I talked about the Keith Holmes fight that Bernard had right before Tito and how I knew when watching that fight that Bernard would beat Tito. There was nothing in my mind that I could see Tito doing against him. Now, what I or anyone else didnt know was that Hopkins would box early and alot of Tito fans say thats why he won.
So, my question is how do you think the fight wouldve played out between the 2 if Hopkins had fought his normal style that he used all the way up to the Tito fight. Please dont respond if your a hater and not going to give Tito his props because he was a monster with quick hands and great snap on his punches who was one of the hardest hitting guys I have seen. Dont respond if your a hater who has never seen the prime Hopkins and only see's this new guy who is older with slower reflexes and is strictly a counter puncher.
I dont think anyone could go toe to toe with Tito "except" Hopkins. Alot of people question his resume and title defenses and Im one of them. I too have some questions because I dont think he necessarily fought a high level of comp but at the same time I also recognize a Monster when I see one and Hopkins was that.
He was that tough as nails, Philly street fighter. He was rough, he always got off first, and threw a bunch of combos with hard chopping punches. The reason why I dont think Tito still wouldve beat him was because of Hopkins body. Look at all the greats Tito beat. Look at there body and look at how Hopkins use to look? His body just looked hard and he fought hard. He was super physical and could basically manhandle and punk anyone. Even against Vargas, Tito was pushed around some and Vargas did well in the clinches.
If he did that then Hopkins wouldve punished him. Then the way he could throw combos in the clinch? What? He was a monster. His head and chin was just like his body. It was like steel. It honestly didnt look like you could hurt this guy.
The final thing is to dont forget that they fought. Hopkins did box early and fight more late but they still got into some early and every single time, Hopkins won the exchanges. He was just a much harder more phsyical man and it did alot of times look like a man against a boy. Tito was killing everyone but just looking at Hopkins against Holmes and I couldnt see one way Tito could hurt this guy and I didnt think Tito would be able to take Hopkins physical style and chopping punches. Tito was the 2nd dirtiest fighter in the game back then and always got away with it but Hopkins was the most dirtiest guy in the game and he wouldve even won at that.
Then dont forgot about the Cherry on top. Everything I talked about was Hopkins phsyical ability but another reason why I knew he wouldnt lose is because his menatl makeup and personality. He was a straight up street cat who wasnt going to be scared of Tito and he was the one use to bullying guys. Then look at them. Tito was the handsome boxer. Hopkins looked like a Murder fresh out the pin. Dude took that mask off and looked like he would straight fuck you up. Hopkins even talked about how he was blessed with a mean look and how he use to "Strong Arm" rob guys. For those of you who dont know, that means without a weapon.
PS- One funny or kind of bad thing about the Holmes fight was in the post fight interview and the whole leadup to the fight. In the post fight interview he said he didnt care if Tito or Joppy won but he said "I know alot of black who wants to fight those Puerto Ricans", and he actually made alot of the buildup a race war between the black and ricans. Dude was crazy but Tito was also a beast so if you say that you think Tito wouldve knocked him out if he really tried to brawl with him then I would understand it and it may be true but I just couldnt see it.
Remember guys, the question is if Hopkins wouldve fought the whole fight like he normaly had fought which was toe to toe in a rough in close fight then who wouldve won and how?
Remember guys, the question is if Hopkins wouldve fought the whole fight like he normaly had fought which was toe to toe in a rough in close fight then who wouldve won and how?
I don't really understand the point or motivation behind asking this question.
Bernard fought the perfect fight agaisnt Tito.
Why even ask what would have happened if he'd fought the wrong fight?
Hopkins has a damn good chin, a damn good punch, and spectacular technique while fighting toe-to-toe. If anything I honestly believe Hopkins would've ko'd him earlier if he had.
i totally agree.i couldn't have sed it better myself
Hopkins beat Tito in every way that night. Outside, against the ropes, and standing in there with him. Hopkins is just a better, smarter fighter than Tito. If they fought 5 times, Hopkins would knock Tito out 5 times. Bernard is just the wrong fighter for Tito.
