Give Bernard Hopkins his just due!

[ykdadamaja]

What is his next big challenge?

Run for President.

[ykdadamaja]

After it is all said and done, the record will relfect B-Hop's achievment over all other middleweights.

[bigstinkybug]

After it is all said and done, the record will relfect B-Hop's achievment over all other middleweights.

*Oh ,i don't think so... it'll show his relevance i the game over a long period of time... Hop's "greatness" is something that was never really spoken until he moved up in weight and fighting Tarver.. Cal.. Dawson... etc... as a middleweight, he was a good fighter fiesting on small game. When it mattered, he fell short.. Taylor beat him twice... Roy jones ...

Hop is a better fighter now than he ever was as a middleweight..JMHO

[IamInuit]

After it is all said and done, the record will relfect B-Hop's achievment over all other middleweights.

*Oh ,i don't think so... it'll show his relevance i the game over a long period of time... Hop's "greatness" is something that was never really spoken until he moved up in weight and fighting Tarver.. Cal.. Dawson... etc... as a middleweight, he was a good fighter fiesting on small game. When it mattered, he fell short.. Taylor beat him twice... Roy jones ...

Hop is a better fighter now than he ever was as a middleweight..JMHO

Hopkins never had a middleweight division full of stellar competition but I'd say he had the opportunity to show how good he was after he left more so then he turned into a better fighter.
He still made 20 title defenses and dominated a division for a decade. And during that run he would have been a handful for any middleweight in history. Its not his fault that many of his opponents were weaker anymore then it is Wlads or was Calzaghes.

I don't think its fair to keep on claiming that he beat smaller men. Tito was a huge welterweight and walked around an in shape 170 pounds. Hopkins fought at the same weight on fight night that he weighed in at a day before.He was a natural middleweight just as Floyd is a natural welter and so far the only undisputed champion of this century. You never hear about Monzon feasting on x welterweights.

When you think about what he has done, how he did it and the when its nothing short of unbelievable. He's like a modern day Archie Moore. Sure he looks a little sloppy and yet once again just schooled Cloud.

I think Hopkins may actually surpass Moores active record.

[bigstinkybug]

*Hopkins beat alot of decent B fighters as a middleweight...that's it. I'm not sure how many defences.., but name one HOF'er... DeLaHoya and Tito were small guys trying to make the fight cuz Hopkins being Hopkins, wouldn't budge... BUT,that's the truth.

Hopkins has made his name beating B fighters... every name fighter he fought, he lost to... Cal..Roy Jones.. Dawson...

[Spicoli]

*Hopkins beat alot of decent B fighters as a middleweight...that's it. I'm not sure how many defences.., but name one HOF'er... DeLaHoya and Tito were small guys trying to make the fight cuz Hopkins being Hopkins, wouldn't budge... BUT,that's the truth.

Hopkins has made his name beating B fighters... every name fighter he fought, he lost to... Cal..Roy Jones.. Dawson...

Unfortunatley for Hopkins he couldn't dig up the prime corpses of a Hagler or Hearns and that cannot be held against him. You play the hand you are dealt. He beat, literally, every Ring ranked middleweight as a champion save for a Swede. What did he fail in the big picture to do that the same Jones, Calzaghe etc did? He beat up a run of mandatorys just as Roy. Joe beat up a shot ghost in Roy, and had a debatable win over Hopkins...feel free to hang your hat on that if ya want. He cleaned out a division...then he jumped up and set records then broke them. Tito was a legitimate middle after thrashing Joppy from pillar to post and a heavy favorite v Hopkins and that fight alone was being billed as the best middle unification since a Hagler-Leonard. Literally. And being honest Dawson is but a name in his own household but the fact is we are talking about Bernard before, during and after him now. Dawson had to twice fight guys who Hopkins literally dominated but once.

