This will be Hopkins night. I really cant find any reason besides age that says Taylor will win this fight. I have never seen a fighter as hungry as Hopkins. Bernard doesnt like Lou Dibella, and he has said that he wants to pound the kid and ruin Lou's meal ticket.
Hopkins will start off a bit slow im guessing and figure out what he wants to do. Taylor is a fine fighter, but he hasnt beaten anyone ata ll thats even remotely shows that he can handle a fighter like Hopkins. Bernard knows all the tricks, and he will use a bunch of them here im guessing. Once Bernard gets inside he will take over the fight.
Hopkins UD 12
Hopkins will start off a bit slow im guessing and figure out what he wants to do. Taylor is a fine fighter, but he hasnt beaten anyone ata ll thats even remotely shows that he can handle a fighter like Hopkins. Bernard knows all the tricks, and he will use a bunch of them here im guessing. Once Bernard gets inside he will take over the fight.
Hopkins UD 12
Funk, good for you buddy. Once again, people are writing Hopkins off. I find it very interesting people can take a young guy who has never been in with a solid B fighter, and then steps up to the best in the business. Hopkins is so mentally tough, that it makes it that much harder to beat him. Also the number is dropping
this could be b-hop`s toughest fight since roy jones.....seriously...
dlh wasn`t a middleweight...and he was slick enough to give hopkins trouble early..because hopkins had to come to dlh...he`s basically a counter puncher...at this point in his career...he used to be able to out slick and out strength guys earlier in his career...i think hopkins roughed dlh up and took his heart...
tito wasn`t really a master boxer...came to bernard...and that`s suicide..
b-hop likes guys that come right to him...so he can use all those old school tricks that make him so tough...
but,taylor is another slick boxer...young...excellent jab...actually,better jab than hopkins...if he fights smart...
hopkins will hope that taylor is over-aggressive(that will play right into hopkins` hands),or,he`ll have to close ground,throw combos and clinch...rough up taylor...that will be much tougher...because of taylor`s jab...and speed advantage....
he is faster than hopkins...no doubt...i thought dlh was faster than hopkins...even at middleweight...until the stoppage,hopkins had problems with dlh...
it`s hard to go against hopkins...he knows how to steal rounds...and i`m not sure about taylor`s mental....this might be a tad early to be taking this enormous step...
unfortunately,i don`t think it will be the great fight that some think it will be...
if taylor`s smart...and stays outside,he can make this a very difficult night for hopkins....jabbing...throwing occasional combos...speed... speed.. speed.....if he has the mental toughness to stick to it for 12 hard rounds...
hopkins will hope that taylor comes to him...he will try and throw punches and smother/clinch taylor after his combos...rough him up...make him lose his composure...take him into deep water....hopkins isn`t a fast starter..
very difficult to cap because of taylor`s mental....i honestly think he has the ability to beat hopkins at 40...
not sure if he`s ready to be mentally tough for 12 rounds...
taylor has physical edges here...speed and the jab being the most obvious...
but,we saw "the great' buddy mcgirt have just the worst possible gameplan for gatti vs floyd mayweather..
pat burns is pretty smart...but,if he thinks that taylor is just to young and strong for hopkins and can stemroll him,he may get knocked out...
you just don`t know what the gameplans are...i mean,you pretty much know that hopkins can adapt to almost anything..except speed,imo....but,he`s 40...fighting the most physically gifted guy he`s fought since roy jones....
taylor has a shot...if his head`s right....but you can go broke waiting for hopkins to grow old...
can taylor be disciplined and build a lead early with the jab?...keep distance?...stay mentally tough through 12?...he`s going to get roughred up....hopkins will be dirty...
if there`s one guy with the skill...the raw material to beat hopkins...it`s taylor...this could be so much more difficult for hopkins than anything he`s seen in years...
i`ll take taylor to be ahead after 6...and hopkins to come on down the stretch...
anyplace you can bet the fight by halves?...
why throw money at it...i can`t...
balls to the wall,hopkins figures a way to get it done...but,he`s in tough here...as tough as he`s been in since roy jones...unless taylor gets intimidated...or loses focus...
dlh wasn`t a middleweight...and he was slick enough to give hopkins trouble early..because hopkins had to come to dlh...he`s basically a counter puncher...at this point in his career...he used to be able to out slick and out strength guys earlier in his career...i think hopkins roughed dlh up and took his heart...
tito wasn`t really a master boxer...came to bernard...and that`s suicide..
b-hop likes guys that come right to him...so he can use all those old school tricks that make him so tough...
but,taylor is another slick boxer...young...excellent jab...actually,better jab than hopkins...if he fights smart...
hopkins will hope that taylor is over-aggressive(that will play right into hopkins` hands),or,he`ll have to close ground,throw combos and clinch...rough up taylor...that will be much tougher...because of taylor`s jab...and speed advantage....
he is faster than hopkins...no doubt...i thought dlh was faster than hopkins...even at middleweight...until the stoppage,hopkins had problems with dlh...
it`s hard to go against hopkins...he knows how to steal rounds...and i`m not sure about taylor`s mental....this might be a tad early to be taking this enormous step...
unfortunately,i don`t think it will be the great fight that some think it will be...
if taylor`s smart...and stays outside,he can make this a very difficult night for hopkins....jabbing...throwing occasional combos...speed... speed.. speed.....if he has the mental toughness to stick to it for 12 hard rounds...
hopkins will hope that taylor comes to him...he will try and throw punches and smother/clinch taylor after his combos...rough him up...make him lose his composure...take him into deep water....hopkins isn`t a fast starter..
