Tell me Bernard Hopkins prime year(s)

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013.


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  1. shanahan14

    shanahan14 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    With all the new Hopkins talk winning at 48, gotta love the guy for what he did, tell me the year or years (preferably not more than 5 years, where you define his "prime".

    Observations:
    - Didn't do jack **** except lose to RJJ until the age of 30.
    - Beat Mercado to win IBF title at30.
    - TKO Glen Johnson at 32.
    - Destroyed Trinidad at 36.
    - Beat DLH at 39.
    - Taylor at 41, Winky at 42, Pavlik at 43.
    - Pascal at 46 and Cloud at 48.

    So, when was his prime? I know athletic prime may differ from mental prime. But, if possible, when was his prime as a whole?

    I would say it was late 30's early 40's so around 01-05. However, when he switched to LHW he seemed to pick up where he left off after the Taylor losses. Hopkins is definitely a unique case.
     
    shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013
    shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013
    #1
  2. turbotime

    turbotime Hall Of Famer Full Member

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    He was in jail.
     
    turbotime, Mar 13, 2013
    turbotime, Mar 13, 2013
    #2
  3. tliang1000

    tliang1000 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Physical prime is majority wasted, although i do believe he still got it till around 35 then it is all mental prime from there.
     
    tliang1000, Mar 13, 2013
    tliang1000, Mar 13, 2013
    #3
  4. shanahan14

    shanahan14 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    And released at 23. Your point?
     
    shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013
    shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013
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  5. kirk

    kirk l l l Staff Member

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    Id say 30 to 38... imo
     
    kirk, Mar 13, 2013
    kirk, Mar 13, 2013
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  6. Vidic

    Vidic Rest in Peace Manny Full Member

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    I think in another couple of fights he should reach his prime. He was pretty green during the Calzaghe fight but he's showing signs of maturity lately.
     
    Vidic, Mar 13, 2013
    Vidic, Mar 13, 2013
    #6
  7. turbotime

    turbotime Hall Of Famer Full Member

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    Spell it out. His physical prime years were spent honing craft largely in prison. His prime career years were probably around the Mercado fight.
     
    turbotime, Mar 13, 2013
    turbotime, Mar 13, 2013
    #7
  8. shanahan14

    shanahan14 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Calzaghe SD12 Hopkins
     
    shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013
    shanahan14, Mar 13, 2013
    #8
  9. Vidic

    Vidic Rest in Peace Manny Full Member

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    He was green
     
    Vidic, Mar 13, 2013
    Vidic, Mar 13, 2013
    #9
  10. tliang1000

    tliang1000 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    LOL.
    You may be right. He did throw more punches against Cloud than Taylor.
     
    tliang1000, Mar 13, 2013
    tliang1000, Mar 13, 2013
    #10
  11. Lester1583

    Lester1583 Can you hear this? Full Member

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    1995-1999 or 1995-2000.

    Haven't watched Vanderpool fight in years.
     
    Lester1583, Mar 13, 2013
    Lester1583, Mar 13, 2013
    #11
  12. the cobra

    the cobra Awesomeizationism! Full Member

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    '97 to '03.

    G. Johnson through to Joppy, with the Trinidad fight being his absolute peak performance. That was the span of years in which I would say he was the best combination of physical/athletic talent & technical/tactical skill that he's ever been.
     
    the cobra, Mar 13, 2013
    the cobra, Mar 13, 2013
    #12
  13. Nate 2011

    Nate 2011 Active Member Full Member

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    Basically on hindsight alone all I can say is that Bernard Hopkins prime years in boxing treated him very abusively when it came to the powers that be, meaning mainly the top promoters, the major networks, and all of this even with Hopkins holding on and making reasonable title defenses of his major alphabet belt the IBF Middleweight title before the big fights evntually came along. Just short of Marvelous Marvin Hagler's rise to glory B-Hop no doubt was one of the top few fighters beyond the Sugar Ray Robinson era to endure what was definitely a hard road to glory.
     
    Nate 2011, Mar 13, 2013
    Nate 2011, Mar 13, 2013
    #13
  14. lefe

    lefe Active Member Full Member

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    lefe, Mar 13, 2013
    lefe, Mar 13, 2013
    #14
  15. Nonito Smoak

    Nonito Smoak Ioka>Lomo, sorry my dudes Full Member

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    His best victories are spread out all over the place. Impossible to say.

    '97
    '01
    '04
    '06
    '08
    '11
     
    Nonito Smoak, Mar 13, 2013
    Nonito Smoak, Mar 13, 2013
    #15
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