How good was Vernon Forrest?

He's not as defensively good as Hopkins, that's what my point is. It's not debatable. Hopkins was suprememly prudent even on all out offensive in a destructive manner. Forrest's best form of defense was a good offense, i.e his jab etc. I'm not knocking that, but it's not Bernard Hopkins' defense. You know it isn't.

 

Boring, i'm not trying to be controversial or anything here, but i just don't find watching top level technical boxing boring.

But to answer your question on whether i've seen those fights, well what do you think?

 

Lets put aside whether Hopkins displayed anthing you could sensibly call 'technical boxing' against Winky Wright.

Did you enjoy watching that match?

 

Yes! I'm being honest but i'm sure i'm not convincing you. He made Winky lead, most people can't do that, i thought it was interesting.

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At his best, Forrest really cooked. Brought to mind SRR: long, lean, supple-muscled, relaxed, good legs, stiff snaking jabs 'n bullwhip combos upstairs 'n down. He had good pop in both hands -- not as lethal as Robinson, or as good a beard, but formidable.

The intangibles, mostly, are where he fell short: His will drained like an hour glass if he couldn't dominate.

 

I don't know. I've seen Hopkins get tagged pretty good by crude dumplings atwun echols and Robert Allen.

 

We can do this for all fighters if we want to pick apart what we know are their bona fide strengths though. He's had a long career and if you look at it from end to end, he's displayed a great defense. We can say Kid Gavilan's chin might not be all that because he did get dropped by Basilio who isn't history's biggest puncher. We can say that Floyd Mayweather is a great finisher because he finished N'dou, and we can say that Ricky Hatton might go the distance with Ike Williams because he handled Tszyu's right hands which are lethal. Hopkins has been tagged in his career. It's blatant he has a great defense.

 

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Seemed like an poisoned chalice - DLH-Tito-DLH-Mosley-Forrest-Mayorga-Spinks-Judah-Baldomir....:nut

 

I agree Hopkins is a far better defensively, to keeping range, to circling, Forrest backed up in straight lines and left his chin out to dry in the first Mayorga fight. Forrest could also wing his shots at time

Forrest is a better athlete than Hopkins though, faster hands, better jab. Head to head imagining Nard was a WW Hops would have problems with that

The thing is we're feeling the need to compare Forrest to Hopkins who's in most peoples MW top5, I think that says allot about Forrest that we have to dissect his style in such a way

 

Taylor and Mercado, although perhaps outside of his defensive prime. Hardly facing murderer's row opposition for the majority of his fights either

 

JG didnt you do an interview with Forrest?

 

I think he is respected by all his peers even more so than boxing fans, Im sure Mosley,Oscar and all the fighters of that era(outside of Mayorga) would rank him higher than most fans or writers.

In his prime he was a nightmare for any elite fighter. Id say he should get in theIBHOF, not first ballot but maybe in the next 10 years.

I hope Curry gets in soon his resume is a little better than Forrest.

 

Yeah props to Forrest and his being compared to Hopkins technically. I do reckon a same sized version of Hopkins would beat him though. The jab would be difficult but i'm sure he could take the play away. Then again i'm sure Forrest was better than Taylor (similar actually) and we saw what happened there. Hopkins at his best though is able to go on offense superbly and he'd be the boss there and wouldn't let up. I'd favour him is what i'm saying basically.

Interesting on Walker also. Again, i wouldn't be favouring Forrest, but that can only be purely based on a styles match-up in a strictly hypothetical sense because as you say, no footage at the weight.

 

The fact the Mayweather's said he'd be Floyd's toughest opponent says allot in my view, I'd agree stylistically