Why no one likes to talk about Hopkins hiding out at 160

[GhostofDempsey]

He clearly padded his record at MW in order to (a) beat Monzon's title defense record (b) avoid a rematch with a prime Jones at 168 and fights with Toney, Eubank, Collins, Calzaghe at 168 and (c) beat up on B-rate journeymen and welters/Jr. MWs moving up.

Hopkins is 6'1" and could have moved up in weight much sooner, but he hid out at 160 so he could fight journeymen like Robert Allen 3x, Syd Vanderpool, Steve Frank, Andrew Council, Joe Lipsey, William Bo James, Simon Brown, Antwun Echols 2x, Keith Holmes, Carl Daniels, Morrade Hakkar, Howard Eastman...talk about a long list of never-was, long forgotten opponents.

His best wins were a blown up DLH, Tito, and his win over Tarver.

I know some will argue that he eventually moved up in weight, but only after the dangerous fighters had either moved out of 168/175, he had a size advantage, or they aged out.

[DumpkinsPlus5]

If you can make the weight then it's your weightclass. Hopkins stayed at middleweight because he could make the weight. It's not his fault most fighters aren't disciplined. All you can ask a fighter to do is fight the best fighters in his weightclass when available. It's not "hiding out." It's being disciplined and listening to your body

[GhostofDempsey]

If you can make the weight then it's your weightclass. Hopkins stayed at middleweight because he could make the weight. It's not his fault most fighters aren't disciplined. All you can ask a fighter to do is fight the best fighters in his weightclass when available. It's not "hiding out." It's being disciplined and listening to your body

But he didn't even fight the best at 160 while he was hiding out there. Lots of names absent from his resume.

[Eff Pandas]

Idk that Bhop was "hiding out".

I think guys should move up when they feel like it. I don't think there should be any push for a fighter to move up. Weight matters in boxing & everyone isn't built the same. If guys wanna move up to challenge themselves or test their greatness or just don't see longevity as a valuable thing fair play, but idk that anyone should be taking away points from guys cuz they don't move up or didn't move up soon enough for some fans.