How much credit should you get for beating smaller guys?

[Kel]

Depends, Pac looked great at 147 but never looked like a much smaller guy at all, only in height obviously. He looked ripped too. If Hatton beats him it's a very good win IMO.

Hopkins has beaten a lot of big names but some of them were much smaller and it was clearly visible in the ring. Trinindad and De La Hoya both looked fleshy and were clearly lacking in size and strength. Even Winky Wright looked undersized somewhat. Three VERY good fighters, all out of their depth though in reality because along with size Hopkins is/was a skilled technician with very good power. So not too much credit for these wins for me.

Even Calzaghe and Pavlic moved up to fight him

Hatton beating Pac would indeed be a very good win for him. It just wouldn't elevate his p4p status like a win over say... Cotto, would. Why? 'Cause of the size element. Pac may have looked ripped, but it doesn't change the fact that he was way over his natural weight. Major props to Pac.

And yes... Hopkins did beat a Trinidad and a De La Hoya who were both over their peak fighting weights at 160, whereas Hopkins had been a MW practically his entire career. But as the previous poster indicated, Trinidad had been on a KO binge, even KO'ing William Joppy in his first 160-pound fight. And Joppy had been MW champion. So Hopkins' stock went up even though he had beaten a naturally smaller man.

What about the RJJ fight? Did his stock go up too? or was it exactly the same? A bigger guy beating a smaller guy?