Is Hopkins really this big name ??

Miuna · Post by **Miuna** » 11 Feb 2008, 04:48

Theres no Q hes a great, great fighter, lightyears greater than Joe could ever be now

But my in-laws live in Minnesota and Iasked them what they thought of Bernard Hopkins and they didnt know who I was talkin about --they are big sports fans and the boxers they know are Tyson, Lennox, Oscar, `the guy with the Money`(Mayweather) and `what about the middle-weight guy who went to heavy-weight -Ray Jones? Ray Junior Jones?`

I was suprised they didnt know Hopkins because we are led to believe hes some big name in the States --? Antonio Tarver says Hopkins lives off his name

I asked my brother, who lives in Scotland and is a casual boxing fan, who doesnt know who Bernard Hopkins is either --he only knows Amir Khan, Scott Harrison, Ricky Hatton, Maywetaher, Alex Arthur, Audley and `the Welsh guy`(Calzaghe

Matt W · Post by **Matt W** » 11 Feb 2008, 05:07

Miuna wrote:Antonio Tarver says Hopkins lives off his name

Antonio Tarver says lots of things...

STP · Post by **STP** » 11 Feb 2008, 05:17

I don't think any boxers are big names in America anything like say McGuigan, Bruno and Eubank were over here, other than maybe Oscar De La Hoya because I saw him on an episode of The Simpsons. They've got NFL stars, NBA stars, baseball stars, wrestling stars... we've only got Man United stars. Looking at clips of Mayweather on YouTube on an American chat show after the De La Hoya fight and the Dancing With The Stars, it's as if people don't know who he is and there's a strange atmosphere, or they look down on him because he's some boxer. People don't respect boxing and boxers on either side of the Atlantic like they did in the 70's through to mid-90's. If you like boxing these days it's like you're an alien or something. Plus, consider that outside of their fights with De La Hoya, the PPV numbers for Mayweather or Hopkins are around 300,000 (out of hundreds of millions).

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 11 Feb 2008, 06:04

Bernard had been unknown and under-rated for years before he fought Trinidad, which was regarded as a big upset at the time.

It hasn't helped him that he's not the best boxer to watch either.

WildWaylon · Post by **WildWaylon** » 11 Feb 2008, 07:35

I knew a young couple back in the early 90s who went to New York for a couple of weeks - While they were there they went to see Billy Joel and Elton John live on stage - They showed me the program and to my amazement in big letters it said Billy Joel and in much smaller letters supported by Elton John - Christ ask me what Billy Joel sang and Uptown Girl and very little else springs to mind yet over there he is a massive star. Be it singers, boxers or whatever America has its stars and Britain has its own - The media make stars and if you are seen on ITV or BBC you have every chance of becoming famous - If Carl Froch was to win well against Inkin with a KO, he could very soon become as famous as Amir Khan - Fighting on Sky or Setanta you are only known to boxing fans but ITV gets you known to people who dont normally follow boxing as is the case with Amir Khan - Who is more famous Khan or Hatton? - I was talking to a young lad who claims to be a big fan of Khan - When I asked him about the Haye/Macca fight, he hadnt heard of David Haye and wanted to know if he was any good.

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 11 Feb 2008, 08:07

WildWaylon wrote:I knew a young couple back in the early 90s who went to New York for a couple of weeks - While they were there they went to see Billy Joel and Elton John live on stage - They showed me the program and to my amazement in big letters it said Billy Joel and in much smaller letters supported by Elton John - Christ ask me what Billy Joel sang and Uptown Girl and very little else springs to mind yet over there he is a massive star. Be it singers, boxers or whatever America has its stars and Britain has its own - The media make stars and if you are seen on ITV or BBC you have every chance of becoming famous - If Carl Froch was to win well against Inkin with a KO, he could very soon become as famous as Amir Khan - Fighting on Sky or Setanta you are only known to boxing fans but ITV gets you known to people who dont normally follow boxing as is the case with Amir Khan - Who is more famous Khan or Hatton? - I was talking to a young lad who claims to be a big fan of Khan - When I asked him about the Haye/Macca fight, he hadnt heard of David Haye and wanted to know if he was any good.

