Hard to rank a guy who fights so little. Not to mention I don't think Wright had any bussiness moving up another 10 pounds. He looked like crap. Problem is Hopkins just wants to fight names instead of other Light Heavyweights who are real threats. Can't blame him for wanting $$$$ but to be honest I still have questions about him at 175. Regardless Hopkins is top 5, maybe top 3 I would have to look a little closer and not just have a knee jerk reaction.
He beat a guy fighting at least 10 lbs over his best weight and it's not like it was an impressive performance. Hopkins is a tough fight for a lot of excellent fighters, but he's not a p4p guy anymore.
And Hopkins is 10 pounds past his best weight, not to mention looking alot older in the ring. It wasnt impressive? Since Wright started his reign, noones been even close to beating him like that.
Hopkins is well past his best in age. However he fills out at higher weights a whole lot better than Winky does who actually looked a bit soft.
I had winky winning in a miserable-to-score fight. Even when Winky faded toward the end, it's not like the rounds weren't close. I only had 5 rounds I didn't mark as being 'close' or even (3 winky, 2 hop) and even those rounds weren't so clear I'd call anyone blind for disagreeing.
Hopkins fought like shit. Basically, he just tired Wright out by wrestling him all night. Shit fight. Just glad the under-card was damn good.
:crafty: I think we've got ourselves a bit of a "Baldomir" situation at Lightheavyweight,... Hopkins was given the oppurtunity to become 'da champ' ,..but Dawson is the vastly superior and more dangerous fighter who would beat his arse easily if Hopkins was forced to face him kicking and screaming.
Neither Guy Moves Up OR Down After Tonight... REED has it like this... 1. Floyd 2. Manny Pac 3. The Wink 4. Bernard Even AFTER Tonight,REED Sees No Real Reason to Move Bernard AHEAD of Winky... Personally,REED didn't See EITHER Guy Winning "Clearly"..."Clearly",Winky SHOULDN'T B Fighting @ 170 (or even 168 N REED's Opinion)& "Clearly",Bernard is REALLY Starting to Look his Age... REED
It's quite simple really, with the round robin coming to an end, and Hopkins victory over Winky the result,..Jermaine Taylor is in another stratusphere, and he must be levitated above ALL others,..they are all lap pets,..Taylor can push and tuck thier whiskers softly into thier own warm mouths with his big toe while the fire crackles nearby, and all they can do, is wake up, and stare at him confused. 1) Jermaine Taylor ^ ^ up she goes....up she goes!!,.. ^ 2) Shane Mosely (Put it this way, if a split decision over De La Hoya can bring you endless fame and fortune, what does TWO clear cut victories over a PRIME De La Hoya getcha?).. ^ ^ on her heels,....on her heels,.. ^ 3) Manny Pacquioa 4) Mikkel Kessler 5) Chad Dawson 6) Bernard Hopkins 7) Ricky Hatton 8) Winky Wright 9) Rafael Marquez 10) Joe Calzaghe And that's what you call an irrefuteably fucking good rack,.. those slots are the shit.
Fucking hell. You thought wright won? We're all very lucky you're not a judge. Hopkins won that fight hands down, 9 to 3.
Bernard is starting to look his age. I'd pick Calzaghe to beat him at this point. Winky is also starting to look his age. Perhaps the weight had something to do with it but he looked slow and sloppy.
dsimon writes: Hops is one of my favorites and Winky is not far behind. I have always felt that Hopkins was a lot better than credited.... forget this fight, assuming he beat Taylor (and especially in that first fight a case can be made that he did) he deserves props and to be one of the greats. I didn't see this fight but it sounds like Winky couldn't handle the weight and faded, in an essentially even fight down the stretch. I would love to see Hops take out Joe Calzighe. Then he moves up higher, but I think Winky lost to the extra weight more than Hopkins::
When you'll see the fight you'll probably lose some hope, I think Calzaghe would beat Hopkins at this point, clearly. Hops won but he looked old and you're right, Winky was affected by the weight but not to the point of being totally ineffective, he landed some nice shots but not enough of them.
