Bernard Hopkins vs Charley Burley

[PowerPuncher]

Originally Posted by Surf-Bat

Burley weighed 150 lbs for his pro debut. DLH weighed 133.

DLH was a career weight drainer, for some of his 147lb fights he'd come into the ring at 160lbs. Burley fought at his natural weight

[Shake]

I was playing devil's advocate here. Old-school Bernard Hopkins is in a way our window into the past. Hopkins was fit his entire life in and out of the ring, and a premiere example of craft, and he has shown amazing longevity to the point where people aren't even sure when his prime was.

We can see firsthand that while he has physically dropped off, he has compensated with his craft. That class has seen him win over a punching workhorse like Pavlik, and a primed physically gifted Jean Pascal.

The lungs of Pavlik and the physical presence of Pascal couldn't bring them victory over this wily old man. Their numerous physical advantages were not enough, in Pavlik's case not by a long shot.

My honest opinion is that while athletes are definitely physically sharper than athletes in the past were on average on match day, that doesn't negate the wealth of experience they possessed. Boxing is funny that way. Seems so physical, but in reality it's such a mental sport. True toughness, the grit to see through to victory, the discipline to do the work in the gym, the craft to exploit your opponents weaknesses and the mental game to be a step ahead of your opponent.

This is what I love about the sport.

People look at me funny when I say I dislike Micky Ward against Arturo Gatti. It turns my stomach at times. Barrera against Morales, now we're talking.

Sorry /rant

[thistle1]

this is all very true and you have offered some very sound observations in this thread, but one thing still remains equally true and not often met!

Hopkins would NEVER have been a MW in those days, so it is a very valid question can he make a career of it at the Top with all those great L-HWs???

it's a very real consideration and demands real perspective regarding him and most other modern fighters for the same reasons (???).

[lufcrazy]

Charley is always described as being similar to Jones Jr. Footage of him is good but does it paint the picture of someone you could favour over Hopkins?

I say yeah slight edge to burley.

[Surf-Bat]

Originally Posted by PowerPuncher

DLH was a career weight drainer, for some of his 147lb fights he'd come into the ring at 160lbs. Burley fought at his natural weight

Burley still had to train down to his weight, too. DLH did not juice down from a larger weight than Burley to hit 133 lbs. Burley was the naturally larger fighter. If Oscar trained like Burley he would have still come in smaller and lighter.