As good as Hagler was, did anyone ever expect him to beat the light heavyweight champ at ANY point in his career? Sometimes weight divisions exist for a reason. And let's not say that its 43 years old vs 26 years old. It's about one linear LH champ against one unified middleweight champ. And yes, Hopkins WOULD have beaten Pavlik at middleweight (or any weight) but Pavlik did NOT have to take the fight except he wanted that $3 million. And NO Pavlik should avoid Calzaghe and anyone else at 168-175 for as long as he can until his body tells him to move up.
I dont think it was a huge issue. He already fought at 166 for the Taylor rematch. Was this fight at 170? I know the weights are Pavlic 169 174 unofficial Hopkins 170 180 unofficial So really consider if Pavlic was fighting at 160, he would likely come in near 170 anyways. The difference isnt that much.
Pavlik may not be as affective at the weight, but he wasn't fighting a naturally bigger man. It was a 43 year old former long time middleweight champion against the current 26 year old middleweight champion fighting 10lbs above middleweight, and the 43 year old dominated.
No. He got his ass whooped 12-0 and beaten in every single category. Hell, Hopkins even outjabbed him for christ sake. Come on now.
Yes and no. Hopkins probably would have beat him at any weight, but Pavlik is NOWHERE NEAR as effective above middleweight. Did the second Pavlik-Taylor fight not prove anything at all?!
I think the weight was certainly an issue. He didn't look that good against Taylor at 164 and looked down right atrocious at 170. Nard beats Pavlik at any weight, but Pavlik should stick to 160 for as long as he can.
true Pav's gotta stay at 160 I thought it was dumb for him to take this fight with Hopkins anyway. why not stay at 160, fight your mandatories, then Abraham .. then move up dumb fight for Pavlik to take.
then what weight class is 170? it's more then Super Middle by 2 pounds .. so what is 170 then if it "isn't Light Heavy"
It's easy to say it was a dumb fight to take with hindsight 20/20. However, Pavlik made a lot of money for this fight and most people assumed he would steamroll Hopkins.
Even Pavlik's promoter Bob Arum expressed disinterest in the fact that Pavlik was facing Hopkins. I'd think it's a pretty telling tale when your own promoter isn't happy about the opponent **and this was something Arum said right when the fight was announced.
yeah no kidding, lol. but if 166 is Super Middleweight (above 160 = Super Middle) Trinidad vs Jones also at 170 was called a Light Heavy bout why isn't 170 Light Heavyweight? http://www.hbo.com/boxing/events/2008/1018_pavlik_hopkins/index.html last 3 word's of the headline in red. Light Heavyweight bout. **didn't Winky and Bernard Hopkins fight just 1 year ago at 170 ... for the Light Heavyweight Ring Magazine title?
Is very ironic & strange that when Trinidad was defeated by BHop many people was saying that Trinidad was onedimentional and even overrated, now i see a lot of people saying a thousands excuses for Pavlik who lost to a 7 years older version than Trinidad Fought and by the way that Tito was a natural 147 fighter,,,Amazing