Despite Dick Tiger having a better middleweight resume than Hopkins, why is Hopkins rated higher?

Oh, Hopkins beat the great Joe Lipsey...that changes everything...beats anybody Tiger ever beat.

 

Tiger is rate above Hopkins for most historian of boxing.

 

Although very talented, Bernard Hopkins moved up to 175 lbs as did D. Tiger. But Hopkins is a giant fan favorite of the younger generation with his gimmicks, the Executioner Mask or the Alien face guard. Tiger was more of a serious fighter, he was not mouthy, did not have any gimmicks to make him stand out.

 

I would personally be 50/50 on this match-up, but when Hopkins first fought Mercado, that was miles above sea level in Ecuador. I believe Hopkins sorted it out in the rematch.
Yes and there were armed guards in Hopkins dressing room.

 

I personally found Hopkins painful to watch at times. His fighting style didn't do much for me.
I'll give him the credit for staying up top for so long, that's a great achievement.
Then again, as being pointed out, his era wasn't swimming with great names or full of young hungry middleweight s.
Face to face, I've got Tiger winning a decision, no way is he koing Bernard, but gives him a painful night.

 

God knows that I'm not the biggest Hopkins fan but I think his long reign counts heavily in his favour, especially when considered that he lost very few fights. Tiger had 19 losses. That also needs to be considered.

As for who would win H2H I feel Hopkins would probably have been too clever and elusive for Tiger. Tiger always struggled a little with the clever boxers and Hopkins was that. That said, it would have been interesting to see whether Hopkins could have handled Tiger's exceptional strength in the clinches. If Bernard tires first, its not going to end well.