Anyhow Tito's name ain't even drawing numbers these days, unlike Hopkin's, that's why the cat retires each & everytime he catches a beatdown. Now Can U Dig Dat!!!!!!!! :boxing:
Have you been watching boxing the last few years?
I agree that Hopkins beats Tito damn near everytime but Tito will always sell more tickets and ppvs than Hopkins can count.
Tito was good ONCE, but so was RJJ, but now they're 2 cheeks on a bum. If Tito went to hell, Hopkins would be whoopin his ass 4 ever. Anyhow Tito's name ain't even drawing numbers these days, unlike Hopkin's, that's why the cat retires each & everytime he catches a beatdown. Now Can U Dig Dat!!!!!!!! :boxing:
I said this before but Delahoya laid the blueprint out on how to beat Tito. Hopkins used that and worked it too perfection. It's as simple as that. I'm sure Hopkins could have gone toe to toe as well IMO.
Badmagic, When did Hopkins say this? All I rememeber hearing him saying is how Tito never even came close to huting him. He may have said it in the height of the period when he was trying to get a big money rematch but even in the post fight interview he said that Tito never hurt him and he said the Echols is still the hardest puncher he ever faced
I read about it in Ring Magazine. Hopkins said that his ribs hurt from body punches Tito landed on him. He also said Tito hit him with one good lefthook and he told himself that he was not going to let that happen again. Hopkins also said that lefthook left a bruise on his cheek.
Trinidad is a blown-up welterweight, he can't beat Hopkins.
That win means nothing for Hopkins, nothing.
So Haglers wins over HEarns and Duran meant nothing either. Nor did Leonards win over Duran....or any bigger fighters win over a smaller fighter for that matter. Or Sanchez' win over Gomez etc.
Point being think before typing this stuff.
Tito had great power for a welter weight and still had good power at middleweight but he isn't strong enough to go against true middleweights. They would just wear him down.
Its no disgrace, just that he went up too much. DLH attempted the same feat but also failed because while he has great power at the lower weights he just didn't have that great power in middle. Any True middleweights would most likely beat Tito or DLH but I would give Tito more of a punchers chance versus some and I would give DLH more of a boxers chance of winning by decision against some (depending on who they are facing).
Tito is a Great Welterweight though.
Trinidad is a blown-up welterweight, he can't beat Hopkins.
That win means nothing for Hopkins, nothing.
Flase. Tito was top 5 p4p at that time, and the win was a big one, regardless of size.
I agree with those that said Hops would have stopped Tito earlier had he went toe-to-toe more. He did go toe-to-toe plenty as it was though. It was a complete shellacking.
Hopkins is just an all around great fighter with so many tricks up his sleeve, who wouldn't stay right in front of Trinidad. I think he just had Trinidad's number.
Hopkins has a damn good chin, a damn good punch, and spectacular technique while fighting toe-to-toe. If anything I honestly believe Hopkins would've ko'd him earlier if he had. Although I'm glad he didn't since he instead got to humiliate Tito for almost a full 12 rounds.
Hopkins IS and always WAS a better, stronger fighter than Trinidad. He was doing an absolute JOB on Trinidad in their bout when he did decide to go toe 2 toe with him....had he fought that way the whole time he would have dispatched Tito earlier.
Antwun Echols knows what it feels like to go toe to toe with Hopkins. So does Carl Daniels and a slew of other guys.
Hopkins cant go toe-to-toe with Tito.
in the fight Hopkins did something that Vargas and Joppy did do is to move side to side.
Tito have great power with the left-hook and he needs time shows when he is going to hit it which gave Hopkins the advatnge.
In the fight the commentator said that Tito looked like a sprinter and that Hopkins moved from side to side.
Pro for Tito is the left-hook that is the one of the strongest i ever seen in boxing history.
But Tito biggest and deadliest disadvatage is boxers who move around from side to side.