Can Hopkins beat the Heavyweights that James Toney fought?

[greynotsoold]

Can Hopkins beat the heavyweights that James Toney fought??

Seriously?

Hopkins always came into the ring in shape. He didn't bloat up to 240+ pounds like a beached whale like Toney did. Neither of them belong at heavyweight. That Toney masqueraded as one says nothing. Hopkins showed respect for the sport by looking the part of a professional athlete, even if his style was boring and maddening. Toney was a fat-ass clown who couldn't say the alphabet without slurring.

What's the point of this thread, anyway?

In all fairness to Toney, he said in 1991 that he would win the HW title by 2003. I don't think he bloated up at all; I think he was killing himself to make 160, 168, maybe even 175. At 217, against Holyfield, he was not bloated, moved great and was real sharp. I think he then got into the misguided notion that, to compete at that weight, he needed to bulk up.
Doing so cost him the advantages he had touted in 1991- his speed, his agility, being hard to hit, combination punching, and his superior boxing knowledge (courtesy of the great Bill Miller). Toney, at his best, was so far beyond Hopkins it is hard to even quantify. He'd make the fight, or encourage you to bring the fight to him and then make you pay for it.

[Nameless]

Never beat against Hopkins, his manoeuvre margin might get slimmer and slimmer as time passes by but the man is hungry and has a willpower level beyond everything I've seen in Boxing. On paper, yes, he could.

[AdamGB]

I don't think I've ever seen Toney not look slightly bloated at any weight, certaintly never lean or tight at a weight.