Better lagacy - Calzaghe, Jones, Hopkins?

Hopkins has a stoppage of a Prime Glen Johnson. A very good win, one that is often completely overlooked during these discussions.

 

1 - Jones
2 - Calzaghe
3 - B Hop

Its in this order for me because, no matter what Calzaghe or B Hop do they are not going to be able to match the fact that Jones went from MW to HW. That was the first time it had been done in a century. Calzaghe edges B Hop, because lets face it if you look at there CV's the are pretty much the same, 20+ defence's, etc, they have had quite similar careers. But Calzaghe gets it because he has the unbeaten record. B Hop, though is still a great fighter no question.

 

Calzaghe is below Hopkins.

Hopkins made comebacks in his career which shows

1) Hopkins took the risks fighting quality opposition
2) Only great fighters can comeback

He came back from losing the MW throne, by beating Tarver who at the time was LHW King, 2 weight classes above his nornal MW.

He came back from losing to Calzaghe (SD), by beating Middleweight King, Kelly Pavlik.

Both times B-Hop was the underdog.

Also early in his career after losing his first fight, and losing to RJJ, he came back stronger.

Resume
Hopkins: Top 5 wins Trinadad, Johnson, Tarver, Wright, Pavlik.
(Close loses to Calzaghe, Taylor 1: these fights could have gone either way)

Calzaghe: Lacy, Kessler, Hopkins, Eubank, RJJ,

Calzaghe's win over RJJ doesnt carry much weight, when it is scaled up, seeing that RJJ was shot 4 years back.
Hopkins resume is way better.

Calzaghe will be mentioned in history as a decent fighter, but being ranked anywhere near Hopkins, or Jones, will be major bull****

 

True it is an underrated win,but I suspect Johnson was slightly before his prime like Hopkins was against Jones.

 

Losses in your resume effect your legacy.

Hopkins lost to his biggest ever challengers in Jones Jr and Calzaghe - also had off nights against Taylor.

Jones Jr beat some of his biggest challenges and didn't lose til his later years, he was never bested in his prime like Hopkins was.

Hopkins recent loss to an older Calzaghe is also detrimental to his legacy, being that he then went and dominated Pavlik only speaks more for the shape Bernard was when Calzaghe beat him

I have it

1. Jones Jr
2. Calzaghe
3. Hopkins

 

After reading your valid pts its hard to argue with your list :good

 

Hopkins went unbeaten for 12 years, those years encompassed his prime. The few wins over DLH, Eastman, and Allen III before the Taylor fights showed that he was not quite the fighter he was from about '97 to '03, Hopkins has been capable of still having a lot of success past his prime, that doesn't mean he is in his prime anymore.

 

Jones
Hopkins
Calzaghe

 

People are focusing alot on Roy's prime and past. Calzaghe and Hopkins get credit for all the good stuff they've done since the turn of the century, FFS... It all counts the same.

 

1. Jones
2. Hopkins
3. Calzaghe

 

I trust that you are refering to Lacy being a bum and not Eubank

 

Well, by Hopkins' standards, two of the three lost to a white guy in the poll. Need I say more? I suppose so.

Who has the best legacy is hard to say.

Jones was the best pound for pound of the three in his prime. He also won a heavyweight title, BUT Jones also lost the worst of the three, and likely got away with substance abuse.

Clazaghe is un-defeated, and has beaten a good, but not great mix of fighters. There is a premium on un-defeated fighters. Clazaghe not done yet. Clazahge also hold wins over Hopkins and Jones. While Hopkins and Jones were past their absolute bests by a few years, I think Clazaghe was slightly past his best too.

Hopkins is probably the most accomplished of the three, and wining a title at his age is very rare. I'd give it to him, regardless of his dumb comments.

 

FWIW Joe C. and RJJ have beaten the same number of World Champs-and most of the ones RJJ beat were a weight or two class below the weight they were fighting only one of Joe's were.