Ok, what now for BHop?

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:10 pm

Who does he fight now? Who can he beat and who would spark Hopkins now, if anybody?

There doesn't seemt o be any talk of retirement right now. Less than before, which is madness.

If he fights Stevenson or Kovalev he may get sparked. Clev might want a go after seeing Morat do relatively well, but he has zero leverage now he is without a belt.

Mayweather talk is madness, IMO, but people seem to want it.

by TRUSSMAN66 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:11 pm

Retirement........He's 50 for FFs

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:23 pm

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Retirement........He's 50 for FFs

Haha, true, but try telling him that. He isn't even mentioning retirement right now. All this reinventing himself as 'The Alien' too. He is trying to rebrand himself. EEK!

by STC Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:24 pm

Not much else left to prove.

Kovalev and Stevenson are possibly too dangerous for him at this stage, but I remember saying that about Pavlik and Pascal and Cloud.

It would be best for him to retire on a win. I wouldn't want to see him take a beating or get sparked out in his last ever fight, it wouldn't be right. I wouldn't be too upset if he retired now, although a part of me wants to see him fight on.

by TRUSSMAN66 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:26 pm

I admire Hoppo greatly.........Wonderful top 20 alltimer for me.........But he's past the age where he should be fighting regardless of success........The body finds repairing more difficult the older you get..

He gets a pounding off someone It's potentially more serious than perhaps a younger guy getting one..

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:34 pm

Agree wholeheartedly but I don't think Hopkins is reading the same script we are. He will continue, so I suppose we have to ask, who next?

by STC Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:41 pm

He said in the post fight interview that he was looking at fighting below 175 so I think it could be a big name super middle.

Ward? Could be a borefest, could be a purist's dream.

Froch? A big payday but a tough fight for Hopkins at this stage surely.

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:46 pm

STC wrote:He said in the post fight interview that he was looking at fighting below 175 so I think it could be a big name super middle.

Ward? Could be a borefest, could be a purist's dream.

Froch? A big payday but a tough fight for Hopkins at this stage surely.

I think Froch would have to be fairly short of opposition to take on BHop.

Hopkins v Chavez Jr. at 168 would be sweet, but TR & GB will scupper that.

by bhb001 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:48 pm

Please not Froch!! Froch will get slated for trying to live up to Calzaghe. He needs to make his own legacy. I would be happy with Ward, although it would be boring.

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:52 pm

bhb001 wrote:Please not Froch!! Froch will get slated for trying to live up to Calzaghe. He needs to make his own legacy. I would be happy with Ward, although it would be boring.

Will never ever be Ward. He said as much.

Froch has built a nice legacy, but agree, do not fight BHop. Not 5 years after Calzaghe.

Froch doesn't need to anyway. Anybody he fights now is a sell out of 20,000 anywhere in UK and he can fight people who would want far less of the pie than BHop.

by STC Mon 28 Oct 2013, 1:58 pm

I think Froch would consider fighting Hopkins. Froch doesn't have many fights left in him and he's running out of opponents too (although Golovkin would be nice). Hopkins is still a legitimate opponent as he proved over the weekend.

by **oxring** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:10 pm

bhb001 wrote:Please not Froch!! Froch will get slated for trying to live up to Calzaghe. He needs to make his own legacy. I would be happy with Ward, although it would be boring.

Plus - Froch doesn't match up well stylistically to B-Hop - he's a good boxer, better than previously given credit for with good power. He isn't a pressure fighter with a big work-rate - which, even at this late stage in the "alien's" career is the only thing which seems to have given him any difficulty.

Kovalev maybe? Could see B-Hop winning it, a la Pavlik/Pascal - but I'm loath to encourage a 50 year old to fight someone half his age with that much power.

by Lance Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:18 pm

Seanusarrilius wrote:Who does he fight now? Who can he beat and who would spark Hopkins now, if anybody?

There doesn't seemt o be any talk of retirement right now. Less than before, which is madness.

If he fights Stevenson or Kovalev he may get sparked. Clev might want a go after seeing Morat do relatively well, but he has zero leverage now he is without a belt.

Mayweather talk is madness, IMO, but people seem to want it.

murat do relatively well??? that was the worst beating bhop has given anybody in a long time. worse than the one he dished out to pavlik! murat started well but his constant fouling really riled bhop, who decided to go on the offensive and prove a point. murats face was a mess and it wasn't from headbutts this time. I thought murat did well to see the final bell to be honest.

anyway Hopkins wants Stevenson, and I expect Stevenson will take the fight, thinking hes the one to finish bhop off for good. expect this fight to happen next year

by OasisBFC Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:23 pm

ward said he'd never fight hopkins.

i wouldnt want to see froch facing him as he could realistically lose and it'd be a god awful fight. froch only has a few fights left and i want him to see him make fireworks.

even chavez jnr i'd like to see and the americans seem to be building up a potential GGG fight.

by OasisBFC Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:24 pm

back on hoppo - the mayweather talk is ridiculous. it was only a couple of years ago that he said he wants to fight haye at heavy.

by TopHat24/7 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:31 pm

Think he can take Adonis but not Kovalev who hits too hard, to accurate and with two much pressure. Reckon Hoppo could pull of his usual tedious dirty hug-fest rubbish with Adonis, Kov has too much pedigree.

by Lance Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:40 pm

TopHat24/7 wrote:Think he can take Adonis but not Kovalev who hits too hard, to accurate and with two much pressure. Reckon Hoppo could pull of his usual tedious dirty hug-fest rubbish with Adonis, Kov has too much pedigree.

