Thread: This was a pretty complete fighter

I'm pretty loyal as a fan so I still root for Bernard but he's boring as hell now. Still tricky and good but obviously a hard watch.

So its always surprising to see him like this. Active, vicious, still skilled, tough. He was a great fighter, his resume at middle can be questioned as in he fought smaller guys but you can't tell me this isn't a great fighter.

And yes I think Glen Johnson improved over the years but nobody came anywhere near to doing this to him at any point in his career.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozw7bu0yiWc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maPgSnXhF6k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFU05X9w4Ao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvWYEnLvmQ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgphmCrLwpY

Originally Posted by OumaFan

I'm pretty loyal as a fan so I still root for Bernard but he's boring as hell now. Still tricky and good but obviously a hard watch.

So its always surprising to see him like this. Active, vicious, still skilled, tough. He was a great fighter, his resume at middle can be questioned as in he fought smaller guys but you can't tell me this isn't a great fighter.

And yes I think Glen Johnson improved over the years but nobody came anywhere near to doing this to him at any point in his career.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozw7bu0yiWc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maPgSnXhF6k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFU05X9w4Ao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvWYEnLvmQ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgphmCrLwpY

I liked the younger version of Bernard Hopkins he was exciting, had very precise punches. And was aggressive he whooped Johnson from pillar to post, it was like watching a young Marvin Hagler taking apart an opponent.

Hopkins was top draw in his prime , thats all you can say about him , top top fighter

I like both versions,its sort of like Ali,the younger version was way more exciting,but the later version was cagier better boxer,same with Hopkins

yeah but he was still skilled at that point, just more aggressive to go along with it. He just, understandably, doesn't have the legs at this point.

Originally Posted by OumaFan

yeah but he was still skilled at that point, just more aggressive to go along with it. He just, understandably, doesn't have the legs at this point.

I liked his 1st fight with Antwun Echols aswell that was a war from start to finish, arguably Hopkins most exciting fight.

Originally Posted by OumaFan

yeah but he was still skilled at that point, just more aggressive to go along with it. He just, understandably, doesn't have the legs at this point.

Thing is at that point he still had a serious Fraziers gym imprint on him,right around the Echols fights,he started to put his own imprint on it

now thats the bernard i remember he was great if he was a middleweight during the 80s and him and marvin would have fought that would have a fight of the year. i think bernard would win

I put Bernard's career into three different stages.

A Young Hopkins ( Early in his career, till about 1996 the bhop that fought Jones )

A Prime Hopkins ( From 1997 till 2003 )

A old Hopkins ( From 2004 till now)

I like all the different types of Hopkins style that he had during his career.

and his performance against Johnson was top notch.

Forgot how good he was, very active and precise but would not beat Hagler.

I can't think of a guy that's changed his style as much over the course of a career. Hagler changed up but not as much IMO.

Originally Posted by Pugilistic

I put Bernard's career into three different stages.

A Young Hopkins ( Early in his career, till about 1996 the bhop that fought Jones )

A Prime Hopkins ( From 1997 till 2003 )

A old Hopkins ( From 2004 till now)

I like all the different types of Hopkins style that he had during his career.

and his performance against Johnson was top notch.

That time-frame kind of defends his losses, no?

That Johnson fight was an example of a disciplined breakdown on an undefeated top tier future fighter.How many guys get depleted and/or ruined in a grueling defeat like this? Not Johnson,he soaked up some welted experience as well
Hopkins without a doubt is an ATG.

Originally Posted by Kel

Originally Posted by Pugilistic

I put Bernard's career into three different stages.

A Young Hopkins ( Early in his career, till about 1996 the bhop that fought Jones )

A Prime Hopkins ( From 1997 till 2003 )

A old Hopkins ( From 2004 till now)

I like all the different types of Hopkins style that he had during his career.

and his performance against Johnson was top notch.

That time-frame kind of defends his losses, no?

It's not exactly a stretch to say that Hopkins didn't lose in his prime though.

Originally Posted by Kel

Originally Posted by Pugilistic

I put Bernard's career into three different stages.

A Young Hopkins ( Early in his career, till about 1996 the bhop that fought Jones )

A Prime Hopkins ( From 1997 till 2003 )

A old Hopkins ( From 2004 till now)

I like all the different types of Hopkins style that he had during his career.

and his performance against Johnson was top notch.

That time-frame kind of defends his losses, no?

Not really, If you watch Bernards career you will see that he started off as a boxer/puncher. He liked to come forward and throw accurate combos to body and head and would break his opponents down.

In 97 his style changed into more of a counterpuncher style waiting on his opponents to make mistakes and counter. He still broke his opponents down but he broke them down with his footwork, accuracy and defense also had a good workrate. The last time he fought with that sort of style was William Joppy.

In 2004 against Robert allen the third fight, his style had become over defensive, low workrate, potshotting style but this style is still effective. He also never goes for stoppage even if the oppurtunity arose.

He lost against Roy jones as the boxer puncher where both fighters were inexperienced. A fight in their primes would of been alot more competitive but i would go with Jones winning a decision.

His losses against both Taylor and Calzaghe i feel would of been different results had he been in his prime, Hopkins would of decisively beat Taylor if he was in his prime, He would of broken him down with his accurate counters like their two fights but would also be throwing alot more. A prime Hopkins may of even stopped Taylor.

Against Calzaghe his problem was the high workrate of Calzaghe, Hopkins showed that his accurate pot shots where enough to slow Calzaghe down but because he didn't throw enough it allowed Calzaghe to get his work in down the stretch, A prime Hopkins would be alot more active, countering calzaghe as he came forward and would win a decision, Hopkins ability to adapt would help him because not having a plan B against Calzaghe is a big mistake. Hopkins wouldn't have that problem because Hopkins could do it all in the ring.