Hopkins is number 2 now, behind Floyd. After rewatching the fight without a lot of distractions, having to wait to go to the bathroom, fetching beers and sandwiches, tending to the grill, and missing a good portion of the fight last night, Hopkins did win clearly and I stand corrected when I said I had it a draw. Looked to me to be around 8-4 Hopkins and regardless of how you scored it, the judges got it right this time around. Congrats Champ!:bears:
dsimon writes: I hear you Karl... because of my skills in the culinary arena (I am undefeated::) I usually wind up magically assuming similar responsabilites... which I affectionately refer to as "Being a housewife" around here. Until one of my bone headed friends learn how to make a Roux properly, or when to turn a salmon, or Sirlione on the grill, I probably won't be scoring many fights.::
Top 3. I had Hopkins winning the first Taylor fight, and losing the second by a point. He then went up to beat Tarver and now Winky at age 42. Thats impressive.
dsimon writes: Yeah possibly. If Bernard can't get inside on Joe all bets are off. But strength is not all about the weight class vis a vis Bernard is a strong physical guy who gets in there and he got in there eventually. For example it took him a while but even against Taylor, who can't box a lick but is strong as an Arkansas mule, Hopkins started to dictate and push him around in the later rounds. I just can't think of anyone who Joe had to keep off that is strong and has the finesse of Hopkins.
Yeah, but you could probably say the same of Hopkins with Calzaghe. Hop has never faced a fighter like Calzaghe. Calzaghe is fast, powerfull, very busy and he's very skilled. I think Hopkins would have a hard time dictating his pace at close quarter against Calzaghe, who's no stranger to the same kind of tactics Hops use when he ties and punch a fighter. He's also a southpaw, a very big one. Like I said, I'd pick him rather comfortably but with a fighter like Hopkins, you never know, he can't be counted out. Anyway it's a moot point because I don't think they'll fight.
This is a good post, and very true. As much as I dislike Calzaghe, he does provide alot of problems for a guy like Hopkins. I think a guy like Toney when he was at 168 would have an easier time with a fighter like Joe then Bernard.
Hopkins, at 42, has to be ranked 1 or 2 P4P.. I am simply amazed at his ability to push the action deep into fights at his age. When you have more stamina at the end of fights than Taylor, Wright and Tarver while being 40+, you are certainly in a league of your own. Love or hate Bernard all you want, but it is he that is the greatest fighter of the last 20 years not Roy Jones, Floyd Mayweather or anyone else.
dsimon writes: It is true that Hopkins has tended to fight smaller opposition than Joe, I can't argue that point. I think Taylor as a purely physical presence is more like Joe, though without the boxing skills. The Tarver fight changed that to a large extent though, but I don't know if Hopkins relied on his strength so much as his work rate and even his accuracy. And the reality is that Tarver is not really a very physical fighter IMO your point stands because Joe is more physically imposing than Tarver. But the thing with Hops is ... he doesn't dress as a technician but he has amazing skills and like Monzon just does not really have a weakness. I mean Roy Jones in his prime had such tremendous natural ability I doubt Monzon would have done any better, but Calzighe is no Roy Jones. I would love to see Hopkins fight Calzighe.
Good post.I have Bernie 3 on my personnel p4p list,what he's done to Tarver and Winky Wright at his age is sick.
dsimon writes: Performance wise that is absolutely true. And Hops gets big props for beating up Tarver after Tarver owned Roy in that trilogy. The natural ability Roy showed was on a par with SRR and Ali and it might be a while before we see that again. The technical ability Mayweather shows might be matched by Hopkins though... it is not as obvious with Hopkins because Hopkins inside game is not as visible to a spectator as a Mayweather counter (for example). I would also put Toney in this category of technical excellence. I would say that Hopkins Mayweather and Toney are all expert technicians of the same calibre. Mayweather is not in the same category performance wise.... yet. I base this on Hopkins record and on the ability of Toney to fight all the way up to heavyweight as a tub of lard and still be competative due to his skills.
As Much as U'd LIKE to Believe that,it's Faaaaaaaaar from the TRUTH... Roy Jones BEAT Bernard Hopkins @ his BEST Weight...& if U DARE Cling to that "Green" Shit,Afford Roy that SAME Luxury... UNTIL Jermain Taylor Did it,NOBODY EVER Beat Bernard Hopkins @ 160 Except for WHO???...Compare a "Green" Roy's Victory Over Bernard to that of Taylors.... Moreso,REED Notices YOU Blaming Roy for Not Fighting Certain Guys,but the FACT is Bernard PRICED HIMSELF Out of a RE w/Roy...@ the Time,Roy had ALL the Leverage,yet Bernard Wanted a 50/50 Split... REED
I think Hopkins is without doubt the greatest fighter since Hagler, Duran and Leonard. But thats just my opinion. Something else that might be worthy of note, is the possibility that Hopkins is the greatest 40+ year old fighter of all-time. What he's been able to do, since the 80's and to still be doing at such a high level today? Incredible.