Hopkins at 172 suits him (Read this if you doubt Hopkins against Tarver)

[Purist]

http://forums.doghouseboxing.com/index.php?showtopic=50401&hl=



Flashback: Hopkins at 172+ lbs
Seemed to suit him well...


When Bernard Hopkins entered the ring on April 14, 2001, to the face the 6' 2" southpaw, Keith Holmes, he weighed 172 pounds. As far as my research goes, this represents the most Hopkins weighed on "fight night" during his entire Middleweight career. Considering Hopkins is expected to weigh only a few pounds north of 172 when he faces Tarver in June, the question I asked myself is, did he carry the weight well performance wise? While Holmes and Tarver present a different challenge in terms of weight, they are quite similar in many other important physical aspects. Lets take a quick look...



Now, I know what many of you may think, hey, there is a great difference in Hopkins' age between these two fights. Yes, I agree, 5 years and 2 months to be almost exact. But my feeling is it's all relative. Meaning, if the weight worked for him then, why wouldn't it work now? On the flipside, if it didn't work for him then, why now? Being that Tarver and Holmes share so many physical attributes including stance, there is a very good chance the theory of relativity may prove itself true come June 10th. Lets take a look at how Hopkins carried the weight inside the ring.

Performance Observations: 1.
Strait up, Hopkins was a beast at 172 lbs. He shoved and dragged Holmes through a booby trapped orchard of painful unknowns using primarily his mauling and brawling skills. When Holmes tried to get himself away from the smothering tactics to thrown punches at range, Hopkins would open up with ripping body attacks and sharp outside power shots which took him right back inside to continue the close range pounding. Lets not leave out some Philly style hip checks and low blows, yes, rough and illegal tactics were aplenty.

1>Click here to watch Hopkins-Holmes-Performance-1

Performance Observations: 2
By mid fight, looking like an unarmed soldier under attack from all angles, Holmes was helpless to the well equipped military monolith before him. He would try and get himself out of battle by attempting to pin a DQ on Hopkins, but to no avail. Holmes would be given no way out and ultimately he would find himself completely shut on the cards, less one round were Hopkins was deducted a point for a low blow.
1>Click here to watch Hopkins-Holmes-Performance-2
2>Click here to watch Holmes-Tries-for-a-DQ

In a perfect world the Hopkins that fought Holmes would face Tarver. We know that's not happening. But what I take from this, is Hopkins seemed just as capable and effective carrying 172 pounds as he did carrying his usual 164-169 lbs...and this against a fighter who shares many physical attributes with Tarver. If the theory of relativity holds true for Hopkins, on June 10th when he faces Tarver, the added weight won't hinder him at all, in fact, it may benefit him.





Anyone agree with the above

[Wacko3205]

Honestly...& I hate to disagree with you because of the fact that I do indeed reserve the spot for my most favorite fighter of all times for Hopkins & tied with Hagler...but...this Hopkins (IWO) is totally different because the 172 Hopkins was actually just an overweight 160 Hopkins.

This Hopkins is going to be adding on weight to the 160 in a different way IWO.

This Hopkins is going to be slower with the weight & the age.

In a perfect world...I'd love to see Hopkins dominate...but he won't...IWHO.

[Wacko3205]

Also... for the theory/analysis...I'd love it if you were right...but I aint hopin for any miracles...because those things always let you down...miracles.

[Purist]

Well wacko I agree with the article somewhat and somewhat I don't.

He's right about everything he wrote about Hopkins that night but the style of Hopkins has changed dramatically since that night he beat Keith Holmes.

[Wacko3205]

Well wacko I agree with the article somewhat and somewhat I don't.

He's right about everything he wrote about Hopkins that night but the style of Hopkins has changed dramatically since that night he beat Keith Holmes.

Oh...I thought you wrote that.

Sorry. My misunderstanding on that little fact.

[Bomp]

Problem is Tarver will probably enter the ring at 190, and be comfortable at the weight. I'd love to see Hopkins win, but he's not the guy he was 5 years ago (there was an excellent thread a couple of months ago depicting his rise and fall with video evidence to back it up), so imo he's got his work cut out for him + I'm sceptical about a 40 year old man being able to gain 5 lbs of useful muscle let alone 15. Lets just hope he's still got enough ring craft to stay out of trouble. Could be another dull fight like the Taylor one's seeing as they're both counter punchers.

[shza]

Could be another dull fight like the Taylor one's seeing as they're both counter punchers.

I definitely agree with that. This might be even duller than the Taylor fights, unless Tarver's able to land something flush.

[Taeth]

Holmes nowhere near as good as Tarver... He was slower didn't hit as hard, and couldn't throw combinations with as much accuracy. People forget Hopkins just making 175 might not be enough... he should be comming into the ring at 183.. people like Floyd Mayweather can take advantage of being the smaller guy because of speed, and having a style the capatilizes on being the smaller man... Hopkins hasn't really been the smaller man ever in his career except maybe against Jones and Taylor, but still they weren't as much bigger htan him as is Tarver.

[Hulk]

Also... for the theory/analysis...I'd love it if you were right...but I aint hopin for any miracles...because those things always let you down...miracles.

Hopkins probably won't dominate. But he could possibly drop Tarver on his ass late in the fight with a sneaky lead right hand. Also this article is kinda ridiculoud because Holmes looked like a scared crack head in there against B-hop. And he was a flash in the pan titlist at best, not the best LH out there right now.

[Purist]

Holmes looked like a scared crack head in there against B-hop. And he was a flash in the pan titlist at best, not the best LH out there right now.

Like Tarver looked against Jones And a flash in the pan like Tarver

[Hulk]

Holmes looked like a scared crack head in there against B-hop. And he was a flash in the pan titlist at best, not the best LH out there right now.

Like Tarver looked against Jones And a flash in the pan like Tarver

Tarver is a better fighter than Keith Holmes. And he wasn't scared in his first loss to Jones, which was Legit damnit, Jones gutted him out and definately won that freakin fight haters. If anything he looked a little scared in the third fight, it was weird.

[Purist]

He was scared like he wanted to run away whenever Jones' left hook came. I think Tarver is afraid of Jones. He fights scared against him, still wins but fights scared if Jones takes two steps to Jones Tarver takes about 10 back

[NUCLEAR BULL]

don't forget that b-hops 6'2 so the weight should sit well on his frame. i'd love to see hopkins win this

[undefeated]

i hope hopkins whips his a** , it would be a great way to retire--tarvers 38--so hes no spring chicken--i really wanna see the executioner put an end to tarver as the self proclaimed "legend killer" and turning him into an official hasbeen --i wanna see hopkins send tarver through the ropes and into the surreal life house--well realisticlly hopkins can win by a ud

[a4mrmarine]

I would love for Hopkins to win I really hope he does and the I hope he RITIRES!