People who say Hopkins has faced Smaller Opponents

[-Antonio-]

Well first of all, De La Hoya and Trinidad are not even close to what Hearns was at Middleweight.

[RageX]

Well first of all, De La Hoya and Trinidad are not even close to what Hearns was at Middleweight.

Well Trinidad was a big Welterweight...knocked out guys at Middleweight, and fought Roy Jones recently

[Jim Jeffries]

Felix Trinidad is highly regarded as one of the best Welterweights of all time. Tommy Hearns was also a highly regarded Welterweight who moved up to Middleweight to face Hagler.

A Sugar Ray Leonard/Oscar De La Hoya comparison is not that far fetched either when you're talking a prime Oscar.

Not to mention Winky Wright being the #2 p4p fighter in the world at the time Hopkins beat him, and Antonio Tarver being the #1 man in a division 10lbs above Hopkins' normal weight.

Trinidad was a pretty big WW, and he was a favorite against Hopkins in their fight, so it was a big win for Bernard (also a testament to how weak Hopkins' opposition was until that point.) But no way can you compare him to Hearns (at MW), who carried his power all the way to cruiserweight.

A Leonard/DLH comparison at middleweight? C'mon.

Hopkins dragged Winky 16 pounds above the weight where he'd last won a title. Bernard had had well over a year to adjust to the higher weight.

Not sure how Tarver was the #1 anything after losing 2 of his last 5 fights. Good win still, I'll give you, but then how is Hopkins all of a sudden washed up if 2 of his greatest wins are in the last year and a half.

[RageX]

Duran Leonard and Hearns are all great fighters

De La Hoya, Trinidad and Wright are all good fighters

Hagler is 2-1 against them (Duran win was very close, and lost to Leonard)

Hopkins is 3-0 against them

[Jim Jeffries]

Duran Leonard and Hearns are all great fighters

De La Hoya, Trinidad and Wright are all good fighters

Hagler is 2-1 against them (Duran win was very close, and lost to Leonard)

Hopkins is 3-0 against them

So what about RJJ and Jermain Taylor? You can't say he was old against Taylor, but still count wins against Tarver and Wright.

[Thread Stealer]

Well first of all, De La Hoya and Trinidad are not even close to what Hearns was at Middleweight.

but tito had done more at middleweight than hearns had when they each fought hopkins/hagler.

hearns did his better work at middleweight after hagler beat him.

you can use this to say that hearns was the better middleweight (or had the size, skills, reach, etc.. to succeed at higher weights), but u can also say that hearns got more experience @ 160 as he went along and adapted better to the increase in weight as time went along.

[warp1432]

Trinidad was a pretty big WW, and he was a favorite against Hopkins in their fight, so it was a big win for Bernard (also a testament to how weak Hopkins' opposition was until that point.) But no way can you compare him to Hearns (at MW), who carried his power all the way to cruiserweight.

A Leonard/DLH comparison at middleweight? C'mon.

Hopkins dragged Winky 16 pounds above the weight where he'd last won a title. Bernard had had well over a year to adjust to the higher weight.

Not sure how Tarver was the #1 anything after losing 2 of his last 5 fights. Good win still, I'll give you, but then how is Hopkins all of a sudden washed up if 2 of his greatest wins are in the last year and a half.

He was #1 because he had regained it. The #1 was jones, then it was Tarver, then it was Johson, then it was Tarver again.

And Hopkins is just past his prime. It shows because his work rate and speed have clearly diminished. That being said, he's still a really good fighter. Kinda like De La Hoya and Mosley in the Mayweather and Cotto fights. Not their best days, but still really good.

Winky was great at 160. He punished Trinidad, which you are supposed to do with the smaller man anyway, beat Quartey (who beat Forrest), beat Soliman (decent win), and had a draw with Taylor (well deserved draw. Could have gone to either guy).

That's really only 10 pounds above the weight and Hopkins had to come down 5. It really evened out. Winky is still a hard nut to crack regradless of the weight anyway.

[RageX]

So what about RJJ and Jermain Taylor? You can't say he was old against Taylor, but still count wins against Tarver and Wright.

The taylor fights were considered gift decisions and you cant disagree that Hopkins was far from his best, yes he was still far from his best against Tarver and Wright but he still beat them, it just shows you a different between a good and a great fighter. A great fighter can even win when he is out of his prime, etc. You get what im sayin bro?

Prime RJJ is a trouble against anyone, and he would have beaten almost any middleweight ever, You name it.

[ippo]

hagler is better than hopkins, but i still like hopkins more as a fighter.

[warp1432]

The Taylor fights were also really close whether you think he won or lost. He made Taylor look bad even while winning.

Bernard also had problems with boxers who rely on athletisicm like Jones and Taylor. I wouldn't call Taylor great, but he's pretty good. I thought he had a draw with Winky and he destroyed Ouma.

I just don't think the Taylor losses should be counted as bad lossses because they were both close and made Taylor look bad. .