You have Hopkins * 160 and 175, champion of the world * faced over 10 champions * 20 title defenses * only champion to hold all 4 belts at the same time former undisputed middleweight champion Key wins: Trinidad, DLH, and Tarver Then you have Jones: * 160, 168, 175, and HW champion of the world * faced 20 former world champions * 22-3 in championship fights * former undisputed light heavyweight champion Key wins - Toney, Hopkins, Tarver, Ruiz, and Trinidad Who ya got?
Jones for me.... It is pretty close though. Jones beat Hopkins convincingly when they were both young in the sport, definitely holds more water than two shot fighters going at it. Combine that with the HW win, and the destruction of prime Toney, I give it to Jones but not by much.
hopkins in close call but for what he is still doing now at his age will be rememberd for a while gave joe c a good close fight, a schooled a young hungry undefeated star in kelly pavlik
Hopkins. At this point I only have to say this: ten years from now, when you'll look back at any of these threads, you'll smile and say: how could I say Roy? It won't be a question, B-Hop, and it's not even very close. Given BHops 'losses' at the time he recieved them, his MW title reign, the non-ABC related titles (lineal, undisputed, The Ring), the opposition he faced, (the opposition he avoided), how if ever he picked opponents etc. You'll find out that Hopkins fought what's out there and in most cases beat what was out there, while for a large part of Roy's career, the opponents were very carefully selected. There were experts who said before the Ruiz fight, that Antonio Tarver would give a hell of a fight to Roy. But jumping up in weight, facing a handpicked, extremely slow HW to win an alphabet title at 190 with an enormous hype made Roy (again) look like superman, while the actual quality of a Ruiz win is not that terrific. And he failed to beat Tarver, probably the first REAL test since Griffin or Hill. The quality of Hopkins' resume is better. I'd even say, that the overall skill level is up there with Roy or it's a bit better, because when Roy lost his speed his all game was based on, he never looked like a special fighter again. While Hopkins became from a hard hitting pressure fighter a defensive master who even put the defensive mastery on another level 40+. An interesting thought. When Roy fought, before he put his HOF career together, people was already shouting HOF, ATG, etc. When Hopkins already put his HOF career together, people still wasn't sold on his legacy. Time is a very nice healer in boxing. Bernard Hopkins has a far more solid resume.
Jones by a small margin... during his prime Jones was something else... I mean, In like 12 of his championship fights not only did he win and devastate opponents, but he rarely ever even lost a single round..
Another quality win for Hopkins over a Dawson could put him over Roy. Split it up in years: 1992-2000 Roy Jones 2001-2009 Hopkins. So I'd say even
Roy Jones, RJJs best wins come against fellas his own size or bigger, Hops best wins (Winky, Tito, DLH, Pavlik) all had to come up to fight him. Plus Roy has an bunch of wins he should get credit for, but doesnt see below. Middleweight champ Supermiddleweight champ 2xLight heavyweight champ Heavyweight titlist James Toney, Reg Johnson, Mike McCallum, Montell Griffin, Virgill Hill (most underrated win), John Ruiz and most importantly in this thread Bernard Hopkins at Hopkins' prime weight. Also check the wins Roy gets no credit for, Antonio Tarver, Lou De Valle, Clinton Woods, Eric Harmon, Rich Hall, Eric Lucas, Otis Grant, Vinny Paz, Julio Gonzalez, Sugar Boy MAlinga, Thomas Tate, David Telesco... Most of these guys were overlooked at the time and are overlooked now, yet most won world title either before or after Jones schooled them.
Roy Jones, best fighter in the 90s and never had a clear loss in his prime.. but bhop is not close behind. he can redeem himself by KTFO the man who beat him twice
