Hopkins is actually underrated by a lot of boxing fans, as some of the comments here demonstrate. Is he the best MW of all-time? Probably not, but he's up there, no doubt.
Hopkins was a very very good middleweight. ATG?? Probably on his achievements, yeah. I don't really put any weight on his fights v Tarver or Wright. Tarver was badly prepared, and was really only considered the Champ because of circumstance IMO. Good win, but B-Hop is not the best LHW in the world because of it. Wright? Well, Wright looks to struggle at 160, is hardly young, and an extra 10 pounds was ridiculous. That was basically a gentlemans agreement to not have to cut weight IMO. Lets see him fight someone a) under 35 b) that doesn't have close promotional ties with Golden Boy before we try and judge him as a Light Heavy. but his 160 career alone makes him an ATG.
Taylor beating Spinks is nothing like Hops defeating Tito or DLH. Not even close. Both DLH and Tito were establiahed as world champs again and again. Tito and Hoys had beaten guys who will go down as ATG's or HOFers. Spinks' biggest win is over Zab Judah. Either way, whoever said all those guys were elite was wrong, and i missed that part. So, my bad.
Every week without fail an ignorant dumb **** posts a "Bhop is overrated' thread"! We get it. Some of you rate him and some of you don't. How about a new ****ing topic?!
Bernard is one of the few Jones victims that has survived. Roy washed that division out so soundly that only now is it becoming relevant again. Bernard is a good yet dirty fighter that knows how to win.
But De La Hoya has never done anything at middleweight that's the point. It's not like, say, Hagler's win over Hearns. Tommy proved he belonged at 160.
The De La Hoya one certainly wasn't particularly impressive. He looked tentative for the first half of the fight against someone who has never or will never prove himself at middleweight. ps. The fact that Trinidad was favoruite is no real compliment to Hopkins. Can you imagine Hagler of, say, 1983 or Monzon of, say, 1974 being the betting underdog against Trinidad? No, me neither.
Very good points, though Tito was 40-0 33 kos, #1 or #2 P4P.... 2 Division champ (20-0 Title fights), so I actually give B-Hops credit for that win AND the performance....:rasta
Hopkins weighed in at 156 for hoya,yes,but in the ring he was 170 and lean...Hopkins was routinely 166-170 come fight time so he was definately a legit middleweight,and he has showed he can carry more weight well because of his frame,height and leanness.....Oscar is a small lt middle in top shape,or a big/medium welter and never achieved anything at middle,and not a great deal at lt middle...Tommy hearns was a big ATG welter and an ATG great lt middle, and head to head an ATG middle,he also had the frame and skills to compete well at world level up to 175,no comparison with de la hoya. Can you imagine de la hoya taking the fight to marvin hagler and giving him three rounds of hell? Or hoya beating dennis andries and virgil hill at 175?
Regarding your comments on the DLH it doesn't matter what happened in the beginning of the fight. B-Hop was coming on late and...well you know what happened. About the Hopkins fight, I mentioned that he was the underdog to illustrate that the betting public viewed Trinidad as a legitimate threat. However, the betting public doesn't get in there and fight. Hopkins ****ed up Tito, that's all that matters. Speaking of Hagler, can you imagine a 154 lber coming up to MW after a 3 year retirement and outpointing B-Hop? Can you imagine a former LW taking losing a close decision to Nard? If you're going to criticize Nard for being an underdog to smaller man, then you have to criticize Hagler for struggling against smaller men.
I can easily imagine duran going 12 or 15 with hoppo and losing,maybe even winning... I can see 87 leonard beating an old hopkins at middleweight over 12. I cant see hagler losing to taylor,not even once not even close... I cant see hoppo beating a prime 85 hearns either.... Hagler smokes trinidad,de la hoya,beats wright easily,and beats ANY of hopkins opponents with only tarver (by virtue of his being a lt heavy.) and jones being able to give him a good fight.....
Totally agree 100%. He had three top class opponents the same size as he, and LOST THE LOT!! Jones and Taylor twice. Also ducked Calzaghe when he had the chance to fight him