Yeah, my brother hadn't heard of David Haye but had heard of Ricky and knew a bit about Joe and Amir.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 11 Feb 2008, 09:51

Miuna wrote:Theres no Q hes a great, great fighter, lightyears greater than Joe could ever be now

But my in-laws live in Minnesota and Iasked them what they thought of Bernard Hopkins and they didnt know who I was talkin about --they are big sports fans and the boxers they know are Tyson, Lennox, Oscar, `the guy with the Money`(Mayweather) and `what about the middle-weight guy who went to heavy-weight -Ray Jones? Ray Junior Jones?`

I was suprised they didnt know Hopkins because we are led to believe hes some big name in the States --? Antonio Tarver says Hopkins lives off his name

I asked my brother, who lives in Scotland and is a casual boxing fan, who doesnt know who Bernard Hopkins is either --he only knows Amir Khan, Scott Harrison, Ricky Hatton, Maywetaher, Alex Arthur, Audley and `the Welsh guy`(Calzaghe

He can't be that much of a fan then!!

"TheWelsh guy"?

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 11 Feb 2008, 10:47

Terry D wrote:There is no way he is a double-great fighter, not a chance. Hagler, Robinson and Monzon are miles ahead at the weight. Hearns, despite his flaws at the weight, Leonard and Griffith beat him also. He would struggle to match Jones, well he did, would not beat Toney and would have a hard time with a number of fighters at the weight.

Hopkins is a good boxer but the main reason, in my opinion, he is knocking about now is because he pissed away his post-Tito momentum and is smart enough to know that just because a bunch of jive-talking experts compare him to the older fighters does not mean that this is so.

I think Monzon was a little over-rated, but it's part of the modern trend to compare any fighter that's any mustard to everyone over the past 70 years.

IMO Hopkins has lasted as long as he has through almost OCD dieting and being one of the best ring psychologists I've ever seen.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 11 Feb 2008, 10:55

No he's not one of the big names.. he's just outside of ODLH, FMJR, RJJR, Tarver and the Klits.. Ricky Hatton is a big name in america too now..

Hopkins has lasted as long as he has through some crazy gene pool.. but then again he hasn't really fought a world class natural middleweight at middleweight apart from RJJR and Taylor.. Keith Holmes, William Joppy and Howard Eastman were v.v.poor when you compare them to Nunn, Benn, McCallum, McClellan and that crew.. i expect Joe Calzaghe to beat him up really..

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 11 Feb 2008, 11:03

Tickets are selling very well. Hopkins isn't that big a name - although its bigger since you see him next to DLH in all the Golden Boy fights.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 11 Feb 2008, 11:28

WildWaylon wrote:I knew a young couple back in the early 90s who went to New York for a couple of weeks - While they were there they went to see Billy Joel and Elton John live on stage - They showed me the program and to my amazement in big letters it said Billy Joel and in much smaller letters supported by Elton John - Christ ask me what Billy Joel sang and Uptown Girl and very little else springs to mind yet over there he is a massive star.

yeah that's true.

billy joel has outsold elton john in the states.

billy joel is one of the biggest artists in the history of american music.

big BJ fan meself.

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 11 Feb 2008, 11:50

Terry D wrote:
Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:
Terry D wrote:There is no way he is a double-great fighter, not a chance. Hagler, Robinson and Monzon are miles ahead at the weight. Hearns, despite his flaws at the weight, Leonard and Griffith beat him also. He would struggle to match Jones, well he did, would not beat Toney and would have a hard time with a number of fighters at the weight.

Hopkins is a good boxer but the main reason, in my opinion, he is knocking about now is because he pissed away his post-Tito momentum and is smart enough to know that just because a bunch of jive-talking experts compare him to the older fighters does not mean that this is so.
I think Monzon was a little over-rated, but it's part of the modern trend to compare any fighter that's any mustard to everyone over the past 70 years.

IMO Hopkins has lasted as long as he has through almost OCD dieting and being one of the best ring psychologists I've ever seen.
I like Monzon. He was pretty basic, freakishly strong and took on some very good names. Everything they say Hopkins is supposed to be, in terms of being a ring mechanic, Monzon was and his spoiling was not as incessant as Hopkins. Hopkins must be one of the most spoiling fighters in recent years, especially since Tito. Fighters always get compared but the comparisons flatter Hopkins.

Watching his fight with Mercardo last night Hopkins was a very lucky guy as the draw was a good result for him. It was by no means a hometown result and I thought the fight was quite close, with two knockdowns going one-way Hopkins really got lucky that night.

Totally agree about his spiling tactics. I fell asleep for Taylor I and II, Tarver fight was average and the Wright fight...well.. the PPV buys say it all.

Someone on Current Scene raised an interesting point. Try and name a fighter, over 40, that hasn't fought at HW, that's achieved as much as Hopkins.

I couldn't.

