Bernard Hopkins is the greatest middleweight in history

[Martin (Top Knowledge)]

Ottke only did it for 6 years, avoided other fighters, and arguably lost several of those fights.

Try again.

Do you not find it telling that Ottke made more defences in 6yrs than Hopkins has made in 10yrs???

I said find someone who's dominated for TEN years, facing all comers, and done so in a dominating fashion.

Hopkins hasn't dominated the middleweight division for 10yrs... How long have you been watching boxing??? Let me guess, 3 and a 1/2yrs ... He only began to unify the division 3 and a half years ago when he beat Trinidad. Before that he continuly made bogus defences against the same unknown fighters over and over... You keep making the point that Vitali only holds 1/4th of the heavyweight crown... Well in that case, Hopkins only held a 1/4 of the middleweight crown for all those years. Hopkins HAS NOT! defended the undisputed middleweight title 20 times.

The fact you'd mention Ottke is a joke. He did none of those things.

Anyone notice how it seems to be only Brits who have their knickers in a knot here?

You said that's not a hall of fame resume.

You're wrong. Flat out.

Hopkins is a lock to make the hall. It's gaurenteed.

He stayed at Middleweight just like Hagler and Monzon did, and fought everyone that was avaialable in those years.

It's irritating that you have to bring nationality into this discussion... If you genuinly think that Hopkins resume winning fights against:

Segundo Mercado
Steve Frank
Joe Lipsey
William James
John David Jackson
Glen Johnson
Simon Brown
Keith Holmes
Carl Daniels
Morrade Hakkar
William Joppy
Robert Allen
etc etc etc...

Is worthy of a hall of fame placement then you're either incredibaly biased... Or haven't been watching other fighters.

Have you not been watching who Barrera and Morales have been fighting for the last 7-8yrs??? Their level of competition compared to Hopkins is almost a different sport!

[kbpoetree]

how come when talken bout hopkins everyone leaves out the fact that he was the first to completely unify all belts..hmmm not a bad accomplishment..yall alwayz wanna talk bout the trinidad fight, what bout the dlh fight, oh yeah tho i gues dlh is nobody also..and then how bout when he beat Glenn Johnson..oh but wait hes not the guy who knocked roy jones completely silly is he..B-hop is great, one of the greatest..he has faught pro's so he has fought somebody yall gotta realize he can only fight those who accept...not run

[Guest]

how come when talken bout hopkins everyone leaves out the fact that he was the first to completely unify all belts..hmmm not a bad accomplishment..yall alwayz wanna talk bout the trinidad fight, what bout the dlh fight, oh yeah tho i gues dlh is nobody also..and then how bout when he beat Glenn Johnson..oh but wait hes not the guy who knocked roy jones completely silly is he..B-hop is great, one of the greatest..he has faught pro's so he has fought somebody yall gotta realize he can only fight those who accept...not run

No, HOPKINS is the one who runs... round the ring for two-and-a-half minutes, then pot-shots to nick the rounds. Don't forget that head and those low blows.

DLH is nobody also? Actually, at that weight, yes he IS nobody. What were the odds on DLH winning that fight? Is that because Hop was so good or because Oscar was in way above his weight class and way above his head. He presented no threat to Hopkins at all. I would have been more impressed if Hopkins had taken on Sturm, who most observers believe schooled DLH at that weight class.

While Johnson admits that Hopkins is only one of two men to genuinely beat him (the other being Tarver), it took seven years for him to develop into the fight that beat a SHOT Roy Jones.

[kbpoetree]

No, HOPKINS is the one who runs... round the ring for two-and-a-half minutes, then pot-shots to nick the rounds. Don't forget that head and those low blows.

DLH is nobody also? Actually, at that weight, yes he IS nobody. What were the odds on DLH winning that fight? Is that because Hop was so good or because Oscar was in way above his weight class and way above his head. He presented no threat to Hopkins at all. I would have been more impressed if Hopkins had taken on Sturm, who most observers believe schooled DLH at that weight class.

