Better ring IQ - Hopkins, Mayweather or Marquez?

He would do better as he has more power but he wouldn't beat him because stylistically and physically it is what it is. The only way to beat Mayweather is if you are an offensive fighter with power and speed, breaking through his defense is the only way to beat him.

Marquez is not an offensive fighter, he feeds off an offensive fighter, it's why Marquez's ideal opponent (Pacquiao) actually represents the biggest threat to Mayweather, or at least did a couple of years ago. It remains to be seen what Pacquiao has left. But this, coupled with reach, size, and speed means he would never beat Mayweather

 

Floyd can do more things than B-Hop in the ring and is also better at adj

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sting. B-Hop is great at executing a gameplan to a T and staying disciplined in the ring. This one goes to Floyd. Marquez is 3rd on that list, I'd actually rank Ward above him.

I've seen him get dropped twice in a fight, and I'm not talking about the Pascal fight.

Mosley wasn't a threat?

 

I noticed Floyd's adjustments are instantaneous while Bernard can take anywhere from a round to four.

 

Hopkins has been dropped before by an uppercut while fighting in Ecuador. Uppercuts practically don't land on Floyd. props to Cotto for getting three or so in

 

That's not proper reasoning, but I get your point.
BHop for sure. He has other weaknesses he tries to avoid showing, but his sneakiness is very much his own. Nobody does it like him

 

hopkins by far and if u say anyone else ur clearly trolling

 

That's not really addressing the whole question. You can't name one situation in which Mayweather used his ring IQ to beat someone who was favored to beat him.

Yes he dominates but you have to consider how much of that is because of his natural ability and how much of it is because of his inteligence. Hopkins usually knows exactly what gameplan is needed, he knows how to buy time if he gets hurt, he knows how to get the ref to take points from the other guy, he knows how to foul without getting caught. Being dominanty doesn't neccesarily mean you have great ring IQ.

 

Noone thought Mosely was a threat..... he was getting outboxed vs Mayorga ... had 1 good performance vs a whoefully under prepared punching bag that was Margarito and had a long layoff till the Mayweather fight.

4 months later he draws with Mora of all people and then Pac beats him even easier (and that was not a achievement either)

 

...snidy?

 

Floyd adapts better. Hopkins got better gameplans.

Floyd seem to always find a way to completely netrualize his opponents after a couple of rounds.

Hopkins is really good going into the fight knowing what to do, however, when things do not go his way, he will fake injuries to get out of the fight. And most of the time just change up to plan B.

I give Hops and FLoyd a tie.

 

You can tell what the two greats relies on in a fight, just by how they train.

You got bhop who studies his fighters, look for exploits. While Floyd do not watch tapes and adapt/find the rhythm of his opponents. So this is extremely tough choice between two to superb technicans. Both got great feints.

 

This.

Hopkins' strength is noticing what hands you drop as you come in, sneaking in shots there, and being able to use his knowledge of what's coming to compliment his ring generalship. Cloud's numerous winging left hooks weren't just dodged or blocked by Hopkins, they were used as an opportunity for Hopkins to regain control of the center of the ring time and time again. He also uses his balance to make it impossible to discern what punch he's about to throw, an uses that to his advantage by subtly making you believe one hand is coming before he throws the other (Trinidad is a perfect example of this, as is Pavlik in spots).

Marquez's strength is in his ability to open you up through exchanges. He has to take greater risks than either of the other two in order to create opportunities. He's the best at throwing with an opponent, and using his fluidity in exchanges to learn what holes are there to be exploited. Throwing his overhand right over Diaz's jab in the 9th set up the first knockdown, and eventually the KO; Marquez opened up Manny's right hook with a lead left so he could land the right in fight 2 and fight 3; he bobs forward while throwing to the body so he can finish up top, like in Diaz 2 & the Casamayor fight; he even purposefully triggered Floyd's left from time to time and time an overhand right over the shoulder.

Mayweather's strength is baiting a shot and setting a trap, and taking away your best punch by throwing a shot on top of it before you get a chance to deliver. Took away Judah and Mosley's rights with lead left hooks, baited Ortiz's jab with his own pawing left to shoot his right down the middle, feinted to Hatton's body after jabbing there to end up throwing a lead right up top, etc. By the time that happens, the fight's practically over.

My rationale for ranking them in that order is based on how big of a picture they seem to perceive in the ring, and that fuels into how creative they are with their blend of offense and defense. It seems to me. Hopkins sees everything you could possibly do and slowly limits your options; Marquez has great awareness of body positioning and uses it to position himself advantageously while pinpointing the more destructive counters; and Floyd's vision is hyper focused in on what the opponent's priority punches are.

 

I'd say Mayweather because he is always consistent. He always controls the pace of the fight .
Hopkins can look great in one fight then complete garbage in the next.

 

Agreed.
For how well a 48 year old is doing, people should definitely respect his skills but he definitely have a inconsistency problem. It makes sense bc he already have a gameplan going into the fight so when his plan is not working, he doesn't have a plan b. Floyd typically takes about 3-4 rounds to get things going.

 

Marquez has the IQ to stay away from any potential threat while waiting for another shot at the one ATG fighter he has a favorable style matchup with. Hires a known BALCO guru probably well versed in the art of microdosing, peds etc.....to be his strength and conditioning guru. Shows up like the hulk and lands one puch knockdowns and knockouts, I say it's ****ing genius level IQ stuff.

BHop and Mayweather have the brains to never fight a cat they know they cant beat, or who may be a bit dangerous. Instead they take on the usual face first, plodding ****s, or cats coming up in weight, or past prime. I say it's genius to never have taken a real risk and avoid the best challengers around, in a fight for the ages and yet still get mega contracts from the cable companies, pure genius. Bhop has people waxing lyrical and forgiving his boring ****ing style while engaging the likes of Cloud , yes genius stuff all around.