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 11 Feb 2008, 11:52

Terry D wrote:
hitman_hatton1 wrote:
WildWaylon wrote:I knew a young couple back in the early 90s who went to New York for a couple of weeks - While they were there they went to see Billy Joel and Elton John live on stage - They showed me the program and to my amazement in big letters it said Billy Joel and in much smaller letters supported by Elton John - Christ ask me what Billy Joel sang and Uptown Girl and very little else springs to mind yet over there he is a massive star.
yeah that's true.

billy joel has outsold elton john in the states.

billy joel is one of the biggest artists in the history of american music.

big BJ fan meself.

I didn't start the fire, duh-da-duh-da-da-da-da-da-duh-duh-da.

Great song.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 11 Feb 2008, 11:52

Roberto Duran..?

DAVE2005 · Post by **DAVE2005** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:10

ray robinson was 44 when he retired wasn't he?

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:11

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:
Terry D wrote:
hitman_hatton1 wrote: yeah that's true.

billy joel has outsold elton john in the states.

billy joel is one of the biggest artists in the history of american music.

big BJ fan meself.

I didn't start the fire, duh-da-duh-da-da-da-da-da-duh-duh-da.

Great song.

check out the stranger, 52nd street and glass houses.

classics baby.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:12

Mike McCallum..?

Poncey · Post by **Poncey** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:34

Greg Nicholas wrote:Roberto Duran..?

Duran last won a major title at 39 against The Blade.

Robinson was 38 when he last fought for a world title, but that was of course before the 4 major sanctionining bodies.

McCallum was 39.

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:41

Foreman?

Captain Hook · Post by **Captain Hook** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:42

.....or Rocky Balboa?

Rocky Balboa · Post by **Rocky Balboa** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:51

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:Bernard had been unknown and under-rated for years before he fought Trinidad, which was regarded as a big upset at the time.

It hasn't helped him that he's not the best boxer to watch either.

I for one backed Hopkins to beat Trinidad, but aside from real boxing followers & those who knew Bernard, Trinidad was the general favourite, was favoured to beat Hopkins.

Looking back, it's amazing to think Trinidad was favoured to beat B-Hop. Felix was totally outclassed. Is was a systematic beatdown.

fist · Post by **fist** » 11 Feb 2008, 12:54

The truth is that there are not that many boxers around these days who are household names. In Britain the average Joe does not know who Bernard Hopkins is, they will have heard of Mayweather recently because of Hatton, they dont know who De La Hoya is (though they might have heard the name) and they would not know what Jones looks like. FOr a boxer to be known they need to fight on terrestrial tv or go on celebrity programmes.

Calzaghe became much more widely known and respected after Lacy, with the fight being shown on ITV - brilliant move. Likewise, The Kessler / Calzaghe fight was shown as a re-run on BBC, not to mention the Manfredo and Bika fghts being shown on ITV. As a result, Calzaghe has the respect he always wanted and went on to win Sports Persoanlity of the Year, great for boxing.

In the USA Hopkins is pretty well known, has been on Oprah etc. And after his fight with Joe he will be known in Britain. In terms of the latter though, Hopkins will be known for his boring style and for losing to Joe Calzaghe. When the Brits hear all the hype about the executioner, his ten year reign, his mean life story etc they are going to expect a real hard bastard. Instead they'll see one of boxings most boring fighters being gunned down by over a hundred shots per round from Joe. Remember the lazy but skilled Eastman showing how limited Hopkins was? Joe's will retire Hopkins.

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 11 Feb 2008, 13:01

Bernard has never been on Oprah Winfray.. i asked some Yanks on another board and they 'hahaha'd'..

Bunce made it up..

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 11 Feb 2008, 13:31

And how is Hopkins a greater fighter than Calzaghe, anyway..? For beating blown-up past-best Felix Trinidad and drained-out old man (who lost to a near-dead RJJR and Glen Johnson, and even in his physical prime to Eric Harding) Antonio Tarver..? Or for beating former super-featherweight champion ODLH? Richie at his best is better than Keith Holmes, Howard Eastman, William Joppy.. Eubank at his worst is leagues better than all of Hopkins's middleweight opponents bar RJJR.. Charles Brewer beat up Antwun Echols and was robbed in that fight and that guy gave Hopkins his toughest fights.. Mikkel Kessler was no slouch.. what makes Hopkins so so great..?

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 11 Feb 2008, 15:44

hitman_hatton1 wrote:
WildWaylon wrote:I knew a young couple back in the early 90s who went to New York for a couple of weeks - While they were there they went to see Billy Joel and Elton John live on stage - They showed me the program and to my amazement in big letters it said Billy Joel and in much smaller letters supported by Elton John - Christ ask me what Billy Joel sang and Uptown Girl and very little else springs to mind yet over there he is a massive star.

big BJ fan meself.

Is that giving or receiving?

Gay boy!

Is Hopkins really this big name ??

Is Hopkins really this big name ??

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