Classic Forum's take on Jones vs Hopkins II

I think the key factor in which you mentioned is Jones' legs. Jones' style always will be troublesome for Hopkins, because he does not like to assume the role of the aggressor in a fight. Hopkins much prefers to have the fight come to him. Hopkins will be out of his comfort zone at times, but will mix being the aggressor and boxing Jones to conserve his energy in spots.
At this point I see a very comfortable decision for Hopkins, maybe even a stoppage from the ninth on. If thsi had taken place back in and around 2002 or littel later...I would have picked Jones by decision.

Bottom line Hopkins is going to give Jones a beating. Sorry to say but I don't consider this a fight. Might be surprised...but I really doubt it. Jones does not have his legs anymore at all.

 

I tend to agree with this, but I think we might be suprised. I just dont think Hopkins has the size or strength to push the fight enough. I mean Jeff Lacy and Tito Trinidad couldnt do it, and I dont think Hopkins is much stronger than those two, so I see a decision type fight if Jones legs arent shot, and I see Jones having a really good shot at winning. People talk about Hopkins like hes still a young man, but hes been fighting guys that make him look like a young man just as Jones did against Tito and Lacy. Hopkins didnt look like a young man against Taylor and Calzahge and I think the style of Jones is going to be more like that, giving Hopkins a lot of movement with Jones trying to keep the fight in the center of the ring where Hopkins could have trouble catching up to him. Either way the odds should be close in my opinion with both guys having a good chance to exploit the others shortcomings.

 

I have very mixed feelings about this fight. Hopkins is still clinging to a high enough ranking as a light heavyweight that I feel he's holding Dawson back with no plans to fight him. In a way. Meanwhile taking on RJJ coming off a first round stoppage loss. Still talking like he's looking at fighting Dawson, which I don't think he really plans on. Plus it's a PPV, which always gets my goat. And as far as historical significance, I think it doesn't matter so much on paper. It will depend on how the fight actually turns out. Because it's true, it may be surprisingly competitive. If it turns out a farce like a lot suspect, it'll have pretty much no significance. But if it turns out well, with Jones surprisingly fresh and not shot, it's a different matter altogether. I'm very curious about the fight, as much reservation as I have about it. It does make for an interesting story, far off as it is to the first one. All in all, I don't know if I can have a take on it until it plays out.

 

My opinion of the fight is that it is a ****ing joke, a sham, a farce. I'd rather watch a prostate exam live than this ****. And it's not just my own rage as a B-Hop fan that he is milking his fanbase and playing to the part-time fans interested only in big names, it's fury at the precedent that is being set here. When this idea was floated after Jones had been ****ing bashed up within a round by a journeyman like Danny Green, the fans should have revolted. But they didn't. The sheep were swiftly brought onto the bandwagon by a few tired statements from B-Hop trying to pretend there is hatred between them, and now the fight is happening on ppv. So, Golden Boy and Arum will think now, if those idiots will buy that ****, what else can we serve them up next? Tyson-Holyfield III? Erik Morales vs Jose Luis Castillo at ww? Oscar De La Hoya vs Winky Wright? Jeff Lacy vs Tito Trinidad at lhw? A double bill of James Toney vs Ray Mercer, 1st in a boxing ring then in an MMA cage??!

Mark my words, rank garbage like this is coming if the Hopkins-Jones numbers are good. Hop should have fought Adamek when he had the chance. Or Dawson. Or even Glen Johnson or even ****ing Danny Green. NOT a guy that hasn't beaten a top 10 ranked opponent for SEVEN YEARS and who is 0-4(KO'd x2) in his last 4 fights against top 10 ranked opposition. Yet because this horribly shot-to-**** walking corpse is a 'name', he is an acceptable option. BULL****.

Hopkins will win. Of course he will. But the fans will lose from this. Again and again and again.

 

I have a feeling Jones may pull 1 last performance out the bag but it could be wishful thinking. He has problems with high workrates and big punchers, 2 qualities an old Hopkins doesnt have in abundance. However he looked like even more of a shell against Green, shot to pieces, or was he just caught cold?

Stylistically Hopkins can struggle with speed, ie Jones/Calzaghe/Taylor the 3 fastest men he faced all beat him. Jones still has the handspeed, but not the footspeed or practically any movement at all left in legs.

 

several, several years too late and is a completely meaningless fight, as a RJJ fan i hope he retires win or lose

 

I have about 100 better things to do than watch a chinny has-been fighting an over-rated boring clincher/cheater.

 

I totally agree. I had Hopkins in my Top3 favourite fighters for year. The day this fight was signed he dropped out of my Top10.

He should challenge for a cw title or fight Haye but not a shot Jones.

 

Lets just say he cant afford to get hit like that. He had no recoup powers in that fight. Even though he didnt get knocked down again, he was gone. Jones absolutely has to stay off the ropes and forget about blocking punches with his arms up and do whatever he can to move and keep the fight in the center of the ring its his only shot.

 

He will try and fight the winner of Haye Ruiz if he wins tomorrow night.

 

I hope he does. Even if he loses he goes out on his shield and probably realizes that he has to retire.

 

If Hopkins loses, Jones Hopkins III :dead I hope Jones retires win or lose. If Hopkins wins, fighting the winner of Haye Ruiz is an interesting hopefully non PPV fight.

 

Jones has a chance. It matters if he still has a speed advantage over Hopkins, and if he can stay focused the whole fight. Like I have said in other threads, Hopkins is 45 years old, and there is no way he is a sure thing to win this fight at that age.