Around what fight did Bernard Hopkins switch styles?

[ßringer]

I think it might have even happened before the tito fight but then again maybe he just respected trinidads power

He was definitely much more defensive with Tito, but like you said ; I think that had more to do with Tito's power.

That was a defensive and offensive clinic.

he just destroyed Joppys face in that one.

He was trying his damndest to get Joppy the hell out of there before the final bell because he made a $100,000 side bet with Joppy that Joppy wouldn't last the distance.

[benny]

here is the fight hopkins v eastman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqlPY746k2A

[Benncollinsaad]

Which one was his closest fight in his championship reign?

[Bushidō]

He was definitely much more defensive with Tito, but like you said ; I think that had more to do with Tito's power.

That was a defensive and offensive clinic.



He was trying his damndest to get Joppy the hell out of there before the final bell because he made a $100,000 side bet with Joppy that Joppy wouldn't last the distance.

oh yeah ahha I completely forgot about that bet. haha

[Boxingwizard]

I would agree with this. While age became a factor; opponent quality also played a large part and people don't talk about it.

Hopkins fought a stream of decent/mediocre competition through much of his title holding years and then in the early 2000's age and opponents caught up with him. When he stepped in the ring against Taylor he was old whereas his opponent was young and undefeated. From there he kept up against good opponents he couldn't too often freely open up against even if he wanted to.

Yet he was able to completely school Trinidad who I think is a much better boxer than Taylor.

[Boxingwizard]

Most people seem to believe it was around the time of the Eastman fight.

I would agree with that.

He showed signs of becoming a bit more tactical at times in the final Allen fight and the Joppy fight, but I don't think he fully settled into it until Eastman.

Hopkins was still in his prime in the Joppy fight, it was in 2004 that he was past his prime.