Hoppo can beat Stevenson in an entertaining fight. Stevensons stamina is suspect and he cant fight going backwards. with the right tactics Hopkins will win that one in an entertaining fight, maybe with a few scares along the way, bit like the first Pascal fight

Kovalev is a bit more of an unknown. he loads up on his punches and doesn't have great hand speed. no way does he get to Hopkins in the first half of the fight, and he might be made to look stupid trying. however can Hopkins hurt kovalev? I think he can pick him off with single shots and win a boring decision, but who knows maybe kovalev has a plan b.

by STC Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:47 pm

Stevenson might not be an option after the Bellew fight.

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 2:58 pm

STC wrote:Stevenson might not be an option after the Bellew fight.

I think he will be, hope I am wrong.

by Guest Mon 28 Oct 2013, 3:49 pm

Stevenson may just turn out to be another Pascal and clearly Hopkins sees something that others don't (or don't want to).

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:13 pm

I think Stevenson would beat Hopkins at this stage. Its the fight that makes most sense for Hopkins. Until he beats Stevenson he is just a belt holder in the division. There is probably more money in the Stevenson fight than any other fight avaliable to him. However it appears they are contracted to rival tv networks.

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:36 pm

I think Stevenson is free to fight where he wants, no? Canadian promoter?

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:41 pm

I read he has a contract with HBO for his fights and Hopkins has a contract with Showtime. I dont know how they work out who would show the fight.

by **ShahenshahG** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:46 pm

If Froch loses to BH then it will ruin his entire legacy and lift Joe's. Probably end his career. Probably end up like Larry Holmes, Rich, stable life with a megaton of bitterness.

by Lance Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:48 pm

catchweight wrote:I think Stevenson would beat Hopkins at this stage. Its the fight that makes most sense for Hopkins. Until he beats Stevenson he is just a belt holder in the division. There is probably more money in the Stevenson fight than any other fight avaliable to him. However it appears they are contracted to rival tv networks.

there is no real number one in the division at the moment. some people have Hopkins as number one some have Stevenson, you can make a fair argument either way, but Hopkins isn't just another belt holder. Hopkins lost to dawson, but dawson lost to pascal who Hopkins beat. Stevenson beating dawson doesn't make him guaranteed number one. when they fight it will prove who is top. Its the fight Hopkins is going after so if he believes it can be made, then I suspect it can

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:51 pm

I think its fair to say Stevenson is number 1 at the moment until Hopkins beat him.

by Lance Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:53 pm

catchweight wrote:I think its fair to say Stevenson is number 1 at the moment until Hopkins beat him.

well I think its fair to say Hopkins is number at the moment until Stevenson beats him. I know you hate bhop, and you know im a fan, but others have it split too.

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 4:56 pm

Dawson was considered the best light heavyweight when Stevenson beat him. Stevenson has looked a lot better than Hopkins in his last couple of fights.

by mobilemaster8 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 5:03 pm

I think its safe to say Kovalev is in the mix......be a great fight between him and Adonis once he smashes Bellew next month.

by TopHat24/7 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 5:07 pm

Lance wrote:
catchweight wrote:I think its fair to say Stevenson is number 1 at the moment until Hopkins beat him.
well I think its fair to say Hopkins is number at the moment until Stevenson beats him. I know you hate bhop, and you know im a fan, but others have it split too.

To be the man you've got to beat the man. Adonis did that with Dawson - a guy Hoppo got one, if not two, losses against. Proclaiming he's divisional #1 off the back of beating someone so bad even Cleverly beat (and stopped) him is pure fallacious fanboy stuff.

by Lance Mon 28 Oct 2013, 5:08 pm

catchweight wrote:Dawson was considered the best light heavyweight when Stevenson beat him. Stevenson has looked a lot better than Hopkins in his last couple of fights.

you haven't even watched Hopkins last fight though...

dawson was coming off a stoppage loss, and still hadn't avenged his defeat to pascal

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 5:14 pm

Hopkins last fight was meaningless. A pointless fight against a guy that was an average opponent. Cleverly knocked him out. Dawson lost to Pascal years ago. Its irrelevant now. Otherwise Froch may as well claim to be the best light heavyweight.

by TopHat24/7 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 5:15 pm

Lance wrote:
catchweight wrote:Dawson was considered the best light heavyweight when Stevenson beat him. Stevenson has looked a lot better than Hopkins in his last couple of fights.
you haven't even watched Hopkins last fight though...

dawson was coming off a stoppage loss, and still hadn't avenged his defeat to pascal

Why do you need to watch it??

