Why Did Hopkins Lose To Taylor?

CTD20y ago

I was just wondering what people's opinions on this fight were. I dont know what it was, but the media hype surrounding Hopkins had me thinking, before the fight, that he was unbeatable. He had defended his title 20 times, and was amongst the top 1 or 2 in the P4P rankings. What was it about Taylor's style that beat Hopkins. Or do you think that the fight was a gift from the judge's. I have speculated both, but i have to say. If the judges came to a split decision then Taylor must have done something correctly to try and topple Hopkins. I very much doubt there was any corruption in the fight. I am still waiting on downloading the fight, as i dont have HBO or Showtime, because i live in the UK. But the Howard Eastman fight was televised here and i learnt a lot about Hopkins style from that fight alone. He quite succesfully outboxed Eastman, a man known for his heavy hands, and perhaps this was his downfall against Taylor. I heard that he lost a lot of the early rounds against Taylor, but began to come back in the later part of the fight. Do you think it would have been better for Hopkins to add to his 32 Knock Outs, or would this just tire him out earlier and leave him exposed for a possible KO against him. Personally, i wouldnt go as far as saying that if Hopkins went for a KO he would risk being knocked out. I rated his chin in the Eastman fight. He got hit with some nice shots and took them well. So i doubt that he would suffer a late KO. Either way it has set up a nice background to the coming fight in 2006. Anyway what are your opinions on the first fight?

Comments (20)

mexway

Very poor take. Look at the stats: If Taylor was landing 20 jabs a round, your account might be credible. But he wasn't, he was landing only slightly higher than Hopkins, with jabs vs Hopkins counter power shots. The fact he was missing 70 - 80 % of his jabs shows Hopkins defense was playing a bigger factor in those rounds than it normally would in rounds where 1 fighter is outlanding the other significantly. Again, those early rounds were very subjective, and anyone that's talking like their account is more correct than anyone elses is very full of themsleves. The fight could have been 115-113 either way. End of story. First of i dont believe compubox stats are accurate secondly i never said i was the end all adn be all of scoring if you ever read any of my few post on this subject you would see that i have said many times its waa close fight and could be scored either way but i believe that taylor looked more effective he seemed to me to be dictating the fight till the final four round. dont show stats and say thiat all that matters.

20y ago

Bozo_no_no0305

The funny thing is you were saying before how compubox stats don't tell the whole story and now you referring to compubox stats. I smell a little bit of hypocrisy here. Sigh.... You need to add a bit of common sense. I said they show that neither fighter was significantly outlanding the other, and provided the stats to show that. There's a difference. I didn't use the stats to try and prove one fighter was superior than the other, I showed they weren't far apart. Suggesting I can't ever refer to stats because I told someone you can't just use stats as being difinitive is silly.

20y ago

TuPrincipe

Very poor take. Look at the stats: If Taylor was landing 20 jabs a round, your account might be credible. But he wasn't, he was landing only slightly higher than Hopkins, with jabs vs Hopkins counter power shots. The fact he was missing 70 - 80 % of his jabs shows Hopkins defense was playing a bigger factor in those rounds than it normally would in rounds where 1 fighter is outlanding the other significantly. Again, those early rounds were very subjective, and anyone that's talking like their account is more correct than anyone elses is very full of themsleves. The fight could have been 115-113 either way. End of story. The funny thing is you were saying before how compubox stats don't tell the whole story and now you referring to compubox stats. I smell a little bit of hypocrisy here.

20y ago

Bozo_no_no0305

Taylor won because hopkins did nothing for the first eight rounds this is boxing and yes your right defense is important but offense is more so and hopkins had none. He looked unwilling to challenge a younger fighter maybe its his age maybe its the fact that taylor was a big step up in opposition compared to his last few fights. it was close but i score impartially i had it 115-113 Taylor and stand by my score. even after watching the fight multiple times. if hopkins is to beat taylor he has to fight for 12 rds not just 3-4 and expect to be givin a win. Very poor take. Look at the stats: Total Punches Landed / Thrown Round 123456789101112Hopkins2/125/207/137/307/204/174/154/2411/3416/5617/4012/4517%25%54%23%35%24%27%17%32%29%42%27%Taylor3/3312/395/387/398/3817/456/305/416/438/424/285/379%31%13%18%21%38%20%12%14%19%14%14% If Taylor was landing 20 jabs a round, your account might be credible. But he wasn't, he was landing only slightly higher than Hopkins, with jabs vs Hopkins counter power shots. The fact he was missing 70 - 80 % of his jabs shows Hopkins defense was playing a bigger factor in those rounds than it normally would in rounds where 1 fighter is outlanding the other significantly. Again, those early rounds were very subjective, and anyone that's talking like their account is more correct than anyone elses is very full of themsleves. The fight could have been 115-113 either way. End of story.

