Prime Bernard Hopkins vs Canelo

Hopkins had problems with big athletic fighters like RJJ Calzaghe and Taylor. RJJ was a freak and Taylor was a big athletic guy and Calzaghe was awkward athletic swarmer. Canelo is smaller and doesn't fight anything like these guys.

Hopkins was a master who could fight at all ranges he also holds an extreme reach advantage against Canelo which he would rely on here. His timing was impeccable he was a great counter puncher and had a great jab ATG footwork and great stamina. Hopkins had an iron chin so Canelo's power isn't a problem here. I think Hopkins would outbox Canelo and rough him up on the inside as well. His style of boxing is almost a lost art, his defense was very good as well very slippery and hard to hit clean. Hopkins by close UD.

 

What I will say is that Canelo has not fought a spoiler like Hopkins. It's generally hard to predict how guys will do against that particular style until you've seen them in with it. If Hops is able to do his outboxing thing and then tie ginger up, he'll have a good chance of winning the fight if not the decision. If on the other hand Canelo is able to operate at any degree of effectiveness then he will probably win through workrate and effective punching.

 

This stuff is all what ifs. Nobody really knows.

Hopkins had that spoiler style. He was not above fighting dirty.

Yes Hopkins had a great chin but he could be hurt. I think Canelo's shots would take their toll even if they didn't land clean.

Hopkins was a very smart boxer but Canelo has also matured into an intelligent boxer.

It would have been a great fight for sure.

 

Like Pac-Man in his prime, Canelo is hitting out sized to his weight.

Hopkins craftiness and sometimes dirty tactics were a cut above. Kind of a lost art.

I give both men their due but I think canelo edges him.

 

This is a factor. I think it's real. Canelo is almost impossible to beat on points these days.

 

Interesting matchup. I slightly favor Hopkins but it’s close to 50-50 in my opinion. Canelo would win on the cards no matter what but this would be a compelling matchup. What’s the over under on BHop headbutts? Four?

 

Good post.

At 168lbs, I believe Canelo could win a hotly debated decision over Hopkins.

Ward changes distances brilliantly and beats Canelo to the punch all night to a clear points win.

 

Prime Hopkins was no spoiler. He was gritty, aggressive, highly skilled and fought at a ridiulous pace. His stamina was genuinely legendary and gets so underrated. Vs Mercado, he threw a hundred punches a round for the entirety of a twelve rounder in 100+ degree heat at at 9350 feet in Quito. If Hopkins set a pace like vs Canelo; and there's no reason to think he wouldn't, given he wasn't even made gunshy by Jones' power - then he'd smash Canelo on the cards. The most complete version of Hopkins (circa '97ish) was at least a full level above any middleweight who's come since, and was as good as any middleweight ever.

Canelo's feet and stamina have massively improved at 168 - which is shaping up to be his best weight, IMO - but the version who fought at middleweight gassed badly vs Jacobs, and still had the same issues with his feet. Hopkins would exploit both, badly. The Hop who fought in the mid-late 90s is an awful match up for him.

 

Hopkins never fought at 168 so Canelo should edge via MD or SD, and after the fight Hopkins screams robbery. "The world's seen what happened''

 

Tough for me to call. At 160 I'd favor Hopkins and 168 I'd favor Canelo. I don't think either fighter fought anyone who fought like the other, but Hopkins comes closest to having fought more pressure fighters. I just think Canelo is a lot more skilled at pressure and counters than anyone else Hopkins has fought. However the other way around Canelo has never fought anyone who know how to fight on the inside, push him, rough him up, and also had tricky counters of their own.

At 160 Hopkins was in his prime and had his full tool-set. When Hopkins went up, he was past his prime and I don't think he was physically as good, his skill-set just set him apart over all the bigger slower opponents. At 160 Canelo was just starting to get his skill-sets coming together, but since his move to 168 he looks like a more complete fighter and his skill-sets and physicality seem to be better than anyone in the weight class.

 

Depends on if Hops lets his hands go. Too many rounds throwing 20 punches... Hops v Taylor all over again

 

160 - Hopkins 8 out of 10 wins.
168 - Maybe 5 apiece out of 10 with Canelo's body attack style.

Hopkins reach and even superior countering ability is a tough problem for Canelo to crack, and Bernard had enough pop to keep Canelo honest.

Hopkins could get nearly anyone to fight his fight at his pace, and Canelo doesn't really fight at a hard pace in the first place, so would be interesting to see how it would pan out.

Fascinating matchup this one actually - very chess like. Possibly as Hopkins vs Ward would have been too, though I favour Ward in that one as I think his physical strength is underrated.

One things for sure, if near-prime Kovalev couldn't KO a 49 year old Hopkins, there is no way Canelo is either.

 

Fully expect a tired confused broken and defeated canelo to go super Saiyan in round 12 and drop a trenbomb on hopkins to rescue him from a schooling

on a serious note I'd give b hop the edge as a crafty guy with a great jab and good chin, and he was a master of distance and ambush attacks...I think it would be kept close by Alvarez being skilled as he is in close quarters and throwing more volume.. but I feel like his footspeed may just let him down here.

7-5 b hop decision

But you wouldn't catch me putting money on that

 

If we're talking 1997 to 2002 Hopkins in his absolute prime against the Canelo at 160 who fought GGG and Jacobs, I'd say Hopkins in a fight most people have 116-112. Current Canelo against that same Hopkins moving up to super middleweight, I'd pick Hopkins in a closer fight. 115-113ish.

 

Hopkins had an endless bag of tricks, huge fight IQ and a seemingly supernatural ability to adapt to whatever his opponent was doing. He wins by UD.