Are Jermain Taylor's wins over Hopkins underrated?

:deal

 

I've never been one of those that thought Hopkins was ever a light heavyweight training himself down like some do, so the idea that Hopkins was drained against Taylor is quite frankly ludicrous.

Hopkins was a natural middleweight or at best a super middleweight. Hopkins came in at 168lbs, so he only gained 8lbs, which yes was a lot for Hopkins who usually came in around the mid 160's but it does not suggest he was drained in any way.

Hopkins had started to decline, his stamina had begun to fade and his speed was no longer what it was and he was never that fast to begin with. It's why he jumped all the way up to light heavyweight and not super middle. Against light heavies his declining speed and stamina would not be as big an issue, as he would be fighting bigger, slower men who didn't throw as much as middleweights or even super middleweights due to their greater size.

Hopkins started to really decline significantly after the Joppy fight. He threw 800 punches against Joppy, he didn't throw much against De La Hoya, he threw about 400 against Eastman, 326 and 391 against Taylor. That combined he went 12 rounds with Allen a guy he had previously KO'ed with ease, it's clear Hopkins was declining.

Hopkins was still the next best middleweight in the world though. I don't think anyone else apart from Taylor could have beaten him at the time. Hopkins did go on to beat Wright and Pavlik so it's clear they were still good wins for Taylor as while Hopkins was declining he wasn't ready to be taken by anyone else at middleweight.

 

You're still avoiding the legitimate questions which is what I fully expected you to do as I knew you would. And now other posters on this thread are exposing your bs as well. You're pretty pathetic:yep

 

:goodExcellent post, BB. Cheers

 

Thank you. Well put. People don't think age had any effect on Hopkins because they saw and see him winning. Fact is, he was only successful against certain types of opponents after 2002 or so.

The idea that his prime is, well, ludicrous and embarrassing. It also reeks of an agenda.

Hopkins was still a quality win, all the way up until the present time, but obviously not what it was in his heyday.

 

I don't see how Hopkins won fight 2 in anyone's eyes? Hopkins gave away the first 7 then lost the 11th

Taylor in hindsight made a huge jump from facing espn level Edouard to ATG Hopkins and after that the bar was set. His weakest defense was ouma a champ and a south paw. Top defensive guys Spinks Hopkins and wright are not easy to look good against. I thought he lost to wright

Honestly he looked great vs Pavlik early, many refs would have stopped that fight. If Taylor blew out Pavlik in 2 who was really left at 160?

Plus he fought well in Pavlik II

 

Still avoiding the 2 legitimate questions I posed to you. I love exposing you and your nonsense:hi:

 

it was a very good win considering bernards great streak till then.

it also convinced joe calzaghe that Hopkins was shot, and joe mistakenly signed to fight Hopkins after waiting so long for him to fade at just theright time that joe needed urgently to run from the smw division to escape a beating from prime froch.

without taylors win joe might have instead gone just for rjj, who was proven shot.

 

Yep

 

They're overrated - because they aren't real wins at all, rather gift decisions to push HBOs latest hype job. Hopkins should have gotten the nod in both fights.

Taylor was a mediocrity who got undeserved decisions against Hopkins and was ultimately exposed as the HBO hype job he always was.

 

Prime Hopkins would have beaten both Taylor and Calzaghe with relative ease, leaving no chance for the judges to go against him.

 

I see you are still avoiding the questions I posed to you

 

Very underated. Jermain could have been one of the best Middleweights of all time cuz he certainly had the goods..such a tragic story and tragic end to a once promising career.

 

:huh

 

The wins are underrated and/or Hopkins is very overrated at 160.

I scored the first fight a draw but I have no idea how any reasonable boxing fan could have scored the second fight anything other than a win for Taylor. I swear-- Hopkins fans used to give him points for feints, head butts, and forearm shivers.