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totally disagree. hop has never been that athletic at all. he's been near the top of the sport for 15 years because of his cunning and guile. that's what a tactician is to me.
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its not about athleticism....its about adapting and switching your tactics in the ring or in rematches. Mike McCallum was not a great athlete but he was a great tactician and also had great technique like Hopkins. Dealt with Many different styles and showed he could adapt, he didnt lose as a pro until he was 32 years old and slowing down.
McCallum defeated huge punchers like Jackson, action guys like Collins, very good boxers like Curry, Kalambay, the unorthodox Herol Graham, and the very good all arounder Michael Watson he could adjust and deal with a varied amount of styles.
Sumbu Kalambay clearly beat him and in the rematch McCallum changed some things and reversed the lose. I honestly believe he should have gotten a win out of his 3 fight series with James Toney but both fights were close the first two. He realized he wasnt gonna outbox Toney both were too close in skills and Toney was younger and more athletic so he became more aggressive.Comment
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Hopkins is overrated as a great. He is a good tactician or maybe he hasn't been fighting great comp lately.Comment
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In his prime Hopkins was a fine tactician. But Since he left middleweight he has fallen off some. He still is a cagey veteran though.Comment
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The thing to remember about hopkins is that the dude was 36 when he fought tito,,,
In hopkins physical prime in the 90s he lost a close boring decision to a prime roy, and then was dodged and blackballed for the rest of the 90s......
You can say hopkins cant deal with different styles but that is just not true,,,
No doubt in my mind hopkins 97,98 would beat taylor, calzaghe, etc
The guy is 48 and been on top forever, but in reality his best years were plagued by not landing big fights,,,,Comment
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Hopkins has the distinction of being the oldest world champion ever. thats Huge....Is middleweight title defenses "record" is for a trinket, not the unified world championship or the lineal title, which he did not have until his 13th, 14th defense against Felix Trinidad. Thats all smoke in mirrors really he has no record and his best opponent he beat outside undersized ODLH and Trinidad was who? Howard Eastman, Echols, or William Joppy.
Mayweather in fewer fights has beaten more champions, has more LINEAL title defenses, beaten more future hall of famers, and won more championships.
Hopkins best wins are over dudes who were either guys tailor made like aggressive come forward types...Pavlik, Cloud, Trinidad or Smaller guys Wright, ODLH, and Trinidad
when he faced guys that had different wrinkles to their game, were his size and/or were not B level guys he lost or struggled. His competition during his IBF title reign was Horrible.Comment
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Name a middleweight you wanted him to fight during his reign that he didnt... Yes he had alot of garbage defenses, but he also beat everyone out there,,, holmes, tito, joppy, mercado, eastman, echols,
Yes the division was weak, but hopkins still ruled and took on all comers..
Yes he fights alot of tailor made guys now, but the dude is 48 years old, you have to understand he doesnt have the endurance to move around in a high-paced battle like the tito fight anymore, he needs guys to come at him, he is a 2 time lineal lhw champ after the age of 40,,, that is insane,,,
Hopkins is a great technical fighter and a great tactician IMOComment
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His tactics is the only reason he has accomplished what he has.Comment
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A near 50 year old competing against world class fighters.
The fact that more like you aren't making these type of threads goes to show how truly underrated Hopkins is.Comment
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