Hopkins' chances against Bute - a PROPER poll

Dangerous fight for Bute. He's never fought anyone remotely close to Hopkins' level of skills. Especially defensively. He would learn a lot in that fight.

 

Here we go again. This is yet another opportunity for Bernard to blow away the doubters. Hopkins UD.

 

:rofl

 

Well i have to lean towards Bute but just barely, i voted 45% this is almost a pick em fight. Bute has the talent to outwork Hopkins and use his speed but Bernard is still a sly veteran and i can almost just as easily seeing him doing just enough too pull this out.

 

That fight cannot be organized before 6 months. Based on his last fights and on the fact that every week makes Hopkins older, I can't see how this fight wouldn't end by a Bute victory.

 

This fight will never happen because Hopkins doesn't really want to fight Bute.

 

If I were Bute's team, I wouldn't be afraid to let him face hopkins, after his 2 last bouts. If I were Hopkins' team, I wouldn't let him face Bute.

The rest is talking.

 

The problem is that Hopkins can do all the thing that are successful against Bute extremely well, except for one thing.

He can land the looping right that Bute gets tagged with better than anyone else and he can rough Bute up in the clinches better than anyone else.

But he cannot apply constant pressure and throw a hundred punches per round. However, because he is THE ring general and Bute is a counter-puncher, he doesn't have to. Bute will have to come forward and look for Hopkins, but the latter will break the rhythm all the time, set up traps, look for eyecatching one-off right, clinch Bute and rough him up, hit him behind the head and act offended when he gets hit back.

We know Hopkins can neutralise speed and we know he does very well against southpaws. Bute is slick and he moves well, but Hopkins' footplacement and movement is second to none, but, yeah, he doesn't have his legs these days, so he has to conserve as much energy as possible.

If Bute wants to beat Hopkins, he has to take risks and press the action and be prepared to take some big right hands and get roughed up, be headbutted and hit to the back of the head. It would be a hell of a lesson, but I think Bute can do it.

 

Good post. I don't think the Hopkins you describe exists anymore though. He has to take breaks in almost every round. Bute's strategy would be to make him work non stop. Hopkins would fade in the latter rounds. I don't question Hopkins' assets, he is a master. He is too old, that's all.

 

I pray that this fight does not happen ..This is a no win for Bute ..1. does he want to get in a wrestling match ?Possibly take a few head butts and low blows ? Bute has the work rate to beat Hopkins but it will not be a boxing match ..

2.The Calzaghe fight was ugly the Jones fight was ugly the Wright fight was ugly the Taylor fights were ugly do we see a pattern when he goes up against true boxers ..

He looks like a beast against Tarver ,Trinidad and Pavlik because they are less mobile ..In a fight with Bute he will punch and grab him all night so he doesn't get a chance to let his hands go ..Combine that with Hopkins chin and its a receipe for a snooze fest .No thanks !!!!:bart

 

Hopkins of 2010 gets starched inside of 6.
And I'm a hopkins fan!

 

Guys should have more faith....

 

would love to see this and see B Hop retire in style ater beating bute.

 

What do you think, Dorfmeister?

 

Once again let's hope this fight does not come off for the good of boxing in general.

Even at 45 Hop's probably has enough left to beat Bute, but for what??? Hop's should have retired after the Tarver fight, and not much that he does now can enhance or hurt his legact except to many younger fans who don't really remember him at all!

For Hop's a win over Bute doesnot really enhance his legacy very much if at all. Bute is though highly of by some, but by most he is not that proven. A hop's loss does not really hurt him eith, except to remind us that he needs to retire!

A bute win does not enhance his legacy very much (if at all) as it will be labeled a win over a post prime 45 y/o Bernard (even he can still fight at a somewhat high level). A Bute loss however hurts him as much or more than it did Pavlik.

For Hop's another $$$ day, for Bute the risk is not worth the reward.