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I think that Bernard really did and reached a lot with his skill-set...
I wouldn't blame him for anything... in most cases he did what every other boxer would have done too.
His defenses at MW rank him high... you can't blame him for what wasn't there... he did what he had to do...
But of course his biggest wins were against guys who we're not natural MW's... you can't blame him that DLH came to MW and wanted to fight him... everybody would have taken it... but it also not changes the fact that DLH's best weight isn't MW.
Everybody would have taken the fight with Trinidad too... Trinidad was a hot ticket... and it was a beatiful display and a masterpiece of Hopkins... but of course it doesn't change the fact that MW isn't Trinidad's best weight...
He was the best MW for about 10 years... and nobody could beat him at this weight... before his reign started he lost to Roy... and it ended with JT... I think and that's what a bit tarnishing is that these two are the most skilled he fought at MW... the others were also contenders and good fighters but I think from his competition at MW Jones and JT are probably the best and he lost to both of them...
His other notable wins were against Winky, where he made him move up in weight (to a weight class where you will never see Winky again)...
Pavlik, also in a weight class were you will probably never see him again...
Lost to Calzaghe.
I mean it is what it is... he did what he had to do... I think and you have to respect a guy who can hold his title for 10 years... he will probably be in the top10 of MW's... but ATG? It is based on how you see it...
He would have given a lot of ATG's problems based on his style... but I don't think that he would have beaten them... make them look bad isn't enough to win IMO...Comment
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Hopkins is an ATG. He got robbed both Taylor fights. Its clear to see. Got Robbed in the Calzaghe fight. and Jones ducked him for YEARS.
Won his title and fought and fought and fought when nobody wanted to fight him. Then got his chance with Tito and then from then on out Made a bigger legacy. You have to realize Hopkins prime is in the Late 90's. Everything from Tito to right now is a PAST PRIME Hopkins.Comment
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I don't think he was robbed in the Calzaghe fight, any boxer that fought like Hopkins did in that fight deserved to lose imo. Also didn't Jones say he was prepared to fight him for 60/40?Originally posted by dde91 View PostComment
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I have to disagree here... and I'm a guy who usually score effectivness highter then punch output or agressivness... so that should mean something *loooooooooooool*Originally posted by dde91 View Post
Both Taylor fights were close so you can't call it a robbery...
And the Calzaghe fight wasn't even close IMO... Hopkins landed harder but if you land around 2 or 3 shots per around it is not enough to win the round if the other guys doubles or triples your punch output and lands more even though it wasn't the hardest shots...
Most IMO get caught up too much in the age thing... what he does in the ring at his age is remarkable... no doubt... but it can't be an judging critera... you simply can't say well, he is 40 and this dude is 28, in his prime... he has to beat him cleaner... if you fight it is a fair contest... both fighters have to work... and because of his age is clear that he doesn't throw as much... but he then has to live with the fact that he can get outhustled...
Like I said making guys look bad at the age 40 isn't enough for me to give him the fight... it has to be more...
I think that he would have beaten JT in his prime but Calzaghe would have given him problems in his prime... Hopkins had problems with guys who had footspeed or at least could match his footspeed/movement... but he could have pulled it out... in his prime he was a bad man no question about it... but that's all if's and when'sComment
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is hagler a midget basher too? his gretest win is against thomas hearns who isnt much bigger than tito. both were huge WWs who were at their best at 154, only 6lbs south of MW. bcuz of those 6lbs should you dismiss them completely? hearns beat some good MWs in roldan and shuler, and tito beat a good fighter in joppy.. correction, they destroyed roldan, shuler and joppy..
nobody counts DLH as one of hopkins' best wins. what else was he to do? he cleaned out his division, beaten all comers, so slightly smaller guys stepped up to try to beat him. he wanted to establish himself as a great MW so he defended his titles. you can say the time he spent at MW was a time where the division was somewhat weak, but to say he picked on smaller men is just dumb. he fought everyone. joppy, holmes, g.johnson, r.allen etc were all legitimate MWs and he beat em all. he only took on smaller men after he beat these guys to clean out the division. atleast he fought em all. the guys calzaghe took on were ppl who got knocked out by the likes of keith holmes and william joppy, ppl who couldnt cut it at MW so they moved up. and his best wins lacy and kessler are not as good as a glen johnson or a william joppy. guys hopkins get very little credit for. truth is he has a very solid resume.Comment
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The smaller opponents like Trinidad and Pavlik were betting favorites against Hopkins. He basically beat the odds.Comment
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