Who deserves more respect and why?

Bernard came up the hard way

successful while being much less marketable

 

In terms of simply acclompishments in the sport I would have to say Hopkins based off a few factors:

Oldest man to ever win a title
20 consecutive defenses of his middleweight title
Beat an undefeated Trinidad and Pavlick (2 best wins)
Beat a legitimate light heavyweight in Tarver and Pascal
3 controversial losses : Taylor twice and Calazaghe
One of the most disclipned fighters ever to lace up
* Beat Pavlick, Tarver , Pascal in his 40's*

Pac
FOTD
8 titles in 8 different weight classes (though a couple of these were not fought at official weight and the Margo belt was vacant but hey on paper he has them)
4 controversial wins (Marquez X4)
Beat two kind of past it but still good fighters in Barerra and Morales (2 best wins.)
Though he hsa great stamina, he doesn't appear to be as disclpined a fighter as Bhop (in terms of perserving his body, mastering defense, drinking, etc...)


Both are ATG's but I think Bhop legacy is slightly better.