Why was Tarver so lacklusrte against Hopkins?

RJJ was never the same after he dropped all the weight after fighting Ruiz. Tarver wasn't spectacular during those fights, RJJ just wasn't half the fighter he was before the Ruiz fight.

Then Tarver gained weight for the Rocky movie and was never the same after he lost that weight. His ass is as big as Serena Williams these days.

Point - Weight loss is extremely difficult on the body.

 

Tarver was never that good. Caught Roy at just the right time.

 

havent watched it since HBO replayed a week after it first aired

i remember BHop turning back the clocks but Tarver also looking awful

i mean Tarver wasnt exactly young either when they fought

 

Hopkins knows when to fight guys almost as well as Leonard does. I think he is great, but his handpicking and fighting guys at the right time eliminate his legacy a little for me. And the fact is he has managed to win good fights and lose often enough and still stay a PPV marketable fighter. Isn't he going to fight again soon at 48, since he will be 48 at fight time. In his last fight he looked like an almost 50 year old fighter. His body is starting to get softer now. It happens. I am not knocking guys 47. I am just 3 weeks younger than Hopkins.

 

Tarver stated on the record well before the movie that he can get up to 215-220 between fights. On the movie set he weighed 217. That weight excuse is bull****. He couldn't deal with Hopkins' style or strategy.

 

Yup. That weight thing is completely overblown. He was pretty much the same size as his normal weight in between fights.

BTW, are you the guy that uploaded the HBO Legendary Nights on Youtube? If so, thanks. I watch it regularly.

 

according to tarver, he was poisoned by hopkins before the fight

 

Tarver just isn't a good fighter,his claim to fame is knocking out a 35 year old Roy Jones

 

Great strategy for hopkins that made tarver fight like he is on xanax.
Lack of peparation and i think he believed he was in for an easy fight.Big mistake.

 

This.

Hopkins makes most fighters look terrible. Let alone a slow plodder like Tarver.
Also Tarver seemed mentally weak, went in there with no game plan.

 

Tarver did look bad that night but the fact his style is literally trailer made for Hopkins was a big factor!

 

Tarver is a counterpuncher. Hopkins knows how to lead without leaving himself open for a counter. That was a big factor. He also underestimated him.

 

...he's also a multi light heavy champ and one of the best amateurs ever. You don't know ****.

 

Rj was finished by the time Tarver fought him. Hopkins was not. Aside from that, Tarver supposedly undertrained filming Rocky Balboa AND thought he'd beat Bhops easily on size, strength, and power alone. Hopkins never slacked on any fight. Tarver was always a hot and cold fighter.