Hopkins should move up to heavyweight

[Chr0nic]

I'm with you on that. I've been saying Hopkins was the better fighter for years, and with the Tarver, Wright, Calzaghe SD loss (which many thought he won), and Pavlik string he went on, he cemented it IMO.

Bernard continues to defy his age, while Roy continues to show his.

roy is ranked higher cuz roy beat B-Hop and toney(the two best of his generation) and absolutley dominated his competition(cleaning out each division) and moving up to heavyweight and being a heavyweight champion

b-hop is'nt ranked higher, cuz he never beat prime toney nor roy(the best of his generation)

or do you think a pavlik win is more notable and impressive than a victory over jones/toney

[slicksouthpaw16]

Lets not get too ahead of ourselves. Don't forget that Evander is a heavyweight( and can punch) and has been fighting at heavyweight for about 18 years. Bernard is not only a light heavyweight( and spent the majority of his career at middleweight) but he is past his prime. He wouldn't be able to keep up the heavyweight pace that Valuev would set and he wouldn't have the size, reach or punch to be effective.

Actually i would favor Adamek( at cruiser weight) over Hopkins. Everyone will not give him the respect that Pavlik gave him and he would run into problems with someone that has true boxing ability and the speed to get there and force him to fight.

[ßringer]

if Hopkins keeps fighting he should do it
what better way to go out than beating a Giant
for the heavyweight belt ? ..and VAluev
is there to be taken ... Valuev's reach isn't that long is it ?

He'd have a 10 inch reach advantage over Hopkins. Hopkins is 75", Valuev's is 85".

Pretty solid advantage for Valuev, but that's about all he'd have going for him. He wouldn't land more than 50 punches on Hopkins in the entire fight, and I'm being generous.

[Chr0nic]

He'd have a 10 inch reach advantage over Hopkins. Hopkins is 75", Valuev's is 85".

Pretty solid advantage for Valuev, but that's about all he'd have going for him. He wouldn't land more than 50 punches on Hopkins in the entire fight, and I'm being generous.

his fist alone makes up for a third of hopkins body, he'd have to lay on the ground(or jump over his arm) to avoid hooks and have to run to avoid the jabs

[ßringer]

roy is ranked higher cuz roy beat B-Hop and toney(the two best of his generation) and absolutley dominated his competition(cleaning out each division) and moving up to heavyweight and being a heavyweight champion

b-hop is'nt ranked higher, cuz he never beat prime toney nor roy(the best of his generation)

or do you think a pavlik win is more notable and impressive than a victory over jones/toney

Roy beat Hopkins when Hopkins wasn't at his best. Neither fighter really was, but it was a credible win, and B-Hop's only convincing loss, and I give Roy credit for that.

Roy was the overall more skilled fighter, prime for prime. I can't take that away from him, nobody can. But in terms of legacy?

Roy got knocked cold by a crackhead that 'Nard took to school in Tarver, and again, knocked cold, by Glen Johnson....a guy Hopkins TKO'd 10 years ago in his prime.

Not to mention Trinidad, De La Hoya, P4P#2 at the time Winky Wright, and a very close, and disputed loss to Calzaghe at the age of 43, a guy Jones was recently embarassed by for 11 straight rounds. Record setting title defenses also rival multiple weight class Champions IMO. Hopkins dominated everybody at 160.

But that's a whole other debate, for a whole other thread. Let's keep this one about Hopkins at Heavyweight.

[ßringer]

Lets not get too ahead of ourselves. Don't forget that Evander is a heavyweight( and can punch) and has been fighting at heavyweight for about 18 years. Bernard is not only a light heavyweight( and spent the majority of his career at middleweight) but he is past his prime. He wouldn't be able to keep up the heavyweight pace that Valuev would set and he wouldn't have the size, reach or punch to be effective.

Actually i would favor Adamek( at cruiser weight) over Hopkins. Everyone will not give him the respect that Pavlik gave him and he would run into problems with someone that has true boxing ability and the speed to get there and force him to fight.

Valuev? Setting a "pace"? What pace?

[Davros?]

Lets not get too ahead of ourselves. Don't forget that Evander is a heavyweight( and can punch) and has been fighting at heavyweight for about 18 years. Bernard is not only a light heavyweight( and spent the majority of his career at middleweight) but he is past his prime. He wouldn't be able to keep up the heavyweight pace that Valuev would set and he wouldn't have the size, reach or punch to be effective.

Actually i would favor Adamek( at cruiser weight) over Hopkins. Everyone will not give him the respect that Pavlik gave him and he would run into problems with someone that has true boxing ability and the speed to get there and force him to fight.

Yeah but the slightest movement from Holyfield completely through Valuev off, If Valuev cant land his jab he cant set anything else up. And Valuev couldn’t set any pace what so ever

[slicksouthpaw16]

Valuev? Setting a "pace"? What pace?

The pace that a 7'1 300+ pound heavyweight would set. He does not have to worry about anything that Bernard would throw at him and there no he could be hurt in this fight, and if you can't do something to offset punches thrown by someone that big and strong, then you have some serious problems on your hands. In fact the size differential is so much, that Hopkins could be on the ropes and Valuev could land a jab from the middle of the ring. Pavlik and Hopkins were actually the same size. Don't forget that if you are throwing lots of punches, then Bernard spends a lot of times on defense. Imagine the amount of time he would spent on defense against someone with this kind of reach? Valuev could win the fight by simply throwing punches.

[ßringer]

The pace that a 7'1 300+ pound heavyweight would set. He does not have to worry about anything that Bernard would throw at him and there no he could be hurt in this fight, and if you can't do something to offset punches thrown by someone that big and strong, then you have some serious problems on your hands. In fact the size differential is so much, that Hopkins could be on the ropes and Valuev could land a jab from the middle of the ring. Pavlik and Hopkins were actually the same size. Don't forget that if you are throwing lots of punches, then Bernard spends times on defense. Imagine the amount of time he would spent on defense against someone with this kind of reach? Valuev could win the fight by simply throwing punches.

If that's your opinion, that's cool, I just don't see it.

In order for Valuev to set any kind of pace, he would need to establish the jab first and foremost. Against Hopkins, that's a very hard thing to do. I realize the 10 inch reach advantage would likely benefit Valuev in this department, and Hopkins would have his work cut out for him avoiding the jab if Valuev was able to establish it.

But Valuev is a huge guy, his punches are slow, and I mean slow. If Hopkins was a trim and lean 200lbs or so, he'd have no problem moving out of the way of any incoming shots.

The only problem I could see for Hopkins fighting Valuev, is he'd have to fight him either on the inside (which is risky considering the size advantage), or, wait on the outside, feint away from incoming shots, and tag his way in, then circle out of his range.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Yeah but the slightest movement from Holyfield completely through Valuev off, If Valuev cant land his jab he cant set anything else up. And Valuev couldn’t set any pace what so ever

Evander is a big strong heavyweight with good reach and he could also pop, which is the only reason why Valuev showed him that kind respect. What would a middleweight do against Valuev? There is so many questions. How would Bernard handle the extra weight? How would Bernard's speed be at heavyweight? Would he have any power whatsoever? Is he fast enough at heavyweight to take away Valuev's reach and work his game plan?