Better ring IQ - Hopkins, Mayweather or Marquez?

I'd put Hopkins at the top but Marquez deserves more votes. He's 2nd behind but not by a lot. He's the best combination puncher of the three, has the best variety of punches / counter punches. Defensively he's the weakest, but he's right up there or better in all other areas. Check out Barrera Marquez , one of the most high level displays of technical boxing you'll ever see.

 

One of the best fights of the last decade in my book. Incredibly high-level stuff from both guys where a lot of subtle adjustments were made throughout the fight. The last time I watched it was about a month back and I still finding myself amazed how precise, compact, and relaxed they are when engaging in fierce exchanges.

I'd consider it Barrera's last great performance, too.

As for the topic of the thread, I'd have Hopkins number one.

 

For me it's Mayweather. He simply is marvelous at in fight adjustments and seems to be able to switch styles whenever called for. Hopkins and Marquez are technically sound but both are static in terms of what they do within a fight. Marquez and Hopkins have both been confounded before in fights and unable to find answers, don't think I've seen that with Mayweather.

 

Given what he have and what he's done with it.. Not to mention the long ass longevity..

Bernard by a long shot.

And am I the only one who sees Bernard use every trick in the book in a match and not get pissed off instead amazed by it?

 

Marquez doesn't belong in this discussion. He didn't make a single adjustment vs. Mayweather, was nearly outsmarted by washed-up versions of Barrera and Casamayor, and basically uses the same bag of tricks every time he fights Pacquiao.

 

I think Mayweather.
Hopkins is wily as **** and controls pace very well. But he can be out flanked by better boxers.
Marquez is a great boxer-puncher but is more drawn into firefights due to his heart.

Anyone using the Cotto fight as a tick against Mayweather is probably overlooking the fact that he chose to sit in the pocket and scrap.

 

We wont see the best of FLoyd iq until he loses a bit of speed. The older boys are getting by solidly on their boxing brains.

Its close but im picking Marquez, as I think he does it while be exciting also at no point does he try to cheat his way through like Hop has in the past.

 

Bingo! Marquez does it with actual boxing anticipation and technique where Hopkins uses illegal tactics and dirty tricks to get by against better tier fighters.

Not once has Marquez packed up his bags and quit in the face of adversity.

I have not one ounce of doubt in my mind that had that been Hopkins in the predicament Marquez was in against Mayweather, he'd have done exactly what he did in the first Dawson fight and gone home yelling and screaming yelling it was Mayweather that was the dirty fighter and purposely fouled him out of the fight.


For pure boxing, its easily Marquez for me! :deal

 

you know who I was talking about? I am the one who should have this atsch in my post. Is Chavez name in the thread title?

 

Hopkins is not undefeated in his 40s. As great as fighting at 48 is, he still beat Cloud. When I saw that fight with Hopkins, Cloud did not try things which could have offset Hopkins style. Cloud was faster and Cloud could have double jabbed and given angles while coming inside and then land punches. Some will say Hopkins made him look like that, but Hopkins picked him for a reason. Coud is a good fighter, but as a champion he a was a poor champion with no experience and Bernard is great, and he knew this guy could not beat him. I am not a Floyd fan really, but it takes a little more to beat Cotto or Marquez than Cloud or Pascal. I am not sure what has happened to the jab with fighter nowadays.

 

Anybody that thinks Hopkins lost the first Taylor fight, doesn't know **** about boxing.

 

I think Calzaghe took it by a slim margin. Hopkins looked like he was tiring.