While Johnson admits that Hopkins is only one of two men to genuinely beat him (the other being Tarver), it took seven years for him to develop into the fight that beat a SHOT Roy Jones.

we got time for this again Anorak...lol, actually tho i had DLH winning that fight, thought he looked good. and sure hopkins runs round the ring for a few minutes, thats why he's been unbeatable he takes his time, figures out his opponent then attacks, pure genius if u ask me..hell he even waits till like round 4 to start not such a bad thing i at least get to watch 4rounds on a pay for view.

[Martin (Top Knowledge)]

how come when talken bout hopkins everyone leaves out the fact that he was the first to completely unify all belts..hmmm not a bad accomplishment..yall alwayz wanna talk bout the trinidad fight, what bout the dlh fight, oh yeah tho i gues dlh is nobody also..and then how bout when he beat Glenn Johnson..oh but wait hes not the guy who knocked roy jones completely silly is he..B-hop is great, one of the greatest..he has faught pro's so he has fought somebody yall gotta realize he can only fight those who accept...not run

Hopkins beat Glen Johnson, so did:

Merqui Sosa
Joseph Kiwanuka
Sven Ottke
Syd Vanderpool
Silvio Branco
Omar Sheika
Derrick Harmon
Julio Gonzalez
Antonio Tarver

Do all these guys class Glen Johnson as a career definning win, and make them HOF candidates because of their victory?

Or does that only apply to Bernard Hopkins?

[kbpoetree]

Hopkins beat Glen Johnson, so did:

Merqui Sosa
Joseph Kiwanuka
Sven Ottke
Syd Vanderpool
Silvio Branco
Omar Sheika
Derrick Harmon
Julio Gonzalez
Antonio Tarver

Do all these guys class Glen Johnson as a career definning win, and make them HOF candidates because of their victory?

Or does that only apply to Bernard Hopkins?

only to Bernard cause Johnson was undefeated when they faced each other and hopkins faced the contenders he was having to face i mean come on now dont forget that the belts have their own contenders that these fighters must fight at times

[Martin (Top Knowledge)]

we got time for this again Anorak...lol, actually tho i had DLH winning that fight, thought he looked good. and sure hopkins runs round the ring for a few minutes, thats why he's been unbeatable he takes his time, figures out his opponent then attacks, pure genius if u ask me..hell he even waits till like round 4 to start not such a bad thing i at least get to watch 4rounds on a pay for view.

Come on man... You can't take the Oscar De La Hoya fight seriously as a career definning win for Bernard... Oscar De La Hoya 1st won a World title at Super-featherweight. De La Hoya was so far out of his weight class @ middleweight, he even (realistically) lost his 1st fight at middleweight to Felix Sturm because of it.

And the size difference between De La Hoya and Hopkins in the ring was laughable.

[kbpoetree]

Come on man... You can't take the Oscar De La Hoya fight seriously as a career definning win for Bernard... Oscar De La Hoya 1st won a World title at Super-featherweight. De La Hoya was so far out of his weight class @ middleweight, he even (realistically) lost his 1st fight at middleweight to Felix Sturm because of it.

And the size difference between De La Hoya and Hopkins in the ring was laughable.

dude, i dont care what weight u start out at, dont matter, dlh came in in great shape, he is a great fighter, size dont mean **** till it comes to power, dlh gave him a hell of a fight, i had him winning unfortunatley wasnt like dlh was fat and outta shape like he was for the sturm fight, and yes i too believe he lost that fight but u absolutely have to take the dlh fight seriously

[Martin (Top Knowledge)]

only to Bernard cause Johnson was undefeated when they faced each other

Only to Bernard???.... Why does everyone make one rule for him and one rule for everyone else? - Do you not think that Glen Johnson might have been a little green when he faced Hopkins back in 1997?

Hopkins faced the contenders he was having to face i mean come on now dont forget that the belts have their own contenders that these fighters must fight at times

What about Joe Calzaghe then?... He's defended his title 18 times over 8yrs. Unlike Hopkins, Calzaghe is unbeaten and has a much higher KO percentage.

Why is it one rule for Hopkins and another rule for everyone else?

[RAESAAD]

I think all-time is a stretch but top 5 no doubt.