Other than the obvious reason, which is that Hopkins' company, G, owns Ring Magazine, can anyone else explain how he can be ranked as the no. 3 Light-heavyweight, but be no. 4 on the P4P list?
Sure. He fought on fairly equal terms with Calzaghe, who was ranked third at the time. The he destroyed Kelly Pavlik, who was also top ten ranked at the time. He hasn't lost since then, which means the ranking he had was retained and probably improved when Calzaghe, who was ranked ahead of him, retired and forfeited his ranking. As for when he became a complete bitch, I have no idea. But it is unplesant in the extreme to watch. MTF
I appreciate the explanation. But it doesn't really clear the air for me. I mean, how in the hell does a win over Pavlik, at 175, earn Hopkins anything on the P4P list? HBO needs to listen to their fighters carefully - when they have fighters under contract who are saying outright that there's no reason for them to face the best fighters in their divisions, they need to rethink they're positions in the sport, and consider whether they're willing to part with completely the credibility they once had in the sport.
Because Pavlik was rated highly at the time and considered by many to be the guy to beat Calzaghe. Plus was the betting favourite in the Hopkins fight, and Bernard completely dominated him.
Hopkins has often made a thing out of fighters fouling him, often in retaliation to his fouls. He was hitting Joppy low, Joppy retaliated, and Hopkins turned over and let the ref know he was hit low, and the ref warned Joppy. Hopkins also made a point to turn and signal that he was hit low against DLH. Usually I figured that he was trying to get a point deducted from his opponent but he's reached new lows in recent fights with Calzaghe and Jones. The Ring really hasn't been all that pro-G in its ratings. Maybe they're making an effort to make it look not biased since there's always going to be that suspicion. #1 vs. #2 results in filling vacanies but their rules also state in some instances, #1 vs. #3. Margarito-Mosley was a #1 vs. #3 fight but that wasn't for the WW title. After Pacquiao beat Cotto, they ranked Pacquiao #1 at WW, above Mosley.
I haven't really rooted for or against him that strongly since the Tarver fight, except against Calzaghe, because I can't stand Calzaghe.
Yup. No more than a handful of people here thought Hopkins had a chance in that fight yet he completely schooled Kelly. MTF
