Very tough fight to call imo. I think most people would favor Hopkins because he is more well schooled and places punches well, but he struggles with busy, unorthodox type fighters like Martinez (Calzaghe and Jones). I think I'd still take Hopkins, but by a close, decision. I also think Martinez would taste the canvas at least once because he does get timed with punches like he was with Pavlik and Williams but he would keep it close in rounds won. I think Hopkins 116-110.
I think Hopkins wins much wider if he doesn't stop him before the final bell. Martinez is excellent but the MW scene is weak at the moment, and all the good fighters are either unmarketable or green, and that's what helps him. Hopkins is a few levels above Martinez at MW IMO.
True, but the same can be said forr Hopkins. He fought in a weak era too for middleweight. I agree that Hopkins is a level above, but as we know the stylistic part has gotta be factored in too. Hopkins was a level above Taylor too.
Well Hopkins was absolutely destroyed by weight-draining by the time of the Taylor fights, and I still thought he deserved at least one of them, so I'll give him a pass there. I'd say MW Tito is a level above anyone Martinez has fought in his career, bar maybe Pavlik, but it clearly wasn't the same Pavlik that Hopkins stole the soul of.
Hopkins had slowed down alot by the time he fought Taylor, which is the ONLY reason Taylor didn't get KO'd or dominated IMO. Hopkins used to NEVER look for decisions, he used to work hard the whole fight and break his man down get stoppages, he hasn't worked anyone over well in years.
All good points. I do favor Hopkins, but I think it would have been interesting. Hopkins hadnt fought too many supremely confident fighters in his career. Jones in the first fight and Calzaghe were. Oscar and Tito were to an extent, but I dont think either was mentally as tough as Martinez at the time they fought Hopkins.
Why are all the weight classes weak at the present... Always....it's always weak in the present and great in the past.... Martinez gives any Hopkins a good run. I don't know who wins that one. I'm not an expert like all of you. But Hopkins doesn't get past Martinez easy. No.
Oh, and i want to add something i learned on ESB...when you start to lose, or start being unimpressive, you are always weight drained. I'ts never, never, because of the opponent.
Bhops kills Martinez RESUME wise, but people, all ass kissing aside, does anyone here think anyone Bhops defeated would have a chance vs Martinez? Martinez I think really is the exception and fights as the southpaw version of a Roy Jones in his prime. Martinez would be all wrong for Hopkins. Sergio can lead as much as he can counterpunch. I like Hagler and Monzon's chances better. Aside from that, Sergio has a knack on taking down bigger fighters than himself. You can use a common opponent like Pavlik as a measuring stick, Hopkins completely dominated Pavlik as Sergio got dropped, even tho he was never hurt and off balance, and bludgeoned Pavlik worse than Hopkins did, but I think Martinez has actually become better. At 160 Sergio continues to impress, so at 160 I can't really say yet. If my life was in the balance, I'd probably pick Bhops because he went through that road already and like Sergio in the big fights Bhops was also picked as the underdog and proved the people wrong. I'll pick Bhops for now, but only by a hair.