James J Braddock v Bernard Hopkins

don't know about those other guys beating Braddock. But Hopkins had the chin, defense, craftiness and the right style to do it. A prime Joe Calzaghe would have been hell for Braddock to try and catch.

 

True. And he did get decked against both Hopkins and Jones.

 

But that was a depleted Hopkins. The 2008 version that lost to Calzaghe weighed in at 173... Are we then to assume that awkward Calzaghe who figured out Hopkins would do the same to Braddock? How about Taylor? How about Mike Spinks, Eddie Muhammad, Bob Foster, Gerald McClellan, Roy Jones... and dozens more? How low does Braddock rank?

 

Cheers! It's a match up I'd never ever considered...but with that said, I think Hopkins would have a very legit chance at outpointing Braddock...IMO.
Neither is the most athletic fighter...and they are somewhat similar in being very aware of their defensive positioning. Hopkins, more so...as you stated.

 

Interesting.

 

I cannot see an older Hopkins truly at his best as a large MW, beating the best version of a Jimmy Braddock who was at his best later on in his career
at 195 or so, beating the likes Corn Griffin, the great light heavyweight John Henry Lewis, an erratic Max Baer, and one of the toughest Brit of all Tommy Farr...When Braddock found himself after being on home relief struggling to feed his family, he finally broke through by upsetting a promising HW named Corn Griffin. And this version who beat Griffin, John Henry Lewis, Max Baer, Tommy Farr, and dropped Joe Louis would certainly beat a MUCH lighter
and older version of Bernard Hopkins IMO...

 

I agree with Burt here. Hopkins got by on trickery for the latter part of his career. He wasn't the more complete fighter of years before. Jimmy Braddock at his peak would handle him more times than not.

 

500 by my count Big Seamus

 

We could probably make a better prediction, if Hopkins had fought a couple of fights at cruiserweight.

Braddock might have been too big for Hopkins to implement his game, or he might have been able to ride with it.

 

I would urge everyone here who has chosen for Braddock to go watch his fight with Tommy Loughran. You might change your tune. But, Braddock lost at every stage of his career to guys who werent as good as Hopkins. Several of those guys who beat him were similarly outweighed so size wasnt exactly a shoe-in bonus for Braddock. I dont think Hopkins would stop Braddock, in fact Im sure he wouldnt, but he would box circles around the lumbering guy who often looked like he had two left and two left arms. Hopkins would have Braddock so tied in knots. Id put money a wide, clear UD.

 

Exactly, Lewis would have smoked Hopkins.

 

Rosenbloom was able to handle him more than once, despite not having any punching power to think of. Hopkins arguably has just as many tricks up his sleeve as Slapsie Maxie.

Hopkins UD.