Hopkins has had the better career by far. H2H though. (2006)Joe beats any version of Hopkins at 168lbs and 175lbs I also have Hopkins above Roy Jones. RJJ holding a paper belt at 175lbs and beating a Don King mafia style fighter at heavyweight does nothing for me personally.
Why are people saying it's not even close? Calzaghe: 1) Beat Hopkins. 2) Had more title defenses. 3) Is undefeated.
Clearly? What's your criteria for ranking a guy? It's an interesting debate. Both were great fighters. Joe was undefeated and beat Bernard, but Bernard achieved more, had better longevity, and took the risks/fights that Joe wouldn't have. Do you think Joe would have fought Dawson and Kovalev? We know he didn't want Tarver and Pavlik. All things considered, it has to be Bernard for me.
1) The fight with old Hopkins was close. 2) If you add up the combined title defences B-Hop has made at different weights its much more than Joe's 3) B-Hop lost to top tier guys by facing all comers(Kovalev the latest one) I think even Prime Joe at 175lbs loses to Kovalev. I'm a huge Joe fan but resume wise, its lacking more elite names. B-Hop has many, many more names on his resume.
bailey, How can the criteria that you use, be in any way objective? So because you think Joe's best wins rate higher than Bernard's best wins, you're going to completely ignore Bernard's accomplishments, his longevity, and the risks he took? And why do you rate the Eubank win so highly? It's baffling.
I think Bernard's accomplishments, longevity, and his will to fight the best, override what you have listed. That's my honest opinion.
Just because you can beat somebody H2H doesnt make you automatically the greater fighter. I think both were faded when they fought but it was still a good win for Joe coming up in weight against the lineal LHW champ in the middle of some of Hopkins best wins. But still Hopkins has done more over the course of his entire career and it makes him the greater fighter. Who knows what Joe could of accomplished if he pushed himself earlier instead of at the tail end of his career but he didn't and the blame rests with Joe.
I'd rank Joe over Hopkins if a few things happened. I believe they would have happened if the fights were made. 1) Joe beat Collins when they were set to meet. 2) Joe beat Hopkins in early 00's when the fight was first talked about. If those two things happened. I'd put Joe over Hopkins. It is what it is though. Joe was avoided by Collins and later Hopkins. Collins through injury, and Hopkins pricing himself out of a fight.