Why did Hopkins choose opponents from smaller weight classes?

[Left Hook Tua]

I think he was at the olympics, His pro debut as against "Lamar Williams" (Something like that) at lightweight. He moved down a bit into his career to get the title, i think he may have defended it one time but one only then moved back up. I'm 90% sure

you're right. he was 133 his pro debut.

i was wrong......well at least i know i won't be wrong again 'til 2018.

i'm wrong ONCE every decade. fluke of nature i guess.

[Xyei]

Why all the hate for Hopkins?

First off, just because his first fight was at LHW doesn't automatically mean that that is his "natural" weight. Maybe he wasn't completely in shape for that fight? Also, Hopkins is known for the fact that he used to walk around at his fighting weight. He didn't have to cut a bunch of weight to squeeze down to MW like you are implying, Tunney. He just stayed lean and in shape all the time. What's wrong with that? Margarito could probably be fighting at 154 or 160 but he can make 147 so he does. That's boxing and we have weightclasses to determine fights not "who looks bigger" comparisons..

It's not like Kelly Pavlik is some frail little 160 pounder. Hes a big guy and Poppa Hops is taking a big risk fighting him.

You see Tunney, this fight for me, is the equivalent of Wlad vs. Povetkin for you.

[T-97]

you're right. he was 133 his pro debut.

i was wrong......well at least i know i won't be wrong again 'til 2018.

i'm wrong ONCE every decade. fluke of nature i guess.

Woo! I knew my obsessive watching of the early years of De La Hoyas career would pay off some day!

[El Jesus]

How the **** are they elite fighters?

they both traded the undisputed lightheavyweight title at one point, they were the elites of the division easily. while johnson wasnt an elite when hopkins fought him, he certainly proved himself to be an admirable fighter.

[Xyei]

so nevermind that the vast majority of Hopkins career was spent at 160 with no issues pertaining to making weight you just go by his one fight at 175, his pro debut mind you, and conclude that he is a natural 175lb fighter. Also did you know he actually made 156 for the DLH fight? oh yeah he was weight drained

I forgot to mention that! Good point. If Hopkins wanted to drain he could have probably been fighting at 154.

[-Swizzy-]

Bernard Hopkins started as a light heavyweight, but fought opponents like De La Hoya who began as a lightweight, and Trinidad, who started at welterweight.

Now he'll be fighting a young middleweight, Kelly Pavlik, who not as thickly built and walks around at about 175, while Hopkins walks around at 185-190.

Why has he never, never fought anyone from a larger weight class like cruiserweight, and usually fights smaller men?

you see hopkins as walking around at 185-190 having to lose weight for his fight and pavlik having to gain weight as an advantage for hopkins? hopkins fought as a middleweight for most of his career and has weighed as low as 156 for a fight. pavlik is bigger than hops when it comes to height and reach. pavlik also has trouble making his 160 weight limit and has weighed in as high as 169 for some of his fights most recently being 2005. this fight is legit whether you think so or not.

and btw, pavlik is one of my favorite fighters and hopkins isn't, just so you don't make the lame-ass nuthugging excuse.

[The Hammer]

Hopkins is also a naturally bigger man than Joe Calzaghe, as we all saw when they fought.

[Sithis]

the question should be why is de la hoya fighting guys from lower weight classes?

[msagrain]

Thats how we roll!

[βetamax]

Hopkins is also a naturally bigger man than Joe Calzaghe, as we all saw when they fought.

Proof that Hopkins is naturally bigger? Don't tell me just because of the height because Pavlik is taller than Hopkins yet I don't hear you smearing him.