How great of a athlete is Bernard Hopkins?

Here is the thing...10-15 years ago BHop was blackballed by every major promoter and ESPN really hated him...ESPN really hated him for the outspoken black man he is...I knew exactly how he fought then and loved his excruciating drag you down style and he still fights the same way today...it geeks me out to see guys calling BHop a living legend out one side of their mouth while indicting "boring" fighters with the other side. Dude, if Richard Abril fights like he does until he's 47, I'll respect him even if I hate him. "Watchable" doesn't have to go hand in hand with "legend".

Here is the thing...10-15 years ago BHop was blackballed by every major promoter and ESPN really hated him...ESPN really hated him for the outspoken black man he is...I knew exactly how he fought then and loved his excruciating drag you down style and he still fights the same way today...it geeks me out to see guys calling BHop a living legend out one side of their mouth while indicting "boring" fighters with the other side.

Thanks for sharing.

It depends what comes under the umbrella term of "athleticism". If you include all physical attributes, then he's incredibly athletically gifted. If you take away certain aspects, like the 'hard-nosed, never been down' aspect of his boxing totality then I think he's very, very good, but not special. Roy Jones is special. LeBron James is special. It's down to the fast twitch muscles and other sh*t like that. Bernard's real gift, his greatest aspect, is his boxing brain. His longevity obviously has to be taken into question, but I think his clean living has as much to do with that as genetic propensity/athletic ability.

If he isnt on PEDS he is remarkable. He is an inspiration.

Very few can achieve what Bhop has , to box elite level at his age is remarkable .