When was Hopkins' prime?

Hopkins was in his prime from 97-03.

I disagree: Hopkins was on the slide after Tito...or maybe one or two fights after Tito. Even Robert Allen, who faced Hopkins a few times, said Hopkins was past his best and even said he was less powerful compared to the two prior meetings. Hopkins is just a very smart fighter and technically sound that he can adjust to his declined physical status by pacing and trying to control the fight by other means. And the proof is in the way people started to see Hopkins: He went from a fighter you could watch to a fighter that was seen as "Boring." I forget exactly how Merchant put it, but he said something like.... Hopkins used to be a Lion that hunted down his prey to a Lion that had to hide behind the bushes and wait for his prey to come to him. Something like that. I may be off. The man keeps changing his game, and adjusting to his diminishing physical abilities.

hard to say with Hopkins.. guys seems to never age. Especially with results like the Pavlik fight You can have a great win and still be past your best. Hopkins is just a smart fighter that is technically sound. Physically, he has been past his best for a long time. Once you decline is some department, you are past your prime. At least that is how I see. I changed my mind a bit on the definition of it since now I use "at absolute best/peak" and "prime" as slightly different. For instance, it would be like a video-game point system: 100 being the highest/absolute best....and with 90-100 still being in prime. So you can have a slight decline but still be considered Prime. He lost to Taylor; something I don't see happening with a younger version of Hopkins. Pavlik losing says something about Hopkins but also about Pavlik.

the roy jones fight bernard is semiprime and roy was bery far of his prime. and the prime of hopkins ended vs taylor. and now he isnt in his prime. a bernard prime put KO calzaghe easy, but I think bernard win a remach vs joe I disagree: Hopkins was on the slide after Tito...or maybe one or two fights after Tito. Even Robert Allen, who faced Hopkins a few times, said Hopkins was past his best and even said he was less powerful compared to the two prior meetings. Hopkins is just a very smart fighter and technically sound that he can adjust to his declined physical status by pacing and trying to control the fight by other means. And the proof is in the way people started to see Hopkins: He went from a fighter you could watch to a fighter that was seen as "Boring." I forget exactly how Merchant put it, but he said something like.... Hopkins used to be a Lion that hunted down his prey to a Lion that had to hide behind the bushes and wait for his prey to come to him. Something like that. I may be off.

Someone should ask Hopkins what he thought his prime was or when it was. I wonder what kind of response they would get out of him. He would probably say he had his prime in prison. lol

the roy jones fight bernard is semiprime and roy was bery far of his prime. and the prime of hopkins ended vs taylor. and now he isnt in his prime. a bernard prime put KO calzaghe easy, but I think bernard win a remach vs joe

I'd say from about 99 thru 06 (I think he schooled JT the 2nd time) BHOP was not to be fukked with the way he did tito is still one of the prime examlpes of how a vet takes a young boy apart piece by piece

The Johnson fight is where he really started to put it all together. By 99, with Echols, he was a complete fighter and he stayed there until around 03 when he got hot/cold. Co-sign. The Echols fight was B-Hop at his best. He destroyed Echols using one arm in the mid rounds and when his other arm got better late in the fight he straight up whipped the dude's ass.

The Johnson fight is where he really started to put it all together. By 99, with Echols, he was a complete fighter and he stayed there until around 03 when he got hot/cold.

1997 - 2004 is when i feel Hopkins was at his physical and mental best.

hard to say with Hopkins.. guys seems to never age. Especially with results like the Pavlik fight

Yeas in the pole are not ideal...they overlap 2 much.. He was in his prime in the late 1990's, Tito fight was the one that highlughted his talent to the world stage...He still had the work rate and stamina then as well as the craft to outbox tito..

Around 1997 or 96 to around 2003. Basically when he started becoming a boxer-puncher instead of the slugger he was until the point where he started throwing one punch at a time. Joppy was his last prime performance.

When Jones Played with him and beat him every round ! http://slugout.com/BERNARDHOPKINS.jpg that was neither jones or hopkins prime. they both got much better after that fight

Someone should ask Hopkins what he thought his prime was or when it was. I wonder what kind of response they would get out of him.

hopkins is a rare breed..his physical prime is inferior to his mental prime..his brain is something to behold..you can take his arms and he will still find away to winyea, i always phantasized about him having the brains he has now and the physical prime he had then in 1. he would dismantle any fighter

this is a question with no definite answer That is true, because arguments can be made on both sides. In his recent years he has a been a defensive/slick master in my opinion. I think it is actually now, sure his stamina isn't as great as it once was but now he relies on his brain more then his muscles in his body.

Not sure, but in reference to the OP, Bhop was not as good as he was gonna get when he lost to RJ.

Hopkins hit his prime in the late 90's 99ish.

he hasn't had it yet.........