How would Hopkins have done as a heavyweight?

Ruiz has faced 2 former MW champions and both schooled him.

Hopkins has a vastly superior skill set to Ruiz and would do the same.

The only argument in favour of Ruiz would be his size, but he has twice proven he cannot make his size count against a more skilled opponent.

 

Hopkins did not have the kind of chin or defense Toney had. Toney,s style translated well in the higher weight classes.

 

Maybe he could beat somebody like Ruiz, although he would not be a favourite in my opinion. Against the likes of Peter and Rahman, Hopkins would likely get knocked out.

 

Hopkins had better footwork than Toney and his chin was just as good.

Hopkins jumped two weight classes and dominated the best fighter there, Toney found the LHW division too good for him, as he went up in weight the skill level went down of his opposition.

Ruiz looked like a lost puppy trying to set his punches against Toney he would look equally foolish against Hopkins.

 

Tell me one person that Peter knocked out who was ever on the level of Hopkins.

 

Both those fighters were way more skilled than Hopkins though. His dirty, roughouse tactics would not work against Ruiz. Ruiz would likely stop him.

 

It doesn’t follow that Hopkins would fight exactly the same way against Ruiz as he did against smaller opponents.

He is many things, but he is not a fool.

 

He hasn't got the legs to fight Ruiz like Jones did. How would he fight Ruiz? Tbh I don't think he would get knocked out, he'd quit before it got to that stage. He has got cur inside him let's be honest here.

 

He is definitely more skilled than Toney,Jones is one of the goats imo.

Who did Ruiz ever stop on the level of Hopkins?

 

You think Hopkins is more skilled than Toney???

I'll name one, Tony Tucker.

Which heavyweight did Hopkins beat that was as skilled as Ruiz?

 

Yes.

Not a chance is Tucker more skilled than Hopkins, not even in the same ball park.

Tarver.

 

He had enough skills to beat Hopkins at HW that's for sure. A prime Ruiz would also beat Tarver at HW.

 

Based on what? What do you see in the 90's version of Tony Tucker that convinces you he'd beat Bernard Hopkins?

Tarver and Ruiz don't have many common opponents the only one is Jones. Tarver had the speed, timing and power to starch the man that had made Ruiz look like such a fool for 12 rounds.

Tarver is significantly quicker than Ruiz and is eons apart in terms of timing and ring IQ. They're the same height as each other and Tarver showed he could carry 220 just as effectively as John did. Tarver is 3 inches less reach but with his advantage in timing, speed and footwork he could easily win an outside battle with Ruiz and pick his punches off from distance.

 

You think a 215 pound Hopkins would move much at heavyweight?

Look there are very few middleweights who were able to compete at the elite level at heavyweight regularly. Jones picked the one fight he could win. Hopkins has not even fought there.Size does matter.

 

I always thought Hopkins was a decent middleweight back in the 90's. In the 2000's as a middleweight his knockout power declines and when he moves to light heavyweight his power was non existent. Other than his longevity, after a certain point I was never really impressed. Whenever he went against highly skilled opponent he had problems.

As a heavyweight he would have had to have been a superior fighter to have a chance. I don't think he would have had the speed, strength or power to to keep the heavyweights off of him. His movement would also be slowed down by the excess weight.

In my opinion he would fail badly in the heavyweight division in the 2000s.