He beat a rubbish guy Clev had already managed to stop, it bears zero relevance to the rankings unless you're a deluded Hoppo fan-boy.

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:24 pm

catchweight wrote:Hopkins last fight was meaningless. A pointless fight against a guy that was an average opponent. Cleverly knocked him out. Dawson lost to Pascal years ago. Its irrelevant now. Otherwise Froch may as well claim to be the best light heavyweight.

Maybe we should just shut the entire sport down?

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:26 pm

by **Seanusarrilius** Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:32 pm

catchweight wrote:Why?

Because it’s all so irrelevant

by mobilemaster8 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:32 pm

Why not?

Hopkins is the man and would outbox Adonis.

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:33 pm

Hopkins beating Murat is pretty irrelevant to his claim as the best light heavyweight. Im not sure where your going with the rest.

by mobilemaster8 Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:38 pm

Adonis sprung on to the scene with ONE victory. A knock out against Dawson, who had previously been beaten by Pascal and knocked out by ANDRE WARD. A super middle with no power.

of course Adonis had a punchers chance.

he then stopped cloud....and over rated fighter who Hopkins gave a lesson in boxing.

Hopkins has by far the better resume.....Calzaghe (unlucky), Pascal, Cloud, Pavlik to name but a few at higher weights.

Adonis has been in with no such calibre if you compare their records.

Hopkins beats him via typical Hopkins style. 116-112 UD in an ugly affair where Bhop neutralises all of Adonis's strengths.....ie his power.

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:41 pm

Im not discussing the hypothetical. Pascal beat Dawson, Hopkins beat Pascal, Dawson beat Hopkins, Stevenson beat Dawson. So for the time being Stevenson deserves to be number 1. He also looked far better against Cloud than Hopkins did.

by Guest Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:44 pm

Ah brilliant, it's not boxing it's conkers

Holmes beat Ali, Tyson Beat Holmes, Danny Williams beat Tyson, Audley beat Williams, Marty Rogan beat Audley and on and on it goes......

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:46 pm

What relevance does that have?

by Guest Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:49 pm

About as much as you claiming Stevenson is the greatest thing since sliced bread on the back of beating Chad "Never really done anything" Dawson and Tavoris" Never really done anything either" Cloud.

When you bought your ticket for the Stevenson hype train did you use that company that advertises on the TV?

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 6:53 pm

Tracing the actual passage of the world title between the light heavyweight title is not relevant to the rankings? Im not on any hype train you muppet. You just seem to think anyone that thinks Stevenson will win his next fight is on some hype train. I think hes better than Hopkins and until Hopkins beat him he should be ranked ahead on account of beating the fighter who beat Hopkins for the title. Not rocket science.

by Guest Mon 28 Oct 2013, 7:00 pm

catchweight wrote:Tracing the actual passage of the world title between the light heavyweight title is not relevant to the rankings? Im not on any hype train you muppet. You just seem to think anyone that thinks Stevenson will win his next fight is on some hype train. I think hes better than Hopkins and until Hopkins beat him he should be ranked ahead on account of beating the fighter who beat Hopkins for the title. Not rocket science.

Well given that prior to his KO of Dawson no-one on the boards was talking about him, it's a fair assessment of the situation.

Aaaaalllll aboooooaard.

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 7:01 pm

Oh wow. A boxer knocks out the number 1 ranked light heavyweight in one round with a huge knockout and people start talking about him!!! Whatever next!! You clown.

by Rick James Mon 28 Oct 2013, 7:02 pm

catchweight wrote:Oh wow. A boxer knocks out the number 1 ranked light heavyweight in one round with a huge knockout and people start talking about him!!! Whatever next!! You clown.

by Guest Mon 28 Oct 2013, 7:04 pm

or...someone no-one's ever heard of catches a notoriously average fighter cold and certain people start getting ther panties wetter than a bunch of teenage girls standing withing 12 miles of Harry Styles.

ChoooooChooooooooo

by catchweight Mon 28 Oct 2013, 7:07 pm

The irony of this guy. Complains about hype jobs non stop and then when a boxer actually beats the number one guy in the division and follows it up by demolishing the guy Hopkins won his current title of he goes on like the guy is unproven an some hype job and that anyone who rates him is on some hype train. What the f more could Stevenson have done to actually announce himself on the scene. Thanks for the laugh.

by Guest Mon 28 Oct 2013, 7:13 pm

You seem to think I'm belittling Stevenson...I'm not, I'm belittling you for your habit of leaping into bed with fighters with a frequency that Katie Price would consider "slaggy"

The fact Dawson and Cloud have been somewhat erratic to say the least in their careers and that Stevenson had done precisely the square root of **** all two fights ago tends to suggest I'm right about you.

Next stop Hypesville, please ensure you collect all your belongs before make your next connection.

Night night, sleep tight! kiss

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