Harder To Stop Part I: Best Chin & Defence - Peak Hopkins or Peak Toney?

You may be right about Hopkins not being knocked out by the HWs Toney fought, but Toney was only ever hurt against Johnson, Jones and Peter KDs were off balance kd's.

 

I actually meant to post that...he was off balance for the Jones and Peter ones...only hurt by Johnson (meant to type once hurt, twice off balance). Definately my mistake...typo =D.

Refer back to my original post (the one before you first one) to see how I feel about their respective chins/defenses.

As for Hopkins vs the HWs that Toney fought... The biggest puncher and best of them all was Peter...who's footwork, handspeed and movement are horrible. Vs Bernard, he wouldnt be able to set and throw on ANYTHING...so I just dont see a KO/TKO happening. Now how Bernard would fair against him is another thing, as we never got to see how he could handle the extra weight. My guess is he totally outclasses Peter (just going on styles), but without any actual evidence of how he would handle 200+ lbs, ya never know.

 

I say Toney has the better chin, that is obviously not a proven statement but the fact that Toney has been hit flush by some of the hardest punchers in the sport while moving up in weight says a lot to me....

I would vote for Hopkins as the better defensive fighter, moving up in weight also.... The way he has proven to be able to take away offensive fighters best weapons by movement is a thing of beauty.... Toney was more stationary with his defense... Fighters could still throw their punches and get off, but landing cleanly was another story...

Hopkins took away the ability to throw meaningful punches all together, which is why I would lean towards him.

 

I agree that he would probably school Peter.

I think that if Hopkins fought Jirov, Booker, Guinn, Rahman x2, Ruiz, Holyfield, Peter x2 and Oquendo his chin would definitely be tested sooner or later. It's probably impossible to tell how he would handle the big mens punches. But then again, chins are only relevant against those you would ever fight, and Hopkins would never feed himself with steroids and go on the hamburger diet. :hat

 

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God that video never gets old.

 

The man genuinely loves his burgers.

 

Hopkins for me. Toney has the showier skills, but Hopkins is a major pro about his business. It's in the results.

 

top post and analysis.

 

:good

Thanks bro!!!

One thing I also want to add that I forgot initially but intended to include in the initial post...Toney's inconsistancy also hurts him in the defensive area.

As I stated, his defense is predicated on his ability to use his almost uncanny reflexes to roll away from the punches...one problem that always seemed to follow Toney throughout his career was his inability to stay consistant, be it weight wise, training wise or just as simple as lack of focus wise.

I will use his fight with Tiberi for example. A fighter FAR below not only James in skill level, but also far below many opponents of Toney's as well. This was a fighter that Toney should have blown out the water...but coming in undertrained (weight and actual training wise) and DEFINATELY underfocused (classic example of a fighter overlooking an opponent), Tiberi was able to hit Toney flush on many more occasions than ever should have been the case.

Do we ever think we would see a performance from Hopkins like that?

Again, his inconsistancy also hurts his case defensively.