Quote Originally Posted by ray corso View Post
First of all the fighters you mentioned were NOT great fighters, as to "bums" thats your impression not mine. I never used the words bums!!! If Eastman and Joppy and Pascal are great what the hell was Hagler or LoMatta Is everyone "great" these days?
If he's great theres Ward at 168 or 75 and I'll bet GGG will let him weigh 180 for a shot! Now Hopkins isn't doing any of that and he's welcomed to pick and choose. However the "great" status goes to great fighters which he is NOT! He is not an ATG at middleweight or LtHvy and I doubt he's a top twenty-five rate in either class!

Smart, Yes! Taking advantage of boxing demiss, Yes!
Great well rounded boxer, No! tremendous puncher, No!

He's good, he's slick & well schooled! He takes no chances because he's already picked his opponent and knows he won't have to! He's alot smarter than most fans thats for sure! HA!! Ray.
You said he didn't beat anyone of note- all of those names, during that era, not to mention Antwun Echols and Simon Brown, were all solid fighters who could win on any given night.

Everyone had their one or two defining fights. Haggler had two- Sugar Ray and Hearns, even beating Duran at that age was kinda of not in character.

So, don't piss on the man for his achievments! He won- it's like Lebron fans hating on Kobe Bryant.