Fight thread (spoilers)

[Champagne_Socialist]

First topic message reminder :

bernard hopkins v shumenov and malinaggi v Porter

predictions?

[catchweight]

Id rather see Porter against Mayweather than Maidana. If you cant win a round against Devon Alexander you shouldnt be in the same ring with Mayweather.

[AlexHuckerby]

The Maidana/Alexander fight comes with a rather large asterisk for me personally. But in essence I agree with what you're saying Catchweight.

[Knowsit17]

Surprised so little has been said about Hopkins. May not fight pretty or be the classiest of operators but you just can't sell his record short. Oldest world champ, oldest unified world champ, will certainly be the first linear title holder to hit 50. To be in the mix with a prime RJJ and still be near the top of the pile 20 years later... in a different weight class! Who else can boast so many names from so many different generations?

The judge who scored it for Shumenov should be suspended though, sick of these clowns who arbitrarily write their own versions of reality.

All nicely set up for a showdown with Stevenson and/or Kovalev. What other logical path is there?

[Herman Jaeger]

His list of opponents the last few years reads like a who's who too. Wouldn't be at all surprised if he beats Stevenson too. Still climbing up the all time pound for pound lists Hoppy.


Looking forward to Brook/Porter too...

[AlexHuckerby]

Will most likely be Stevenson, don't know if hopkins can become linear as that would mean beating Stevenson and Kovalev you would imagine. Pretty hard task for a start, coupled with Kovalev being signed to HBO and Hopkins to Showtime, i don't know how that fight would be made.

[John Bloody Wayne]

Hopkins v Stevenson could be a stinker as neither man really forces the fight naturally.

[88Chris05]

Hopkins is just a phenomenon. One of the most remarkable characters in the history of the sport, for me.

I have encountered a few people who have said he gets too much credit for all these wins he's picked up on the wrong side of forty, namely because they haven't exactly been against jaw-dropping opposition. The idea seems to be that winning at such an advanced age is somehow overrated. My take is that I cannae agree with that at all, given how so very, very few have managed it the way Hopkins has. Hey, if in fifteen years time guys like Ward, Golovkin and Kovalev are still outclassing top ten ranked fighters, then I'll take it back - but it's hard for me to conjure that thought.

Even allowing for the fact that guys such as Pascal, Cloud and Shumenov are good style match ups for Bernard, what he's doing is insane. Jack Nicklaus was hailed as a freak of nature for winning his final Major when he was three years younger than Hopkins is now, to put it in to context. Golf against boxing.....I'll let you decide which one has more of a 'young man's game' feel about it!

What he did to Shumenov the other night was typical of him. You could just see him winning not only the boxing match but also the mental battle. The way he's able to pick up rounds and put points in the bank, making the other guy look like a rank amateur, without seeming to really do all that much seems to visibly drain his opponents. You can see it in their face, and you could see it in Shumenov's. He looked like a mentally broken man to me by about the 7th round or so.

Hopkins' right hand lead looks like it's being delivered by carrier pigeon sometimes, and yet it still finds its home. Still protects himself from counters perfectly, still able to master the dark arts and find ways of giving himself a breather, still sharp enough to counter punch himself. Think it'll be a long, long time before we see another in boxing quite like him.

[AlexHuckerby]

Totally agree Chris, the man is a total freak.

[Strongback]

Hopkins has called out Floyd again, he wants a 50/50 split.

[AlexHuckerby]

Yeah, that's gonna happen...

[Hammersmith harrier]

Hopkins only needs to beat Stevenson to become lineal champion, he's ranked higher than Kovalev by almost every publication and why shouldn't he be he's got a better recent record.

Wasn't a spellbinding performance against Shumenov but again it was incredibly efficient, his right hand is like a laser guided missile, hits the target every time he throws it. Will say Shumenov has a dreadful habit of telegraphing his punches with his incessant grunting as he throws.

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