Bernard Hopkins vs. Sugar Ray Robinson, at 160

The gulf in class between these 2 fighters would be painfully shown by Ray Robinson in a long 15 rounder. There's not a single thing Hopkins had that Robinson wouldn't have an answer to and Robinson had skills that Hopkins would have struggled with. No contest

 

The only advantage Hopkins has in this one is size.


And that wouldn't be enough.

 

Some superb posting by DPW and Ted Spoon in this. Loved reading this and learned loads.

I would have to side with DPW marginally though.

I would see Hopkins coming out trying to pressure Robinson, behind the jab and forcing Robinson to make the first move, and first mistake. Hopkins will obviously be looking for the counter punch.

Robinson though has them superb left-sided angles as dpw pointed out, and combined wit his offensive variety it is hard to see Hopkins to really get a gauge of Robinson's offence to nullify it completely.

It is also the case that Robinson does not just throw one shot, he lets things go in combinations and against a guy like Hopkins, who will be forcing for you to make the first move, this should keep him off balance and allow you to turn his strategy back on himself.

Thing is I just don't see where Hopkins will go to next after his strategy has back fired and he cannot find the cure to the Ray Robinson disease of varied offence and angled combinations.

 

Hopkins has never fought anyone near Robinsons class though, and remember Robinson has competed and been proven successful at Hopkins calibre.

 

:huh Giardello? Gavilan? Zivic (in terms of fighting dirty)?

Some excellent posts in here. I guess Robinson at his mw best is able to beat any mw ever, including Hopkins. But is he consistent enough to win a series? Hm. Hopkins was very good at negating a fighters strength but he wouldn´t be able to do so completly with Robinson at his best but he could so when he isn´t at his best. On the other hand Hopkins always had some problems with speedy fighters and Robinson was very fast, so he would always pose problems to him, at his best or not. In a three fight series Hopkins wins one and may even edge Robinson.

 

I like Ray ... the one that beat Jake ... Ray was too fast, hit too hard, had a terrific chin and stamina ... he would set a fast pace and out punch Hopkins and win a points decision .. Bernard was not busy enough , quick enough or hit hard enough ...

 

Robinson would be too fast for Hopkins & IMO he hit a fair bit harder as well, enough to make Hopkins wary about going inside as much as he would need to to grind out a points win, I think the combinations unleashed by SRR would badly trouble Hopkins, he wont be able to block & roll with all of them, they would get thru a lot.... Robinson by decision in a 12 rder or TKO (yes I said it) in a 15 rder as Hops is way behind & HAS to take chances offensively... of course Hops might do what he did vs Roy (the real fight, not the farce) & allow himself to lose on points rather than risk getting KTFO.

Ray has all the attributes to be an absolute nightmare for the always tactical Hopkins... interesting fight tho but Id take the SRR from the massacre over any MW on their best day H2H.

`Botswana`

 

WTF has inconsistency got to do with it ?

We are talking about the best versions of each other at 160, the TS specifically asked for the Lamotta & Tito versions & no MW Ive seen could beat that version of Robinson, least of all Hopkins, who has trouble with speed & would be at a massive disadvantage in that department.... I also think Robinson could keep Hopkins at bay from the outside with his jab alone & time him coming in with some heavier stuff, Bernie is simply too slow & not as good as Robinson period, especially on his best night.

 

Comedy Gold :good

 

i like hopkins here in a rough, dirty but close decision.

 

This fight is a toss up!