I think for 44 years old, my energy level was fantastic."

The judges scored the bout 120-109, 119-109, and 118-110 for Hopkins, who has said he plans to step up to heavyweight and fight WBA champion David Haye of Britain.

"I'm going to be the heavyweight champion of the world in 2010," Hopkins said

"Oh yeah, definitely," he said when asked if the Jones fight could still happen.

(Writing by Kieran Mulvaney in Washington DC; editing by Patrick Johnston)