What fight was Hopkins at his absolute peak?

I am. Hopkins was solid through and through in this fight and took control from the opening bell. It's an example of Hopkins embodying the spirit of champion, which is something these days he gets very little credit for from people who haven't seen his earlier fights.

 

when he dominated tito noone really expected him 2 win. they were calling old back than and he dominated tito. without question his biggest win

 

when he dominated tito noone really expected him 2 win. they were calling old back than and he dominated tito. without question his biggest win

 

That is likely his "biggest win", but do you also think it was his best performance and absolute peak?

 

How would you rate B-Hop when he fought Roy Jones? Long before his prime?
And Jones himself?

 

I think he was at the most athletic stage of his career when he faced Jones, and was already a very skilled young technician. The difference was he did not yet posess the craftiness and experience he'd eventually gain. Still, I don't hold much weight on claims that he was green, as I felt he was a very capable fighter, and fought with the smartest style he could've, even if he was beaten handily.

I think Jones was the same way. The physical capabilities without the experience or full skill-set. So I guess you could say both were pre-prime and tight for their first championship fight.

 

Nice :thumbsup

Do you remember their TV argument with good ol' Larry Merchant?
That was priceless

 

In 97-99 He was very dominant against guys like Johnson, Brown, Council, Allen and Echols.

Even into 2000-2001 his wins over Tito, his master class against Holmes, very good win over the decent Vanderpool and his gutsy stoppage of Echols we probably saw a primish Nard.

But by the Daniels fight he looked to be going through the motions a bit, he had slowed somewhat and he had developed he more defensive, mauling style that a lot will probably remembering him for. I guess maybe he saw he was physically declining and changed his approach to fights during these years.

I think 2001 would be the absolute latest you could call his physical peak, if he was there at all by then. But Nard is a smart dude, he developed the cagey style further when his athleticism started the wane.

 

I say Tarver.

The Tarver fight was Hopkin's finest moment. The rest he fed on smaller guys with or without names. Tarver is the difference.

 

The question was about the time he was at his peak, not about his greatest win.

 

his p4p peak was tarver...he was on top of the world after that one....I will say trinidad though cuz it was his first major fight that he won

 

how would anyone besides hopkins know that with the guys he was fighting

 

Has this thread turned into B-Hop bashing or what?

If one follows a fighter's career, one can have an opinion on that matter.

Sure you can judge a fighter's condition by his own performance (comparing it to previous and/or later bouts of his) and not strictly based on his opposition, eh?

 

Hopkins against Simon Brown - 98 % of punch connect rate at the end of one round, defensive and slippery, fast reactions and switch defense-offense, accurate, sharp and damaging with any shot.

 

[YT]LSsbKSjmy_I[/YT]

"60-40 I kick yo ass!"

Great stuff.