The knock on Bernard Hopkins

**BIG H** · 10-21-2008 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Greig

First up, let me say that I think Bernard Hopkins is a future hall of famer, one of the best I've ever seen and one of the best of all time.

BUT.

All of his career defining victories came against guys who were moving up in weight (except for Tarver, but I never thought much of him anyway + I thinkk he was drained from moving down in weight) and against whom he boasted some considerable advantages in size and strength.

Name an elite level middleweight he beat in their prime. Robert Allen? Echols? No, his biggest wins at 160 were against Trinidad and DLH, guys who were in their prime at 147.

At 175 he's fought Winky, who peaked when he was at 154, Calzaghe (who beat him anyway) who is a 168lber and Pavlik, a natural middleweight he fought at 170lbs.

Anybody else feeling this?

I guess it ties in with him being the smartest fighter ever, he likes to stack the odds in his favour.

I 100% agree with all your points. I am not taking anything away from Hopkins, because I think he is awesome, but I don't think his opposition at Middleweight was that great. I can't think of anybody he fought that was ever likely to beat him (except for Jones who did). It's not his fault, you can only fight who is put in front of you, but he didn't face any Monzon's Hearns, Leonards or Haglers.