This fight was supposed to happen around 2002 after Hopkins beat Trinidad & pretty much cleared out the MWT division & Roy was, well, the old Roy. Both were the top 2 ranked p4p fighters & even tho RJJ had won yrs earlier at 160 lbs, many felt that Hopkins was a much better all round fighter by this time than he was then & maybe the only guy good enough to give Roy a serious challenge. Its quite terrible that money issues stopped this fight from happening as it would almost definitely have been a completely different fight than their previous fight. I know how good Jones was pre Tarver but after watching one of my old Hopkins fights (Hop v Joppy) last night it got me thinking just how good Hopkins was at his peak, how complete he was & made me think that this fight would be pretty much a toss-up. I wont vote on this fight but Im curious to know how the classic posters on ESB see this fight in 2002 playing out at 170 lbs - a weight that we know both men could make easily enabling both to remain at their brilliant best. :thumbsup
When did he take it in the past? Jones still takes it for me, the same speed disparity is all wrong for Hopkins, thats why he didnt want to take 40% of the purse to avenge the loss
In 2002, I think Hopkins could upset Jones. It's a close fight. Still, in a prime for prime match-up, Hopkins is not the fighter to beat prime Jones, and it's not like Jones was really showing signs of being less than his absolute best in 2002, so he would still have won. Closer than the first fight, the 8-4 scores would actually fit what happened in this one IMO more than they reflected what happened in their actual fight.
LEAN towards Hop? If this happened now i guarantee you it would be brutal on Jones. Thats not looking too much into Jones' fight last week, its because Hopkins despite what people think of his great boxing, is a vicious man, and he would be brutal on Jones. thats if it happened now. 2002, possibly Jones still, not sure, really is hard to say, but i'll take Jones.
Hopkins today, also the last couple of years, is closer to the 2002 version of himself than Jones is with the same comparison. Jones just isn't what he used to be 5-6 years ago. He can't move around the ring and punch at the same time with as much effectiveness. Not sure who I'd pick, probably Jones actually. This is more or less a prime v prime fight. Only difference is that Hopkins is moving up 10lbs while in his prime. Jones W12.
I believe that Jones' speed in 2002 would be too much for Hopkins, much as it was in 1993. I would give Hopkins a much better chance, because I don't think he reached his championship caliber form until his rematch with Mercado. Jones did not look that bad against Calzaghe, athletically speaking. Jones was not what he was 6 years ago, but he was still quite fast. I believe Hopkins defeated Calzaghe, but Jones is a different match-up. A fight between Jones and Hopkins today, for me, is a toss up.
I think it would be somewhat different their first fight. Hopkins may have been a bit better physically (though he was still very good around 2002) but he wasnt the well developed technician he became yet. Jones probably eeks it out but it would be a very close call IMO. Jones isnt a thinking fighter, he just does his thing and thats that. No real strategy, no tactical plan, he just throws, lands and doesnt get hit back. Nard is more of a thinking fighter, he would have learnt from the first fight (which wasnt that one-sided, certainly Roy's hardest fight until Griffen) and I think he would came up with an approach that at the very least would have troubled Roy more so this time. Roy MD/SD..
Jones by decision in an even more boring contest than their first. Jones beats Hopkins anywhere from 1993 to 2003. After that it's Hopkins' fight.
It WAS that one-sided I thought. I've forced myself to sit through it a few times and I can only give Bernard 4 rounds max,probably 9-3 Jones if I'm being honest. The fight was deadly dull and whilst Bernard landed a few decent shots in the later rounds he didn't do anywhere near enough to make it even remotely close. But by the same token he wasn't made to look stupid either and certainly did enough to keep Roy honest. Jones was yet to hit the wall in 2002 and was still blindingly fast and awkward and I don't think Hop's had improved that much to overcome Jones' advantages in those areas.Plus Roy was much more comfortable fighting in that weight range at that point and was used to dealing with larger opponents. I think it would be a closer fight and a Hopkin's win isn't an impossibility but I still think Jones would've taken a UD in another rather dull,safety first type of fight.
