Most Skilled Old-school Fighter: Toney or Hopkins

[Miburo]

Who wins this battle of old school technique? Note that this isn't referring to a head-to-head match up, but rather which one has best mastered the lost arts.

[No1]

bernard hopkins without a doubt.
He is a master of the game.
his defence is superb, the angles he shows are out of this world.
To cut a long story short bernard hopkins is bar far and away the better of the two.

[andrewcuff]

Hopkins because of his skills, resume, longetivity and dedication to the sport.

Toney had some good skills, but dropped a few too many decisions to get the nod here.

[Miburo]

Hopkins because of his skills, resume, longetivity and dedication to the sport.

Toney had some good skills, but dropped a few too many decisions to get the nod here.

This thread is solely about skills, not who is the better fighter.

Personally I believe that Toney is more skilled offensively and Hopkins defensively.

[Dambala]

For me, Toney. He has more skills than B-Hop, Nard has a tight defense, good counter-punching and everything but relies too much on holding and punching while doing it. Toney stays in your face slipping punches, has a way better offensive game, inside and outside.
Besides, everyone knows that Toney doesn't belong to the heavyweight division (well, he got fat as f%$#) but he hadn't been decapitated by one because of his skills, he's even been competitive, of course he was a champion.

[KESSLER]

Bernard Hopkins.

[Pugilistic™]

Bernard Hopkins.

[Madvillain]

Hopkins, defensive genius. Has a one of a kind defense that is a phenomenal mixture of a high level text-book orthodox style (that he's undoubtedly spent countless hours perfecting) and insane unorthodox methods that've never been seen before. He's the only fighter whose defense consists of bending to a 90° angle, looking at the floor, covering himself up, and walking backwards.

Hopkins is also a very affective in-fighter when he chooses to engage. Though not a serious threat in terms of knockout power, he's been around the game long enough to know a weak spot when he sees it and can methodically break his opponent down.

Oh, and though not technically a skill, he has arguably the best beard in the game today.

[Sugar May Floyd]

Based on pure skills. It's James Toney. Roach said Toney was one of the most skilled figher he ever trained

[Hook]

Why is hugging people called a terrific skill when Hopkins does it and yet called cheating when Hatton does it?

Head butting people is not a boxing skill either.

Also, how would Hopkins do at HW, could he do as well as Toney?