Ward (current) vs Hopkin (Pavlik)

I think Ward wins a decision because his speed/stamina advantage would be greater than B-Hop's skill/smarts advantage (if it even exists).

 

:deal

Hopkins and Ward are both great ambush fighters who counter from outside at angles, rough you up on the inside, and circle out to walk you into something else and repeat the process. But if there's one thing Hopkins does better than use ambush tactics, it's neutralizing ambush tactics. He doesn't have the foot speed Ward does, but he has defensive movement on the ground that's a level above anything Ward has shown us. This would be a great fight, but Ward's athleticism only works in a given set of circumstances which I feel Hopkins would deny him.

 

Are we forgetting that in his previous fight, Hopkins had to fake low blows to catch breathers against Calzaghe? Heading into the fight, Hopkins was a 3/1 underdog against Pavlik but in hindsight, this was a mismatch. Pavlik is a slow, predictable plodder. The type of fighter Hopkins can beat in his sleep and he pretty did whatever he wanted. Ward is a completely different animal. I think the fight would look more like the Calzaghe fight than the Pavlik fight. Ward would push the pace and make the old man work every round.

 

Anyone who says Hopkins is clueless. The Hopkins that beat Pavlik got beat by Chad Dawson.

Ward is too young, too multidimensional. Pavlik doesn't have a left-hook, so it was easy for Hopkins to advantage of that. Ward by easy UD.

 

It's called the opponent. Calzaghe pushed a tough pace and made Hopkins uncomfortable because he had the footspeed to make Hopkins constantly stressed out about defending himself. Pavlik is a cement footed, utterly predictable fighter who Hopkins can beat in his sleep. Hopkins was able to completely control the range and pace of the fight against Pavlik and could've fought at that pace for 20 rounds. Against Calzaghe, he tried his best early on but as the rounds kept adding up, the pace was too much and Calzaghe was dictating the pace.

 

Hopkins doesn't have a jab.

 

:huh

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xhvexh41LQ[/ame]

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Hopkins developed a thyroid problem After the Tarver fight. He didn't get treatment until after the Calzaghe fight. Hence the reason he looked gassed against both Wright and Calzaghe, but not against Tarver, Pavlik, Ornealas, Pascal, etc.

 

I think it would be a close fight, very tough and ugly with some nice back and forth fouls in the clinches. I personally think that Ward at this point would have enough physical advantages to overcome the incomparable ring smarts of B Hop. Ward is the extremely ring smart and savvy as well, but B Hop is just sick with all of the tricks he knows. Ward is incredibly strong for his weight and that will help him when they are trading elbows, head butts, and other tricky pleasantries on the inside. I also think B Hop's lead right and grab would help to slow down Ward's left hook, but I'm guessing Ward and Hunter would find a few tricks of their own to put some nice shots on the old man. I just think Ward would work a little more than B Hop and his physical strength and stamina would help him to nick more rounds. B Hop may win the rounds that he does win more clearly than Ward wins his rounds, I just think similar to the Taylor fight Ward would nick more rounds to win the close decision. Every time Ward fights he looks more complete and better, and at this point I think he has enough to beat the old guy that make Pavlik look amateur. This is a great thread.

 

Hopkins didn't gas against Winky. He looked great and he separated himself in the later rounds.

 

I mean Hopkins doesn't have a dedicated jab like many other boxers do, he'll throw the jab once in a while, but he's mostly a counter puncher. When he is on the offense it's economical, he usually fights in spots.

 

Ward MD