Who had the better boxing skills ?... Hopkins or Toney ?

Could go either way. Like Hopkins myself but it's hard to say.

Hopkins I feel utilized footwork and angles more as well as being more gritty and dirty.

Toney was the better counterpuncher and better inside imho. You came to him ya get countered to death.

Both have problems with athletic types but Hopkins may be more versatile against different styles. Really don't know who's more skilled or better prime for prime. Shame they never fought. Closest thing to a modern fantasy of an old fantasy(Walcott/Moore) possibly....

 

Bhop is cagey but Toney has more skills. Both are old school fighters that are very rare today . . . very few have their ring IQ in the ring today.

 

This is a hard one, but I'll lean towards towards Toney because many times he was at a size disadvantage and came out on top. Tho at times he would trail like vs Nunn its the way he'd setup his punches that would impress me. He was also much more explosive than Bhops, but they were pretty even skillwise. Just ask yourself how you think Hopkins skills would serve him vs Nunn or McCallum?

 

Toney.

The man is the greatest fighter to come off of US soil since the 1990's.

The man is a MIDDLEWEIGHT for goodness sake's and he more than held how own at HW.

 

Hopkins was better at range and had the superior footwork of the two. Toney was more skilled on the inside than Hopkins was.

 

You just gave the answer to your own question.
When it comes to pure boxing skills, Toney is above Hopkins. Hopkins has other advantages, and maybe a bit more ring intelligence when it comes to adapting and spoiling his opponents assets - but Toney has got these natural skills, making highly technical boxing look so easy. Toney, on his night, could do things in the ring that Hopkins never could - he could do things that very, very few others could.
And when it comes to footwork, Toney had excellent footwork back in his day. Not fast feet, but he was a master at cutting of the ring and get himself close to his opponents, where he would take them apart on the inside. I'm talking about his MW days here

 

I think Hopkins could do more things and adapt better to other styles than Toney, both throwback fighters with excellent defenses, Hopkins has the better footwork and is better at long range while Toney was a better counterpuncher and better on the inside,Chin is pretty much even both have iron chins,then theres the discipline and dedication while its not part of a fighter skillset its almost as important and in that regard its a whitewash in Hopkins favor, this is a very difficult pick to make but if i was forced to pick one it would be Hopkins i think he does better H2H against the other greats than Toney does and has the harder style to deal with i can see Toney get clearly beat by some of the past greats i have trouble seeing anyone clearly beating Hopkins.

 

I say Hopkins. Hopkins was more versatile.
Toney was the master at close range. Hopkins fights inside, outside, and used footwork better than Toney.

 

They're both old masters for certain. I feel Toney is the superior slicker fighter, but B-Hop is the more technically and fundamentally sound.

In the poll I favored Hopkins technical and fundamental skills, but James Toney was a real treat to watch do his thing, almost like deadly poetry in motion.

 

I think Hopkins was more skillful, but Toney was more athletic

 

Toney for pure ability Hop for craftiness.

 

Toney at his very best really was poetry in motion, I think he has the edge. He was certainly easier and more entertaining to watch, Hopkins could be hard work.

 

James Toney.

Hopkins is a great fighter, but Toney is his prime was something special.

 

I have no idea how it's a wash for Toney. Toney had great outside counter-punching skills, threw great combinations, and was a great inside defender. But Hopkins is much more versatile and was able to employ many different tactics to win. Toney knew a lot more little tricks in certain areas, but Hopkins regularly traversed different planes altogether when boxing.