Would You Still Call Bernard Hopkins a Natural Middleweight?

[toshmurph]

If Hopkins was 10 years younger I'd would say he could make 168 easy, but he's goddamn nearly 50 I'd say it would take a lot out of him to cut weight.. And Hopkins was always a big middleweight...

[Almondsand]

No he is not what I will classify as a middleweight anymore, it's a shame that his record reign was taken from him by robbery to a bum name Jermaine Taylor. I think however Ward should go up to the division and they both battle it out (even thought Hopkins seem to have any desire to do this) and Ward conquer the next division up.

[djtmal]

Seriously?? I have to disagree. Hopkins was extremely lean as a Middleweight and was not whatsoever "big" at the weight. Never was that more obvious than the Jermain Taylor fights. Taylor was clearly stronger, bigger and more physically imposing overall.

its all good we can agree to disagree on this one....

[cupocity303]

No he's not. He wasn't even a MW at the end of his MW career. He had outgrown it and looked much healthier against Tarver than against Taylor.

Hmm, the reason for that would is because he hired Mackie Shilstone (the same guy Roy Jones hired when he moved up to Heavyweight) as his trainer and nutritionist.

BTW, Hopkins only moved up because he lost . If he didn't lose, he'd still be fighting at MW

This is not true. He was already slated to go up in weight and preferably face Roy Jones, though he was waiting on the outcome of the JOnes Vs Tarver Triology.