[bigstinkybug]

[COLOR="darkred
Hopkins has made his name beating B fighters... every name fighter he fought, he lost to... Cal..Roy Jones.. Dawson... [/COLOR]

Unfortunatley for Hopkins he couldn't dig up the prime corpses of a Hagler or Hearns and that cannot be held against him. You play the hand you are dealt. He beat, literally, every Ring ranked middleweight as a champion save for a Swede. What did he fail in the big picture to do that the same Jones, Calzaghe etc did? He beat up a run of mandatorys just as Roy. Joe beat up a shot ghost in Roy, and had a debatable win over Hopkins...feel free to hang your hat on that if ya want. He cleaned out a division...then he jumped up and set records then broke them. Tito was a legitimate middle after thrashing Joppy from pillar to post and a heavy favorite v Hopkins and that fight alone was being billed as the best middle unification since a Hagler-Leonard. Literally. And being honest Dawson is but a name in his own household but the fact is we are talking about Bernard before, during and after him now. Dawson had to twice fight guys who Hopkins literally dominated but once.

*If u think Tito was a legitimate middleweight... then nothing i say will make a difference.

[ykdadamaja]

After it is all said and done, the record will relfect B-Hop's achievment over all other middleweights.

*Oh ,i don't think so... it'll show his relevance i the game over a long period of time... Hop's "greatness" is something that was never really spoken until he moved up in weight and fighting Tarver.. Cal.. Dawson... etc... as a middleweight, he was a good fighter fiesting on small game. When it mattered, he fell short.. Taylor beat him twice... Roy jones ...

Hop is a better fighter now than he ever was as a middleweight..JMHO

Hopkins never had a middleweight division full of stellar competition but I'd say he had the opportunity to show how good he was after he left more so then he turned into a better fighter.
He still made 20 title defenses and dominated a division for a decade. And during that run he would have been a handful for any middleweight in history. Its not his fault that many of his opponents anymore then it is Wlads or was Calzaghes.

I don't think its fair to keep on claiming that he beat smaller men. Tito was a huge welterweight and walked around an in shape 170 pounds. Hopkins fought at the same weight on fight night that he weighed in at a day before.He was a natural middleweight just as Floyd is a natural welter and so far the only undisputed champion of this century. You never hear about Monzon feasting on x welterweights.

When you think about what he has done, how he did it and the when its nothing short of unbelievable. He's like a modern day Archie Moore. Sure he looks a little sloppy and yet once again just schooled Cloud.

I think Hopkins may actually surpass Moores active record.

I don't think Hagler or Hearns could have kept up with Hopkins pressure. Call me a heretic if you wish!!!

[ray corso]

Pressure? What pressure, the guy runs he doesn't apply any pressure at all!

Hagler would hunt him down, it may well take all of 10 rounds to do it but Hopkins is no Hagler.
Ray.

[Beanflicker]

People shit on Bhop for whipping smaller guys, but then say he isn't on Hagler's level, a guy who is most famous for his fights with 3 smaller guys who had moved up to middleweight (KO'd Hearns, was given BIG trouble by former LW champ Duran, and then obviously lost to Ray Leonard who hadn't fought for 3 years prior to their fight).

I see a bit of a double standard there, no?

[0james0]

The guy is a living legend. I think he's probably on drugs now, but that's besides the point.

[Domiko]

@Beanflicker leonard hearns and duran all fought benitez.. Thats another great. They are throw back fighters and there cant be a comparison between hopkins and them because of the standard of the competition they faced. I like hopkins hes in ripleys believe it or not museum! But he has been unfortunate... Or fortunate to be in an era without lots of greats. When he fought rjj first time he was great and rjj beat him.

[Beanflicker]

@Beanflicker leonard hearns and duran all fought benitez.. Thats another great. They are throw back fighters and there cant be a comparison between hopkins and them because of the standard of the competition they faced.

So who else besides Benitez?

[Domiko]

Each other....

[Domiko]

Duran fought leonard hagler hearns benitez, ken buchanan, de jesus. I consider these guys GREAT. And he fought a massive string of top challengers. I dont even get why you are trying to compare of hopkins had 3 or 4 other great fighters he had memorable battles with fans would appreciate him more. Unfortunaetly he never fought anybody of the class of the fab four or benitez apart from prime rjj.