Prime Bernard Hopkins vs 1987-1994 middleweights

Hopkins has the ability to outbox them all.

I think his toughest style clash there is Eubank and Reggie Johnson.

I also feel G-Man is potentially a lot better than we ever got to see, especially at MW where he was huge.

 

At his very Best Bernard could probably beat em all ,though some would be closer fight s than others. And a few controversial results .Nunn,Toney ,Graham and McCallum very hard to beat but Hopkins pulls a win out of the bag.

 

He'd lose a bunch of fights.

Nunn would be his worst nightmare.
McCallum ditto.
Toney would negate his aggression.
G-Man fight is 50/50.

I really don't think Hopkins makes it through a shark-tank like that without picking up an L.

 

Imho hopkins stands a chance vs no matter who. This guy was insanely good. He could lose vs any of them? sure, look at those names, dude! he could win? sure too. You cant say "thisguy" will 100% win to hopkins, no matter what name you put instead of "thisguy" in this phrase, not in this list, not in any list. Hopkins is top notch fighter, not "just another fighter".

 

Different era of middleweight amd much deeper and dangerous than the opponents Hopkins had to face. B-Hops weak era allowed him to learn his craft & make him the experienced older fighter he was. I dont think he would have been able to do so with this group in front of him without a few losses and probaly a pause to his momentum

G-man
Julian Jackson
Nigel Benn
Michael Nunn
James Toney
Reggie Johnson
Mike Mccallum
Iran Barkley
Chris Eubank

 

I think he'd have Barkley, G-Man, and Jackson's number. The others would be more competitive.

 

I don't really want to visualize Bore Hop fighting any of those guys, that's how much I dislike the racist idiot's fighting style and personality but since I'm here I'll give it a shot.

He beats Graham, Barkley, Jackson and Watson, he loses to McCallum, Toney and Nunn, all the rest are 50/50's. Hopkins was good but remember he made his name off beating blown up welter weights Trinidad and DLH, before that when in his prime his best wins were Echols, Joppy, JD Jackson and Glen Johnson - Good wins but not great.

 

While I don't see him as a clear underdog in any match-up, he's certainly not beating all of them. Barkley, Benn and Jackson are all pretty favorable to him style-wise. Eubank... I think Hopkins would take him out of his comfort zone and outwork him. He was a tricky one, though.

He should be able to outbox Watson and perhaps KO Graham.

Nunn, Toney, G-Man and Kalambay all bring tools to the table that would severly test Hopkins imo. Perhaps Johnson as well.

 

I'm not sure who would win but Hopkins Vs Toney would have been epic. So would Hopkins vs McCallum.

 

Put it this way, if Hopkins could negotiate that list of fighters during that '87-'94 time period without defeat, he'd be a legitimate consideration as the greatest middleweight ever.

 

I don’t see him listed, but 88 Hagler would lose.

 

It was the fighters after Hagler who picked up the belts from late '87 onwards. That's why Hagler's not listed.

 

Nunn, McCallum, Toney and Eubank would be the tests.

McClellan, Benn are good threats, but I don’t see them with the skill level to catch Bernard and that is the only chance they have. Jackson gets dismantled similar to Trinidad.

I don’t see Johnson beating him.

I love Eubank but see Bernard taking it.

Toney and Hops probably fight to a draw or a split in 2 fights without a clear winner being found.

I think he beats Nunn & McCallum in a close decision but could also see them going the other way.

I see him 8-0 with 50/50 type fights against Toney, Nunn and McCallum.

 

Nunn is all wrong for him and feel McCallum and Toney would beat him he'd beat the rest a lot of close fights win or lose.