Bernard Hopkins vs. Sergio Martinez @ MW.

A lot had to do with Pavlik´s defense as well. Whenever Martinez launched an offense, Pavlik would get stuck in a defensive posture. Pavlik never really let his hands go while Martinez was taking the initiative. Martinez would attack, Pavlik would defend, reset himself and then Kelly would look for his own openings.

If you are prone to getting stuck in position while defending yourself, good luck dealing with a fast jabber like Martinez.
If Pavlik had any real world class counter punching ability(he was THE 160lb champ after all), he could have turned those defensive moments into counter punching opportunities. That would have slowed Martinez down a bit. Just the threat of getting countered.
But Pavlik would wait for Martinez to finish and in the end, he got out hustled.

 

Hopkins usual spoiling 12rd ud

apart from Martinez beating pavlik and Williams at middleweight his time there was fairly short lived and I think he already had knee issues. Darren barker who was really British euro level had some success against an ageing Martinez where as Hopkins was a lot fresher at middle

 

I have a six-pack of boxers that I regard as exceptional talents in the sport: Robinson, Ali, Leonard, Roy, Pea and Floyd.
I consider that these guys had some innate talent /aptitude for the game over and above what most others have.

They weren't all necessarily the best in the sport or even their divisions, nor did I consider them the greatest (whatever that mean), but they were highly skilled and all very slick.

The first time I saw Sergio fight (Bunema), I thought my little pack would eventually expand to seven. He had a lot of the same (admittedly very subjective) attributes of my slick six.

He never did completely get there...he started a bit late and was involved in other sports before he got into boxing (football and cycling) and his body didn't hold up.

In his prime, he would have obliterated Cotto very early.

Still, it would have been interesting to see the Sergio who fought Williams or Pavlik face BHop.

BHop will rank far ahead of Sergio in terms of greatness both p4p and as a MW, but Sergio was faster, slicker and more athletic, and he had very respectable power.

I see him taking the first three or four rounds off Bernard...before Bernard makes adjustments...probably of a spoiling nature, roughing Sergio up and using his size advantage . Eventually, Bernard takes a decision or even stops Martinez.

But if Bernard has trouble figuring his opponent out, or if Sergio can make adjustments to Bernard's adjustments, I wouldn't be shocked or even much surprised to see Sergio outbox Bernard over 12.

The fight would certainly not be a foregone conclusion.

 

Living under a rock? Taylor, Chad Dawson, Calzaghe, Roy. Yes, there's a pattern. He couldn't deal with speed. He didn't exactly face many of this type so he was spared more losses. Though Taylor and Dawson were both good fighters they were not great.

 

I'd take Hopkins 9 times out of 10 against Martinez

No one deals with Roy. He was over 40 against calzaghe. Beyond that he yes has had tough fights against good fighters who happen to be athletic that isn't enough for me to say he struggles with atheletes in general.

 

It was the de la Hoya fight that also came to my mind when considering this match up

 

This is likely how it'd go. If Martinez was the same size as Hopkins, I'd give him a fair chance.

 

I love Sergio. One of the most pleasing to the eyes fighters imo, just loved watching him fight. Graceful and technical fighter, moved like a dream before his knees blew out.

But, man, Hopkins was a bad dude! At MW he was a beast - Big, strong, athletic and VERY smart. I believe he would have too much for Sergio in his prime. Sergio would hang with him until the late rounds, maybe even be in front on points, but Hopkins would eventually grind him down. I mean, old-man Hopkins was “The Alien”, but back in the day he was “The Executioner”.