Why Bernard Did Not Make My Top Twenty Middleweights Of All Time.

[USA4LIFE]

Some writers/pundits just want to hear themselves talk, this is one of those instances. Who cares if he isnt in YOUR top 20, who are you?

LMAO, I don't know why but when I read that I found it very funny.

[Scott122]

I just think Bernard Hopkins deserves the respect for staying true to himself, doing things his way and being an old school fighter who loves the game and most importantly FIGHTS TO WIN.

[Azteca]

hopkins legacy will mostly be remembered for the way he trained and how he was able to stay at the top of the sport (or near the top) for years and years even after he was out of his athletic prime. he is in my top 12. monzon, robinson, hagler, heck even non-stylists like lamotta, zale, and graziano school him.

[moy22487]

he wasnt as much fun to watch as hagler robinson and many others but i think he would of given them all a good fight many would of even taken a L

[Bozo_no no]

Hey...Who's ******ed ??? You're talking about some of the greatest middleweights of all time. Surar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns would have beat Hopkins. Good God I hate to think what Monzon would have done to him.

The fact you think a list of accomplishment can be based on a hypothetical 'who beats who' speaks for itself.

Your list is beyond flawed. Brutal take.

[RimmyDelicious]

I just think Bernard Hopkins deserves the respect for staying true to himself, doing things his way and being an old school fighter who loves the game and most importantly FIGHTS TO WIN.

Bernard Hopkins has been fighting NOT TO LOSE for many years now.

[Frozen Butter]

120 post of pure unadulterated bull****

[VaBoriKua 2.0]

WHY BERNARD DID NOT MAKE MY TOP TWENTY MIDDLEWEIGHTS OF ALL TIME.

Bernard Hopkins is the best middleweight of his era. It would be senseless to argue that point. He will more then likely be a first ballot Hall Of Famer when that time comes. He dominated the division for years. Even with his long reign and his signature win over Felix Trinidad I always felt he was a bit over rated. In fact I was more impressed with Bernard's win over Antonio Tarver then in any middleweight bout he ever had. It told me that Bernard should have moved up to light heavyweight long ago. He looked strong and carried the weight well. I think he may have hurt himself career wise staying at middleweight and fighting inferior opponents.

Bernard lost his first pro fight which was at light heavyweight. He then began to work his way down to middleweight. On the way up he defeated some decent fighters like Percy Harris, Cleveland's Ralph Moncrief and Dennis Milton. Bernard challenged Roy Jones Jr. in 1993 for the vacant middleweight title and lost a decision to at the time, a superior middleweight.

In 1994 he drew with Segundo Mercado in a bout for the title Jones vacated. In a rematch Hopkins stopped Mercado to win the title he would hold for years. During those years though, who did he really beat ?

In his fourth defense he beat a pretty good boxer in John David Jackson. In his next bout he stopped tough Glencoffe Johnson, a future lightheavyweight champion.. He also stopped former title holder Simon Brown. Leading up to the Tito Trinidad bout Hopkins would post defenses against Robert Allen ( twice ), Antwon Nichols ( twice ), Syd Vanderpool and Keith Holmes.

Hopkins exposed Trinidad as later Winky Wright would. Nevertheless Hopkins after toiling for years had finally gained super star status. Still he really did not cash in on it right away. Four defenses followed against lesser then stellar foes that led to a big fight against the smaller Oscar De La Hoya. As gifted as Oscar is, he started his career at 130 pounds. The bigger man beat the smaller man. A good win on paper for Bernard though.

One more defense in 2005 led to his back to back losses to Jermain Taylor. Each decision was extremely close. Then he moved up and surprised Antonio Tarver.

A while ago I was asked to rate the top 20 middleweights of all time for an International Boxing Research Organization poll. I did not have Bernard on that list and that was before the losses to Taylor. Why ???

Well Bernard may have been a victim of his time. If you look at his defenses you have Steve Frank, Joe Lipsey, Bo James, Andrew Council, Robert Allen on three occasions, Echols twice, Syd Vanderpool and Carl Daniels. Yes he defeated Keith Holmes and William Joppy who both had at one time had held a piece of the title. Still neither one will be remembered as a great champion. Then there was his defense against Morrade Hakker.

Segundo Mercado, Simon Brown, John David Jackson and Glen Johnson were all decent boxers but Brown was in the twilight of his career. What I'm trying to say here is that Bernard reigned over a very weak division. In his two key defenses he beat an over rated Trinidad and a smaller De La Hoya.

Bernard was a sound technical fighter but he was not a big hitter although Joe Lipsey may argue that point. Hopkins was crafty, durable and most cases utterly boring. Even both of his setbacks to Taylor were snoozers.

I think Bernard could have held his own against just about any middleweight in history but I believe there are several, more then twenty that could have beat him.

over rated trinidad dude wtf are u smoking? whateva it is pass that **** this way. Trinidad overrated after fighting all the top guys in the sport beat everyone in 140 beat all the top guys at 147 and made dlh ( argubly the best ww in the last 10-15 years) run all over the ring like never before seen. Beats the best at 154 takes the belt then goes to 160 20 pounds over his original weight and knocks the hell out of one of the champs? Ur ****ing crazy he was like 40 and 0 or with 33 knockouts at that point of his career my friend you are not a very smart one i can c. Hopkins should be considered in the list as top 10 of the greatest middleweights

[Stickman]

01) Harry Greb
02) Sugar Ray Robinson
03) Carlos Monzon
04) Ezzard Charles
05) Marvin Hagler
06) Jake LaMotta
07) Bob Fitzsimmons
08) Charley Burley
09) Gene Fullmer
10) Stanley Ketchel
11) Mickey Walker
12) Emile Griffith
13) Sugar Ray Leonard
14) Roy Jones Jr.
15) Tony Zale
16) **** Tiger
17) Joey Giardello
18) Marcel Cerdan
19) James Toney
20) Mike McCallum

I did not include Bernard Hopkins. Although I have the utmost respect for
Bernard and his long reign, I do not feel that he was strongly tested during
his tenure as champion.Granted this was not his fault and granted he was the
BEST of his time. I honestly feel the 20 I have listed would have beat
Bernard.

Sugar Ray Leonard at 13? Hagler did lose to Leonard, you know this, right?

[warp1432]

That doesn't mean Leonard deserves to be ranked at Middleweight. Having 3 fights at Middleweight doesn't make you one of the greatest there. Would Leonard have beaten Hopkins? I would say yes actually.

I have Bernard about 6 on my list.

1. Marvin Hagler
2. Harry Greb
3. Carlos Monzon
4. Bob Fitzsimmons
5. Stanly Keetchel
6. Bernard Hopkins
7. Sugar Ray Robinson
8. Jake Lamotta
9. Charley Burley
10. Gene Fullmer