Marquez, Pacquiao, Hagler, Lewis, Barerra, Lomachenko, and Leonard are all great fighters from the 80s on who lost at least one fight fiarly early in their careers. Now tell me how many fighters since that period have beaten a unified titlist four or more weightclasses above their original weight at age 36 or older. How many have done it with no age restriction?
There's nothing there to back up your claim.. Jones and Hopkins were the two highest ranked contenders by the IBF but Hopkins in no way was the favorite or was he the better skilled fighter that night.
Not for steroids, Ripped Fuel, at least that is what Roy said he was taking. I never said Roy was clean. Just that a 36 year old Mayweather wasn't completely natural.
He tested positive for androstenedione, which is a steroid. I have doubts about the ripped fuel claim. This was pre Vada, etc. On the other hand, an IV doesn't prove s hit. It's not like a diuretic which would hinder athletic performance and therefore be used either to cut weight or mask. An IV would keep you feeling good. On the other hand, Manny entered the ring on Celestone which is a corticosteroid.
Bernard was not favored, and based on the HBO commentary in the fight, he certainly wasn't considered the more polished fighter.
I was never sold on Roys win over Hopkins. Hopkins at that time wasnt the top MW he went on to become and didnt win a world title in his next world title attempt after that fight. Hopkins had no real top wins or top resume then and had no world title experience. Canelo had a far greater unbeaten run and far greater resume at that time, and was considered a top fighter who had mixed in world class as a world champ. I didnt like the catchweight situation with Floyd/Canelo but do rate it as a far greater win than Roys over Bernard
He was referring to the time when the fights were. Good chance some would rate Hopkins career greater when both are retired but at the time of those respective fights I think Canelo was a greater win even though I didnt like the catchweight situation
I think this is closer than a lot of people might readily admit. Who was a bigger weight bully, Hopkins or Canelo? For me that's a pretty difficult question considering how much weight these guys have cut ahead of fights.
Canelo was way more accomplished than Hopkins for those respective fights. Hopkins hadn't even had a fight vs a Ring top 10 opponent when he fought Roy. Mercado, another guy who had never defeated a top 10 fighter, floored Hopkins multiple times in Bernard's next title fight. Canelo wasn't what he'd become, but Hopkins was more green. Bottom line, Hopkins is only the better win if one really puts a lot of weight (bad pun intended) on the catchweight and the draining effects that had on Canelo. That's not enough for me, so Cinnamon is the answer.