BoxRec

Does anyone know what former WBC Featherweight Champion Paul Hodkinson is up to these days?

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=005117

Also where would you rate Hoko amongst other recent top UK Featherweights such as Naseem Hamed, Scott Harrison, Pat Cowdell, Barry McGuigan, Steve Robinson and Nicky Cook.

At his best, right up there....but not within reach of the Prince.

I think I read he was driving a mini cab - bit of a come down that, for a fighter who must've earned a fair bit, and seemed pretty level headed too.

Maybe that's the down side of having a bookie for a manager.

I'd rank Hoko below Naz, Harrison, Pat Cowdell & McGuigan - about level with Steve Robinson maybe, and defintely over Nicky Cook.

I know he was past it when Robinson beat him, but I think the Welshman might have always had his number. Couldn't believe the bookies made him favorite in that one too.

There was an excellent article on him at maxboxing recently.

Below Harrison and on the same level as Robinson?

Disagree there - I have Robinson above Harrison. I know Robinson got a beatings (as Vicky Pollard would say) at the hands of Scott but he was beyond shot. It might sound crazy but the fight showed me that a prime Robinson would beat a prime Harrison. Robinson hurt Harrison in the opener.

Hmm maybe...

could be doing Hoko a diservice, but he was very carefuly managed to the top.

Gets a world rating on the back of a euro title on a plate - then his world title eliminator is against a guy who's lost his last two fights, but still manages to almost knock out the scouser in the first round.

His world title shot was a vacant one - against the Manuel Medina of his day - Villasana ( ie a teak tough Mexican who's already lost many world title fights ) and while he lost first time on cuts, he finaly got it right 2nd time.

And his first defence? Against a guy who'd been knocked cold in his last fight. etc etc..

I couldn't see Harrison or Robinson doing any better against Goyo Vargas than Hoko did.

THEBUTCH wrote:I couldn't see Harrison or Robinson doing any better against Goyo Vargas than Hoko did.

No I wouldn't argue with that, the Mexican looked a million dollars that night.
I think Box News called him the 2nd coming of Salvador Sanchez.
Well, for one fight he was....

[quote="THEBUTCH"]I couldn't see Harrison or Robinson doing any better against Goyo Vargas than Hoko did.[/quote]

That was a great fight while it lasted. Robinson through work rate had a healthy lead on the score cards but Vargas was an accurate puncher and once he hurt Hoko he never let him off the hook.

Vargas has a great fight with a prime kevin Kelly, dropping him but losing a decision.

I think Hoko is one of the most exciting British fighters I've seen, He was super fit to keep up that pressure and work rate.

I'd rank hoko above Harrison and Robinson but below Naz, Mcguigan and Cowdell. Seems Paul Ingle's been overlooked in this... I'd put him above Hoko and just a shade below Naz, Mcguigan and Cowdell... at his best Ingle would have given anyone a hard fight. He gave Naz one of his hardest battles and did a better job on a younger and sharper Medina than Harrison managed!... 8)

silkov wrote:Seems Paul Ingle's been overlooked in this.:

Aaaagh!!!

I knew I had forgotten someone and it's been bugging me since I started this thread.

And Howard Winstone!.... 8) ...belongs at the top of the list I think!...

Only saw Hodkinson fight a couple of times so can't really compare him to the others. Felt very sorry for him in the first Villasana fight, poor bugger's eyes were so swollen he couldn't see a thing by the end of the fight

Yeah, well remembered Silkov. Paul Ingle gave Naz a good run for his money too.

I was always impressed by Paul, a cut above the likes of Harrison imo its a shame things worked out the way they did for him.
Does anyone know how he is doing these days?....

I'd rate a prime Hodkinson above Robinson, Cook and Pat Cowdell.
Against Harrison i'm undecided, either of these could beat the other one . About even between these 2 then.

McGuigan and Naz are to good for him.

Hodkinson got a good build up and was unlucky in his first attempt when losing due to swollen eyes, but he got it right in his second go.
I think after his title loss against Vargas he lost the drive to get himself back to the top, when he stepped into the ring with Robinson something was definetly missing.

90's + UK Featherweights I would rank roughly as

1) Hamed

2) Robinson
3) Ingle

4) McMillan
5) Harrison
6) Hodgkinson

7) Brodie

8) Irwin
9) McKenzie
10) Hardy.

Gaps sort of indicate "on the same level".

Probably some prime canditates I have forgotton.

Have I read somewhere that Hoko's son is making a bit of noise in amateur circles?

Was just looking at Billy Hardys record and saw that one judge scored his euro fight against Vincenzo Belcastro 120-118, now thats what i call sitting on the fence

topper123 wrote:Was just looking at Billy Hardys record and saw that one judge scored his euro fight against Vincenzo Belcastro 120-118, now thats what i call sitting on the fence

!!!
I don't know whether to or to

lamphey wrote:Have I read somewhere that Hoko's son is making a bit of noise in amateur circles?

Thanks for making me feel old mate.

KOJOE90 wrote:

lamphey wrote:Have I read somewhere that Hoko's son is making a bit of noise in amateur circles?

Thanks for making me feel old mate.

I know that feeling, i went to football training last night and now i'm playing with my mates sons, and they call me old man, fornicate me i'm only 33.

Mind you they did also run rings round me and made me look like a donkey.

John Davison wanted to fight Hoko when they were both at the top of their games, now that would have been a good one.

I think the Goyo Vargas Hoko faced would have been too much for any past and present day featherweight.
Kevin Kelley was on top of his game when he beat Vargas and was over used when Naz had a go with him, and he still came very close even then

I remember watching Vargas as he limbered up between rounds, he had total confidence and you could just tell he was going to give Hoko a beating.

The only two feathers that really stand out from the rest of British feathers are Naz and maybe Winstone.
Hoko was easilly on par with McGuigan, Robinson, Ingle and Harrison.

tonyevs wrote:John Davison wanted to fight Hoko when they were both at the top of their games, now that would have been a good one.

I think the Goyo Vargas Hoko faced would have been too much for any past and present day featherweight.
Kevin Kelley was on top of his game when he beat Vargas and was over used when Naz had a go with him, and he still came very close even then

I remember watching Vargas as he limbered up between rounds, he had total confidence and you could just tell he was going to give Hoko a beating.

The only two feathers that really stand out from the rest of British feathers are Naz and maybe Winstone.
Hoko was easilly on par with McGuigan, Robinson, Ingle and Harrison.

I'd put Peerless Jim Driscoll up there with Winstone and Naz.

Maybe

Never having seen any fight film of him and to be honest I didn`t think that far back.