Does Hopkins' Victory Say More About Hopkins, or About Modern Boxing?

your opinion is always welcome vic:good

 

This has been something I've said a few times today with Hopkins' longevity being compared to The Ol' Mongoose.

 

It's amazing to me how he turned pro so late as well....relative to how great he turned out to be. He's an incredible man.

 

Mainly the weakness of the era but you can't take away Hops commitment to the sport along with being in solid condition his whole,long career. Also impressive that he hasn't been dominated since really Jones 1 and that was '93. His next clear defeat was last yr!

 

Dawson as well. But who are the titlists he has avoided then?

 

Excellent analysis L...
I might add comparing a Bernard Hopkins with an Archie Moore is misleading. Old Archie had more than THREE times the amount of fights than Hopkins did, against alltime greats....His last bout was at 50 years of age but I am sure if Bernard Hopkins had fought 218 fights against such
titans as Ezzard Charles, Harold Johnson, Rocky Marciano, Lloyd Marshall,
Jimmy bivins,Curtis Sheppard, Bob Satterfield,and dozens of other great fighters, Hopkins wouldn't be fighting today at the age of 48...
Like comparing two 1998 automobiles. One car has 250,000 miles on it and
is long in the scrap heap and the other [hopkins] has a mere 60,000 miles
but is still chugging along...Not a fair comparison I think...
But I give Hopkins credit for his still supple body at age 48, not overworked and still chugging along...An amazing intelligent fighter who today can still compete against as weak a lightheavyweight division in memory....

 

He probably thought he could beat Dawson, but he would have been astute enough not to fight him, if he didn't have to.

If Dawson had held the title instead of Pascal, he would likley have looked for a title held by a fighter that he was better matched to stylisticaly.

 

Well said, Sir.

 

i agree with this and since 2005, hopkins could be outhustled. regardless of what you think of the taylor decisions, they were both razor close and hopkins did no better imo in the rematch.

he's slowed down, understandably and he's adjusted his style and choice of opponent accordingly

 

Well...he did lose fair and square to Chad Dawson.
I don't think Bernard can really handle facing someone any better than Cloud anymore.
Cleverley would probably beat Bernard.

If Hopkins was at 168 at this age with its current competitors (Froch-Ward-Kessler-Dirrell-Abraham), he would be retired by now.

 

Probably most of the latter, but some of the former.Bernard better get out before someone really hurts him.

 

Hopkins would school Moore at any age

 

Both IMO. I was starting to appreciate how dangerous Cloud was watching tape other than the Campillo fight. Inconsistent, but he has solid fundamentals. There have definitely been worse belt-holders. But the cream of the crop in boxing is still older. JMM, Pacquiao, Mayweather, Hopkins, even Cotto operate on a higher level than most fighters today. But Ward, Donaire, and whoever emerges as king of 140 will likely lead the way. And let's not forget Dawson beat him fair and square.

 

It is a bit of both but it's more that Hopkins is that good.