Quote Originally Posted by bikersk View Post
Very good point Greig. My view is that Hopkins is probably the smartest fighter out there, I've always liked him. I loved that fight where he beat Tarver. I am left feeling a bit cynical after this fight though. Not about the Hopkins - Pavlik fight but the Hopkins - Calzaghe fight. I watched the BHOP v Joe fight with my beautiful lady's father recently. He fought a bit in his younger days around the Kempsey area where the likes of Hector Thompson and his family grew up and his father was a very good fighter. Anyway he knows boxing. We watched the Bhop v Joe fight and he was very unimpressed with Joe, it was his first time seeing him fight, and called it a slapfest. So watch the Joe fight then the Pavlik fight and ask ones self why didn't Bernard fight like that against Joe. I know Joe runs a lot and Pavlik stands in front of his opponent, but really, how does the guy who schooled the guy that schooled Hopkins (Taylor) get schooled by Hopkins

Rematch planned perhaps??
Duran beat Leonard beat Hearns beat Duran. Frazier beat Ali beat Foreman beat Frazier. Boxing ain't as easy as ABC. You really can't answer your own question about how different Joe fought in comparison to Pavlik? (slaps or not, at least he was throwing them without being distracted by every little feint Bernard made, plus he doesn't take a whole second to reset his feet after throwing his power hand - couple clues for you there - also highlighted where you went a little wropng with your assertions, maybe you can watch both fights again and ask yourself 'who took more backward steps? Kelly or Joe?')

I like the disclaimer everyone seems to say 'not taking anything away from him but.....', always found it a rather contradictory statement. I'm not for one second saying that you can't scrutinize a guys career, and that you have to say that the man is some sort of god, just that there is no fighter in history with a truly perfect unquestionable record, and that Hopkins' stands right up there with the best of 'em.