Bernard Hopkins or James Toney...who ranks higher All-Time???

Hopkins would have made Tiberi look foolish, and Taylor would have beat him down too. We can place this game all day.

This is a peak Toney that lost to Tiberi too. I don't care what the scores were. Hopkins was 40 when he lost to JT and those fights were actually close. Toney lost 8 rounds to Tiberi. :rofl

 

I'll side with Hopkins

Unified a division, collecting all four belts.

More consistent against his opposition compared to Toney, who recieved many SD's and MD's.

Title holder for over 10 years. Stayed at the top of his game longer than Toney.

I also believe Hopkins is the more versatile fighter.

Hopkins is top 40 on my list. Toney is top 60-70.

 

I have and he would have lost a WIDE decision or TKO to Hopkins, and a decision to Taylor.

 

In top form (McCallum I, Barkley) Toney takes Hopkins imo. But if we look at their careers, even though Toney took on the tougher opposition, he had too many off nights where he looked average, and so because of his inconsistency and Hopkins' consistency, Hopkins ranks as the better fighter.

A prime or near prime Hopkins NEVER loses to the likes of Tiberi or Thadzi. I don't think he loses to the likes of Griffin either. I thought Toney lost to McCallum as well in the rematch and drew with Reggie Johnson. Hopkins would have snuck by both imo.

Had Toney had the discipline of Hopkins, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. The answer would be axiomatic.

 

I don't think in top form Toney would've beaten Hopkins to be honest. He looked great against a fighter tailor made for him in Barkley, and never responded well to movement, which is something Hopkins would give him, while matching him in other categories. The Hopkins who beat up Glenn Johnson was more impressive than any version of Toney to me.

 

Fools always give give credit to Hopkins for giving Jones a "tough fight". the fact is that he lost convincingly.

Hopkins fed himself a steady diet of second string MW and welterweights and when he fought a green Taylor - a fighter his size. He lost.

 

ANd how about the first McCallum Toney? Was he tailor made too?

I'd take that Toney over the Hopkins of the Glen Johnson fight. I don't see what Hopkins would do to beat that Toney really. He is no slicker than McCallum (though his defense is a tad better) and let's just say he wouldn't have quite the success he did against Glen Johnson if he tried to rough Toney up in a similar manner.

 

When a fight between the two was being discussed, a handicapper by the name of Roy Jones Jr picked Hopkins by decision. He said "Hopkins was very tenacious."

 

And he fought a Jones with an injured hand. Of course, Bernard was a little green at the time. Roy was too, but closer to his best than Hopkins was.

His middleweight opposition was pretty shite, but he did pretty much dominate all of them, which does show that he was clearly, levels above them. He was past his best by the Taylor fights, but probably still would have won if he wasn't so intimidated by Taylor's speed. I think those two fights tell more against Hopkins for not having the balls to press the fight earlier. He would have won if he did. For some reason he fought the exact same fight in the rematch too.... weird.

 

I see your point.

I would take the MW version of Toney over Hopkins anyday.

 

Toney, not even close.

 

On thier best nights James Toney would DESTROY BHOP. Hopkins is a very good fighter but Toney at his best was scary.

 

Hopkins by far ... he goes into a top 30 ATG spot for me
James Toney is a what could have been story.
Hopkins actually did it .. and is still doing it at age 43 .. while Toney is reduced to a punch drunk piece of lard.
And it pains me to say that because i am a big fan of Toney but he blew it himself.

 

Because of his longjivity and constanstcy I have to giv Hopkins the nod as the better all time great. Head to Head at 160 Toney at his best would beat Hopkins at his best. and at 175 Hopkins would win in my opinion.

 

Toney had lost to some fighters he had no business to lose but he was better physically and probably a better boxer(not puncher). Its too close to call for me.