Harder To Stop Part I: Best Chin & Defence - Peak Hopkins or Peak Toney?

That is quite a question. I've never seen them seriously hurt under normal circumstances. I mean Toney was hurt by Sam Peter, but thats hardly normal.

Hopkins was down at altitude.

I think Hopkins is a harder fighter to hit with clean shots. Mainly because he has much better footwork so its an effort to even get in punching range, and even then you have to get through his guard. Toney is very flat footed, but of course his shell is excellent and chin amazes me.

I don't know who is harder to knockout but I prefer Hopkins defence. I think avoiding the majority of punches is better than absorbing them on the arms. That's why I preferred Whitaker's to Mayweather.

 

James Toney, he suffered one flash knockdown through showboating vs roy jones and i've never seen him troubled apart from it. His shoulder roll defense makes landing flush extremely difficult and helps take some of the impact of the punch and his willingness to throw bombs to get his opponent to retreat make me favour him in this one, although I love Hopkins defensively, too.

 

He was hurt against Peter, Dina. It's not exactly a black mark against him all things considered, but he clearly looked buzzed to me. Watch again and see if you agree. As bad as I've seen him since Johnson. This is why I worry for him if he somehow gets a shot at a Klitschko, he would get knocked out which would be a shame. Too easy to hit now.

 

Toney is better genetically imo, but Hopkins is the better fighter and he would Toney the lazy ***** right now...

 

toney has been hit flush and knockdown, whereas hopkins just makes everyon seem sloppy when fighting him. i voted hopkins

 

For defense, Hopkins is the harder to hit and he takes less punishment, but Toney puts himself in the danger zone more with his flat feet and invites people to take swipes at his head. Toney is hard to tag cleanly but he still takes way too many shots to be regarded the better defensive fighter. I don't think Hopkins could fight as effectively in Toney's style, but also Toney couldn't fight near as effectively as Hopkins does on the move, and so the edge for defense would go to Hopkins.

As far as chins go Toney has the more proven whiskers, he's taken bigger shots from bigger boys and he is very hard chinned. I don't think Toney has ever really been hurt. Perhaps stunned against Peter and to a lesser extent Reggie, but Hopkins was legitimately hurt against Mercado imo. I don't think Hopkins has quite the potential for punishment that Toney does, but his chin is still outstanding and not much lesser than Toney's at all.

 

Toney is more "there" to be hit as he is less mobile. He has great defense and rolls beautifully, but I prefer Hopkins' control of distance and pace in his fights.

 

Hopkins' chin is overrated: he was down against Ecchols, albeit from a surprise-shot that was thrown during a break; however, no one knocks Bernard out, his style simply doesn't allow it.

 

Gun to my head, Toney is harder to stop.

That said, I don't think anyone has more than a remote shot at stopping either of them at 160-168 respectively.

 

I think Toney was hurt just as bad against Johnson and Peter as Hopkins against Mercado.