What if Keith Holmes had edged Hopkins?

[Spray_resistant]

I am convinced that the middleweight title elimination was so crucial to the current state of boxing. The first fight in that 2001 eliminator was Hopkins/Holmes, and although Hopkins won that fight it was a really boring clenchfest that was by no mean a dominant performance for Bernard. Still I can’t help wonder how different would boxing history be if Keith Holmes had did a bit more and won a close decision against B-hop. How would Holmes have done in his next fight against Tito? Would Hopkins have languished away into obscurity, or would he have found a way to become a star anyway? And how different, if any different would the current landscape from 160-175 look today if things had gone differently in this one fight? Thoughts and opinions.....

[Madvillain]

From just a quick thought about it, Hopkins might very well have been demoted to gatekeeper/Glen Johnson status where he'd be far too dangerous for anyone to face and wouldn't draw any money.

If that's the case, it turned out far better this way though.

Likewise I can ask, what if Tito had defeated Hopkins? Or De la Hoya defeated Tito?

[warp1432]

I am convinced that the middleweight title elimination was so crucial to the current state of boxing. The first fight in that 2001 eliminator was Hopkins/Holmes, and although Hopkins won that fight it was a really boring clenchfest that was by no mean a dominant performance for Bernard. Still I can’t help wonder how different would boxing history be if Keith Holmes had did a bit more and won a close decision against B-hop. How would Holmes have done in his next fight against Tito? Would Hopkins have languished away into obscurity, or would he have found a way to become a star anyway? And how different, if any different would the current landscape from 160-175 look today if things had gone differently in this one fight? Thoughts and opinions.....

Ummm....what? Hopkins won every round, took away Holmes reach and reduced Holmes' workrate next to nothing. It was a good Hopkins performance and he made Holmes suffer.

Trinidad would have beat Holmes though. Even though Holmes was tall and had good reach, Holmes southpaw style and him crumbling under pressure seems idle for Trinidad's left hook.

[Spray_resistant]

Ummm....what? Hopkins won every round, took away Holmes reach and reduced Holmes' workrate next to nothing. It was a good Hopkins performance and he made Holmes suffer.

Trinidad would have beat Holmes though. Even though Holmes was tall and had good reach, Holmes southpaw style and him crumbling under pressure seems idle for Trinidad's left hook.

Possibly it has been a while since I watched that one....Holmes was mostly waiting for Hopkins to do something the way I remember, but it's not really the point. I just wanted some ideas and theories about how things would have been different if this one fight had gone differently.

[street bully]

Holmes didn't win a more than a round. How wasn't it a dominant performance?

[Spray_resistant]

Holmes didn't win a more than a round. How wasn't it a dominant performance?

Well then I guess it's up to what you consider dominant. I remember that fight being full of clenches and very little action from either man, but Hopkins did enough to win nearly every round. Still that is not dominant to me, now the Pavlik fight that was dominant.

[warp1432]

Well then I guess it's up to what you consider dominant. I remember that fight being full of clenches and very little action from either man, but Hopkins did enough to win nearly every round. Still that is not dominant to me, now the Pavlik fight that was dominant.

Hopkins had a good workrate. He actually threw punches in the clinch and after he shoved him off. He threw a lot more then he did past his prime.

[Greatwhitehope]

The thread isn't about whether the performance as dominant or not, the guys asking how do you think things would've panned out if he'd lost.

[IMDAZED]

All of these what if threads. What if Holmes suffered a cut in the fourth round? What if he tripped on a cameraman's camera while leaning against the ropes? I don't get it.

Keith Holmes got disgraced by Bernard Hopkins that night. He was punked for 12 rounds even though he outweighed his opponent by 12lbs on fight night. That was an extremely dominant performance by Hopkins, who showed his brilliance during the middleweight tournament by outfighting Holmes the boxer, and outboxing Trinidad the fighter.

[warp1432]

All of these what if threads. What if Holmes suffered a cut in the fourth round? What if he tripped on a cameraman's camera while leaning against the ropes? I don't get it.

Keith Holmes got disgraced by Bernard Hopkins that night. He was punked for 12 rounds even though he outweighed his opponent by 12lbs on fight night. That was an extremely dominant performance by Hopkins, who showed his brilliance during the middleweight tournament by outfighting Holmes the boxer, and outboxing Trinidad the fighter.

What? Holmes weighed 163 on fight night, while Hopkins weighed 172. Hopkins is still a very natural middleweight. Him only moving up to 170ish is normal.