Hopkins (Overrated?)

**spinksjinx** · 02-16-2005, 12:03 AM

Originally posted by scramwarrior

I always like to watch B-Hop fight, don't get me wrong. But it's always against some average fighter like William Joppy. It's not his fault, I think it's just that the middleweight division is about as weak as the heavyweights. The only household names that he beat were Trinidad and De La Hoya and they weren't even true middleweights. He was beaten by Roy Jones Jr., a fighter who most people today recognize as the definition of "overrated". I wouldn't bring this up because he still has skills, but Hopkins and his people seem to believe that he is the greatest middleweight in history and that he has proven it. My opinion is that he came along at the right time, alot like VK in the HW division.

Jones at 160 was better then the man upstairs himself, he was above god like at middleweight. Roy gets my respect for what he did to Ruiz and for what he did below 175.

Hopkins Overrated? Noway! If that was the case, Hagler was overrated. He stayed in one division and fought every top fighter who came up from a lower division.

I dont think their is anything wrong with a guy staying in one division, If that is where he can dominate and feel comfortable why not? It was Bernards intentions when he acquired the belts to make 20 defenses from the beginning. So he cant help it if the division is mediocre or possibly he just makes them look that way? You decide.

I take nothing more away from Hopkins than I do Hagler, they both get my hats off and Hopkins is a true old school type of guy in and out of the ring (maybe not out so much now).

Hopkins deserves everything he has gotten and everything he will get.

Also it isnt like Hopkins could move down to 140 or go to heavyweight to squander out a great fight. Had he went to 154 or to 175 he would still have fought the high caliber guys at the low weight and the mediocre guys at the higher weight. Bernard was stick in the middle and stayed for people to come to him.

**scramwarrior** · 02-16-2005, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by spinksjinx

Jones at 160 was better then the man upstairs himself, he was above god like at middleweight. Roy gets my respect for what he did to Ruiz and for what he did below 175.

Hopkins Overrated? Noway! If that was the case, Hagler was overrated. He stayed in one division and fought every top fighter who came up from a lower division.

I dont think their is anything wrong with a guy staying in one division, If that is where he can dominate and feel comfortable why not? It was Bernards intentions when he acquired the belts to make 20 defenses from the beginning. So he cant help it if the division is mediocre or possibly he just makes them look that way? You decide.

I take nothing more away from Hopkins than I do Hagler, they both get my hats off and Hopkins is a true old school type of guy in and out of the ring (maybe not out so much now).

Hopkins deserves everything he has gotten and everything he will get.

Also it isnt like Hopkins could move down to 140 or go to heavyweight to squander out a great fight. Had he went to 154 or to 175 he would still have fought the high caliber guys at the low weight and the mediocre guys at the higher weight. Bernard was stick in the middle and stayed for people to come to him.

Of course he deserves it. My point was that he doesn't have the resume to be considered the best middleweight of all time. Hagler at least had Leonard and Hearnes, two of the best fighters at that weight we've ever seen. Even though they moved up in weight alot like De La Hoya, they were still elite opponents who were far beyond the skill of ANY fighter B-Hop has fought. The opponents B-Hop has faced can be considered decent, but he hasn't beaten any great fighters to deserve the "Best Middleweight Ever" award. It's definitely not all his fault, but that still doesn't prove anything. I have so many boxing-obsessed friends and co-workers who say the same thing so I know it can't just be me.

**Tha Greatest** · 02-16-2005, 12:16 AM

ya

he DESTROYED Tito

Tito didn't win one round, so he showed nothin wrong.

**Moon** · 02-16-2005, 12:21 AM

Originally posted by scramwarrior

The only household names that he beat were Trinidad and De La Hoya and they weren't even true middleweights. My opinion is that he came along at the right time, alot like VK in the HW division.

If you base a guy's legacy on the "household names" he's fought and beat, then you don't know too much about the fight game. Since when does "pop culture" dictate who's who?

As far as "coming along at the right time", don't you mean "being at the top of the Middle scene for 12 years"?

Also, why do you think guys like DLH and Tito wanted to fight Hops? They were looking for Legacy and Status, which comes from beating a guy like Hops.

**joeboxer** · 02-16-2005, 12:23 AM

Also I have heard B Hop say repeatedly that he is in the top 5 middleweights of all time, but not in the top 3. I don't think anyone has ever called him the best middleweight ever, he holds the record number of title defenses and if he brags about that, let him.

**scramwarrior** · 02-16-2005, 12:25 AM

Originally posted by ThaGreatest

he DESTROYED Tito

Tito didn't win one round, so he showed nothin wrong.

Forget Tito. Tito got a gift decision vs. De la Hoya, a fighter who doesn't even belong at middleweight and got embarrassed by both Hopkins and Sturm. I give B-Hop credit for fighting a credible welterweight, even though it was a mismatch. The middleweight division is just ***ed up. I hope that a contender comes up and fights B-Hop before it is too late and he retires. Jermain Taylor is on the rise, but B-Hop won't fight him, so maybe if someone with less talent comes along, we can see him in a real fight.

**scramwarrior** · 02-16-2005, 12:26 AM

Originally posted by Munn

If you base a guy's legacy on the "household names" he's fought and beat, then you don't know too much about the fight game. Since when does "pop culture" dictate who's who?

As far as "coming along at the right time", don't you mean "being at the top of the Middle scene for 12 years"?

Also, why do you think guys like DLH and Tito wanted to fight Hops? They were looking for Legacy and Status, which comes from beating a guy like Hops.

Don't fool yourself. The middleweight championship has long been portrayed as the next best thing compared to the heavyweight crown. That's why they fought him, because he's the middleweight champ.

**Eyeh8you** · 02-16-2005, 12:35 AM

Man who does this lil punk think he is. B-hop is one of the best middle weights ever! And yer gonna start a thread sayin he is OVERATED????? WTF!!! I guess you need to sound cool or something. Man these kids always starting threads like this. Was DLH overrated, was Lewis overrated, was Chavez overrated, etc... man give it a rest and quit trying to look smart cause you sound like an idiot! B-Hop is in no way overated

**scramwarrior** · 02-16-2005, 12:45 AM

Originally posted by Eyeh8you

Man who does this lil punk think he is. B-hop is one of the best middle weights ever! And yer gonna start a thread sayin he is OVERATED????? WTF!!! I guess you need to sound cool or something. Man these kids always starting threads like this. Was DLH overrated, was Lewis overrated, was Chavez overrated, etc... man give it a rest and quit trying to look smart cause you sound like an idiot! B-Hop is in no way overated

A kid? Not quite. Please don't try to flatter yourself by acting like an internet tough guy. Overrated? Yes. I always have discussions about this with people who tend to agree. Do you actually think your opinion matters when I have so many other people who actually have lives telling me the exact opposite? Yeah, right. This was supposed to be a discussion, not a place where losers go to get rid of their insecurities like you appear to be doing. Go out and get a girlfriend and stop intruding on my thread.

Hopkins (Overrated?)