20y ago

mexway

20y ago

TheEvilSaint

Because Duane Ford mistakinly gave the 12th round to Taylor. ;) nuff said.

20y ago

blockhead

Why is it so hard to believe that taylor won? Is it because he isn't polished and looks somewhat mechanical, but far as I'm concerned he did much more than hopkins during the first half of the fight, and seemed to punk the champ until he get tired and the champ came on late, but in my opinion hopkins didn't do enough to win the fight and the network was looking to the future...WHo would you rather have, and young stud that will fight anybody, or an old fool who waited until past his prime to behave like a true champion... was this the first boxing match you had ever seen? he did do more than hopkins but it was all useless. he accomplished nothing with his "activity" he was wild and innefective and that is why it is hard to believe that taylor won.

20y ago

wmute

because Bernard Hopkins is old therefore he cannot keep a decent level of activity therefore he did not impress the judges, who are clearly unable or unwilling to look at things like defense, ring generalship, landed punches, and EFFECTIVE aggression (oh wait did I just name ALL 4 things that should be looked at while scoring a round?) Therefore Taylor W12

20y ago

Living_Legend

Why Did Hopkins Lose To Taylor? Why is it so hard to believe that taylor won? Is it because he isn't polished and looks somewhat mechanical, but far as I'm concerned he did much more than hopkins during the first half of the fight, and seemed to punk the champ until he get tired and the champ came on late, but in my opinion hopkins didn't do enough to win the fight and the network was looking to the future...WHo would you rather have, and young stud that will fight anybody, or an old fool who waited until past his prime to behave like a true champion...

20y ago

blockhead

Why did Hopkins lose to Taylor? He didn't throw enough punches. Even though I disagree'd with the final result, he didn't throw enough punches in the early rounds. Taylor was much more active during the fight, so you had to give at least 5 of the first 7 rounds to him imo. I had the fight 115-113 Hopkins, but of course there was politics involved with the judging of the bout. HBO wanted Taylor to win, and who knows Dibella has connections and he could of pulled something fishy. dibella was my thought as well. that final scoring just didnt make sense.

20y ago

TuPrincipe

20y ago

unity768

And for everyones information, most sports writers ringside scored in 116-112 for hopkins, including max kellerman and manny steward.

20y ago

blockhead

I was getting really annoyed during the fight. I actually contemplated walking out of the venue where I was watching, at the end of the 9th. i thought taylor was out of control the whole time and couldnt believe that he was winning rounds. i didnt see him land anything. and when hopkins came on late in the fight he was landing at will. how is a fight judged in favor of a guy who spends nine rounds missing his opponent and three rounds getting flat out hammered on. i think it still irritates me. actually i know it does.

20y ago

NAB

no but i still think he won the fight handily. its a really frustrating fight i think. taylor is wild and hopkins is given no credit for impeccable defense. I was getting really annoyed during the fight. I actually contemplated walking out of the venue where I was watching, at the end of the 9th.

20y ago

blockhead

Relax... Do you think Hopkins workrate was at its normal level? no but i still think he won the fight handily. its a really frustrating fight i think. taylor is wild and hopkins is given no credit for impeccable defense.

20y ago

bfg

When i watched the fight i had it 115-113 for Hopkins. Sure Taylor threw punches, but most were missed and on the shoulders of Hopkins. B-HOP waited taylor out, touched him up every now and then, and went for the KO from the 10th round to 12th round. IMO, Taylor never landed anything significant, and when the HBO commentators (except for Roy Jones)kept saying TAYLOR IS DOING THIS, HES THROWING MORE PUNCHES!! but guess what, for every wild punch taylor threw, bernard landed a solid hook or straight right on taylor flush. 1st Round - Taylor 2nd Round - Taylor 3rd Round - Hopkins 4th Round - Taylor 5th Round - Hopkins 6th Round - Taylor 7th Round - Hopkins 8th Round - Taylor 9th Round - Hopkins 10th Round - Hopkins 11th Round - Hopkins 12th Round - Hopkins It was a close fight either way...Hopkins really has nothing to lose in the rematch...If Taylor beats Hopkins again, then Hopkind will get off because of his age and Taylor will be hailed as the future of the division...if he wins it will almost be a bigger accomplishment than if he had won the first fight...

20y ago

unity768

20y ago

bfg

Taylor won 7 rounds. Hopkins won 5. That is why. I agree, Nard slept through the first half of the fight

20y ago

DiegoFuego

Taylor won 7 rounds. Hopkins won 5. That is why.

20y ago

bfg

I thought Hopkins was really slow early on..he picked it up late but a little too late this time

20y ago