Toney beats him then and he beats him now.
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Toney beats him then and he beats him now.
Im guessing this will be the fight where "hopkins tests himself at heavyweight to be ready for Haye"
Hopkins vs Toney, gonna happen
Both guys were defensive wiz's in that they almost never allowed themselves to get caught with an opponent's best shot, and aside from Toney's haymaker he stopped Nunn with, there isn't a punch between them that would even deck the other, let alone KO them. Hopkins though was always more active and prime for prime, would most likely outwork Toney for a decision, at either 160 or 168.
This fight would have to be around 1996 for it to be a valid match up hence it would be at 168.
The more I think about it, the more of a favourite I make Bernard Hopkins to win this fight :-\
It is a VERY tough fight to call but for me Bernard would probably start of as if he was fighting Glen Johnson. But James would probably either force one of two things. Either he's upperbody movement and timing would keep Bernard on the outside looking to move around in his little knock-knee circles staying fairly negative jumping in with a 1-2 here and there or James' counters would suck Nard in to a up-close brawl where IMO Bernard's rugged side would be nullified by Toney's beautiful upperbody movement.
But the problem is, Bernard was very good at choosing his moments to jump in so in the end I think it's a very good possibility that James would get frustrated by Hopkins' in the sense that he wont just 'play ball'.
I dunno... It's a tough one. James really didn't like guys moving away from him.
Anyone suggesting that either of these two stops the other is reaching abit...especially TOney..I can't recall him even being clearly hurt in a fight. Where as Mercado def had bhop out of there...
Agreed. Nobody has ever stopped James Toney.
I don't know who would win in their primes.
Toney was a great counter puncher though and a bigger hitter.
Hopkins was more consistent and perhaps a bit more clever in the ring.
I can't pick a winner.
But now, after seeing Hopkins last fight, I don't think he could beat the big fatty.
B-Hop would be giving up too much weight and run into a big counter right hand from JFAT.
At 160 I think that Hopkins wins a very boring U.D. It would have been a terrible fight though and the most interesting part would have been the pre fight bullshit. Can't really comment on 168 as Hopkins didn't leave MW until he was just struggling too much to make it anymore. Even if he had though it would have been the same story I think.