Hopkins has not defeated a world class fighter at MW

The rub with this whole argument - And the thing that kind of dissipates it - Is the fact he defended his belt 20 times.

Do you take away Monzon's record and ability because the "world class' fighter he beat were Griffith, naturally a more succesful Welter?

You can't hold Hopkins record against him, it's not like he didn't fight any world class fighters - Jones Jnr obviously, Trinidad and De La Hoya being his "Griffith" - But you can't fault Hopkins for not taking on "world class" fighters if they just weren't there to fight.

To take the Monzon analogy further - He beat Benvenuti twice, who got the title upon Mozon's retirement - Does this make Benvenuti NOT world class until he got the title after Monzon's departure in a similar way that Glenn Johnson was not a world class fighter before he beat Tarver and Jones Jnr?

I don't think so mate.

When you defend a belt 20 times - Against a pretty decent array - That's what he had to work with - I'm not aware of Hopkins ducking any "world class" fighters - I don't really see what the point of this thread is.

Are you trying to say that because people call out Calzaghe's record that Hopkins' isn't much to write home about either?

I just can't see how you fault a man for being a champ for 6 years and an undisputed one for 5 or so years and defends 20 times successfully.

 

Its alwasy to criticize a man from behind a keyboard ..Hopkins is a an all time great regardless of what people's opinion of him in the end .

 

Indeed. A lock for first ballot HOF.

 

Easy !! Same with Joe C !

 

I would say the same for Joe too - Really you could use a similar argument I made for Hops with Joe - You can't fault Joe for fighting who he has, and in the last few years he's had some great fights.

He might not make it first year around depending on who else is in the ballot cause he's a Welshman - But if I had a chance to vote for him, he'd be right in there.

 

He beats Hopkins he automatically becomes a first ballot in my book .

 

he beat robert allen in their nail-biting trilogy

 

Not. :nono