Would you rat Hopkins in your Top 5 P4P of all time if...

:rofl

Hopkins fought last his 4 fights as a light heavyweight. Pavlik has never fought as a light heavyweight before. Therefore Hopkins feels better in light heavyweight division. Besides, you completely ignore the structure of the body. Pavlik does not have the structure for a light - heavyweight. He has the height but not the bones. Hopkins has the height and the bones for a a light - heavyweight therefore he is a natural heavyweight.

You completely ignore the problems Tarver had making the weight for the fight. It is not easy to go down in weight 20 pounds or more for a short period. RJJ explained his problems with it when he moved dwon from a heavyweight. Besides, rewatch the fight and pay attention to the comments made by Many Steward. Hopkins looked bigger and stronger according to Many.

 

There is no general rule about it. Hopkins could make weight for 15 years. He has the right bone structure. He could go down and up better. Not everyone has the structure and the bones to do that. Let me put it that way, Floyd Mayweather moved up in weight a few division without a problem. Ricky Hatton moves up in weight one division and it shows. Hatton does not have the bones for it. Mayweather has them. It is the same with Hopkins.

 

Top ATG's are tough...so many people in history have done so many extraordinary things.

But Hopkins is definitely one of the 3 greatest MW's who ever lived. I'd find a spot for him in the top 25.

 

Or instead you could watch tape compare fighters and look at historical accounts and work out who in your opinion was the best.

Basically you are being lazy.

Let me break this one down for you a bit.

Jones fought and beat 13 former or future world champions, in his career, also with regards to the "bums comment" when you have all the belts bar one, DM was not coming out of germany, then you have to fight your mandarories. How many did Hopkins beat?

Jones's three best wins:

Toney, Hopkins and Ruiz

Hopkins best wins

Pavlik, Trinidad, Tarver

Toney is a much better win than Pavlik
Ruiz is a much better win than Tito coming up
and young Hopkins is a better win than Tarver.

Hopkins was 3-4 years removed from his very peak, not 5, and Jones was 1 1/2-2 years from his very peak. Hardly a massive gap is there. Jones won 8/9 rounds with a broken hand. :good

With regards to the Mercado comment, the fight was fought at very high altitude which majory affect Hopkins performence.

Jones was also more dominant in every fight than Hopkins could hope to be:

Jones between beating Hopkins in 1994 and beating Ruiz in 1993 lost less rounds than he had fights :good

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97432

Jones has a clearly better resume and was more dominant over his opposition than Hopkins was, so has to rank higher.

 

Ok. I would agree with you that Hopkins was slightly the bigger man against Pavlik, this does not improve how Hopkins looks.

Hopkins bigger and stronger than Tarver, no.

Neither of these comments make them look like particulalry good wins mate. :good

 

Bhop is top 5 already ATG