Was Bernard Hopkins still elite in his forties ? Vote !

Yeah, there was a lull in the late 2000s-early 2010s. The older guys who used to rule the division aged even further out of their primes, and a new crop of mostly European prospects who never really panned out emerged. Very different story by 2014-2015 though.

 

Well then lets tie this back to the OP and ask how strong Moores LHW era was in his 40s and does his resume reflect its strength? Because I would submit that the era wasnt as weak as Moores resume at the time he was merely running out the clock. At least Hopkins was fighting top dogs win/lose/or draw. Moore was patently avoiding them.

 

he refers to his forties, no debate, in the title.

 

Great points as always, Klompton. However, just curious. Do you like BHop over Moore at 175?

 

Yes, Hopkins was still a top fighter in his 40s.
Taylor beat him at 160. The 175 pound division was weak but Hopkins did well there. Tarver was probably his best win.

 

That's absolute horse****. I'm calling you out on this bogus claim.

From 56-62, Moore fought all the top light heavyweights minus Harold Johnson, whom he already defeated multiple times, the last by knock out in 54.

 

Moore beat #1 Pompey in 56
Moore beat #1 Tony Anthony in 57
Moore beat #3 Durrell in 58.....#1 and #2 were Johnson and Pompey
Moore gave #3 Durrell his deserved rematch in 59 after understandable time off. Anthony was #1
Moore lost to top 5 rated Rinaldi in 60, Johnson was #1 again.
Moore beat Rinaldi in 61 to reclaim title.
Moore drew with top 5 rated Pastrano in 62 who would take the title from Johnson in 63.

What top guys did Moore "patently" avoid? He fought all the guys he needed to fight on an annual basis.

 

I think the Taylor fights and his subsequent success at 175 also showed his time at 160 was well and truly over and he could have perhaps even moved up a bit earlier. He had a new lease of life once the previous weight restrictions were gone and it lasted some time.

 

Maybe. But when beat Oscar, he came in at 156 and that was less than a year before he fought Taylor the first time.

 

Wrong or lies, take your pick.

Pompey was #3 not #1
Anthony was the only #1 contender Moore faced from 1956 until he retired. Period. In that time he was repeatedly hounded for fighting less qualified fighters like durelle, pompey, and rinaldi, while making more dangerous fighters wait and eventually he was stripped which paved the way for Johnsons elimination victory. The better question is why bums like rinaldi, pompey, and especially durelle were getting rated and why Moore was struggling with them.

 

Id favor 40 yr old Hopkins over 40 yr old Moore.

 

Ok. Agree to disagree.

 

Struggling with guys like Durelle and Pompey doesnt give me confidence he could beat Hopkins at an advanced age. If Hopkins werent durable then Id say maybe but Hopkins was tough as nails and very good defensively and more importantly he was better than anyone Moore beat post 40. Moore had to come from behind with KOs to beat Durelle and Pompey and took two tries beat Rinaldi. His win over Pastrano may have been a gift and even then he needed a flash KD to eek out a draw. I dont see Hopkins having those issues with those guys.

 

Yes but all the fights around that he was close to or at 160. His output and energy looked noticably better to me. He was extremely low in his output vs Taylor. As it was the decisions in both fights still get debated over.

 

*Pompey was #2 behind Patterson in winter of 56. Patterson left the division for a hw rating, leaving Pompey as the leading light heavy contender by summer of that year.

*The #1 contenders he did not face were Johnson (57, 59-60, 62) and Anthony (58). As explained he beat Johnson 3 times already, the last time by knock out. And Anthony whom he destroyed in 57.

So are you really ripping Moore for choosing the #3 guy over men he already soundly defeated, and then rematching said #3 guy after he gave him his sternest test.

Who were these higher rated more dangerous fighters? You cant name them, they don't exist.

No, he was stripped for not facing Johnson within 6 months of winning the title back from Rinaldi.

The issue is not your opinion of rinaldi, pompy, and durelle and your thoughts on their rating. You made an accusation, you patently can't back up. Talking out of your ass as always.