Bernard Hopkins vs Sugar Ray Leonard 160

160 wasn't Leonard's best weight but he'd have enough to beat Hopkins. 8-4 on the cards or something like that.

 

Leonard on pts Leoandard at his worst always had more work rate than Hopkins ..

 

If we're talking about the Hopkins around 99-01 vs The SRL from the Hagler fight I'd definitely favour Hopkins, SRL would cause him some problems with his handspeed but Hopkins pre 40 had great stamina and I could see him ad******g and using his ring IQ and strength to break SRL down also Hopkins didn't have problems with smaller men though abviously SRL is an ATG smaller man but I still give this one to Hopkins.

 

Yep.

The key for me though, aside from work rate, speed etc., is that Leonard was a smarter, more versatile fighter than Hopkins ever has been. You can't say that about many fighters but you can about Leonard.

 

Leonard by UD no doubt.

 

I wouldn't agree with Leonard being smarter.
Hopkins would smother him and impose himself physically, Hagler didn't do that to SRL.

Hopkins can compete with the ATG's at Middleweight, he's one of them himself, Leonard at 160 is a level below. Hopkins bullies him, to a scruffy MD/UD.

 

Oscar was too small for 160 and I had the fight 4-4 at the time of the stoppage. Oscar was a better boxer than Hopkins, but was just to small and fragile to compete at 160.

Leonard is a better boxer than Oscar, and looked physically good at 160. He wouldn't get bullied by Hopkins the way Oscar did, and he would **** him up in a boxing clinic.

 

:rofl@ Oscar was a better boxer then Hopkins atsch

 

I prefer Leonard's speed, work rate and boxing ability in this fight. Oscar gave Bernard quite a lot of trouble in the initial stages of the fight before Hopkins was able to enforce his size. I think one thing Leonard brings that Oscar couldn't is that much larger frame to carry the weight better, and hes just a better all round fighter while fighting out of a similar sort of style.

I think you'd have a relatively comfortable Leonard win, something in the region of a 7-4-1. I think some rounds would be hard to split, Leonard stealing them with his flashy combinations.

I mean Hagler was clearly past it by the time Leonard beat him, and here we have a prime Hopkins so I wouldn't be too surprised about being wrong. Then again though was Leonard prime for the Hagler fight?

 

In terms of versatility, BHop aint far behind, if not, not behind at all to SRL. The only way a fighter can win world title at an advanced age is through versatility. BHop back in the day deserved the title, The Executioner, because he used to KO most of his opponents with aggression. Today he is a counter puncher who tries to remain efficient as possible. Thats versatility.

Its just that post 40 BHop's work rate has dropped, and that isnt suprising for a person post 40 anyway. But if you watch his earlier fights, for example his TKO of Glen Johnson, BHop had decent work rate but more importantly was efficient.

BHop knows how to use his physical advantages over smaller fighters, Prime BHop would have dealt with SRL.

 

It's a tough one,because Leonard was miles south of his best when he fought at 160.
I'd like to think Leonard has enough,ability wise he's on a different level from Hopkins,but this would be a tough fight against a genuinely much bigger guy.I like Hopkins a great deal but Ray's on a different level.All about the weight here.

 

If you were looking for a fighter who would be able to shut Leonard down offensively, then Hopkins at 160 is about as good as you could do.

 

Hopkins couldn't stop Jermain Taylor from outworking him....He'd get beaten soundly because he can't handle a lot of punches.

 

Leonard would be too fast for Hopkins IMO, he`d out-think & outbox him to a UD.

I know Hopkins has a size advantage but SRL was just a superior boxer.