very difficult to cap because of taylor`s mental....i honestly think he has the ability to beat hopkins at 40...
not sure if he`s ready to be mentally tough for 12 rounds...
taylor has physical edges here...speed and the jab being the most obvious...
but,we saw "the great' buddy mcgirt have just the worst possible gameplan for gatti vs floyd mayweather..
pat burns is pretty smart...but,if he thinks that taylor is just to young and strong for hopkins and can stemroll him,he may get knocked out...
you just don`t know what the gameplans are...i mean,you pretty much know that hopkins can adapt to almost anything..except speed,imo....but,he`s 40...fighting the most physically gifted guy he`s fought since roy jones....
taylor has a shot...if his head`s right....but you can go broke waiting for hopkins to grow old...
can taylor be disciplined and build a lead early with the jab?...keep distance?...stay mentally tough through 12?...he`s going to get roughred up....hopkins will be dirty...
if there`s one guy with the skill...the raw material to beat hopkins...it`s taylor...this could be so much more difficult for hopkins than anything he`s seen in years...
i`ll take taylor to be ahead after 6...and hopkins to come on down the stretch...
anyplace you can bet the fight by halves?...
why throw money at it...i can`t...
balls to the wall,hopkins figures a way to get it done...but,he`s in tough here...as tough as he`s been in since roy jones...unless taylor gets intimidated...or loses focus...
If you like Hopkins you must love the less than 2-1 lay. I remember years ago when I was covering the Hagler Mugabi fight I was sitting in the sports book and started talking to some sharps who were waiting for one fight to retire on. They figured after the Mugabi fight Hagler would fight Donald Curry (at the time considered a top pound for pound) and Hagler would come 250 or less. It looks like they had that one figured as even the Hagler that lost to Leonard would have crushed Curry. For you guys that believe in Hopkins this might be your Hagler Curry fight.
Hopkins has seen so much young talent. If I was you, I would not doubt Hopkins speed. This man is good. He does not need to throw a lot of punches anymore. Giving him the ability to conserve energy. Taylor is going to be throwing a lot of punches. My bet is he will throw to many. By 4th round he will be getting tired from all of the block/missed punches. Around the 6th to 8th round Taylor will leave himself open. Hopkins, who has seen it all, will take advantage of this. Putting Taylor to the Mat.
Just listening to Hopkins about his life alone will sway me to put my money on him. The guy is great. What is it now, 20 something title defense's in a row. Come on, and you think he will lose to a guy who has not one legitment fight. To step up to one of the greats (in his 40's or not) will put a loss in the books. IMO he is not ready/good enough to be in the same ring as Hopkins.
Just listening to Hopkins about his life alone will sway me to put my money on him. The guy is great. What is it now, 20 something title defense's in a row. Come on, and you think he will lose to a guy who has not one legitment fight. To step up to one of the greats (in his 40's or not) will put a loss in the books. IMO he is not ready/good enough to be in the same ring as Hopkins.
believe me...he`s good enough to be in the same ring with hopkins.....
if he isn`t,no other middleweight in the world is good enough...
he`s the biggest threat to hopkins since roy jones,imo....given talent level speed,youth,amateur background,etc...
does that mean he can win?...i think he could...
will he win?....?????
my guess is that hopkins will figure a way to get it done...but,i`m not feeling sure enough to step out on it...
taylor`s mental is a huge?....i`ve heard that prior to this bout...months ago...he felt he wasn`t ready....maybe money changed his mind...
if that`s the case,it`s bad news for taylor...
but,talent-wise,hopkins hasn`t seen anything better since roy jones,imo....and taylor has roy jones type talent...by that i mean speed..an excellent jab...a good right hand...a notch or two below roy jones in his prime type talent....but,very similar...
if taylor fights within himself...smartly...and can do it for 12...which will be extremely difficult,he can make it tough for bernard,imo...
as is said,though,it`s hard to go against hopkins...he will use every trick in the book...he`ll clinch...hit in the clinch...hit on the break....throw sneaky shots at weird times..use his shoulders and head......roughhouse...disconcert taylor..
it will be very difficult for taylor to stay focused for 12 rounds..
if he isn`t,no other middleweight in the world is good enough...
he`s the biggest threat to hopkins since roy jones,imo....given talent level speed,youth,amateur background,etc...
does that mean he can win?...i think he could...
will he win?....?????
my guess is that hopkins will figure a way to get it done...but,i`m not feeling sure enough to step out on it...
taylor`s mental is a huge?....i`ve heard that prior to this bout...months ago...he felt he wasn`t ready....maybe money changed his mind...
if that`s the case,it`s bad news for taylor...
but,talent-wise,hopkins hasn`t seen anything better since roy jones,imo....and taylor has roy jones type talent...by that i mean speed..an excellent jab...a good right hand...a notch or two below roy jones in his prime type talent....but,very similar...
if taylor fights within himself...smartly...and can do it for 12...which will be extremely difficult,he can make it tough for bernard,imo...
as is said,though,it`s hard to go against hopkins...he will use every trick in the book...he`ll clinch...hit in the clinch...hit on the break....throw sneaky shots at weird times..use his shoulders and head......roughhouse...disconcert taylor..
it will be very difficult for taylor to stay focused for 12 rounds..
POLYSCIMAJOR said:
Yes he will be the best after Hopkins retires. And boxing is not in shambles. Personally this is as good as it has been in a long time. Screw the HW division. Everything from LightHW down is good to great.
As far as this fight, I am def on Hopkins. Only thing I wasnt certain on is how much to wager, when I brought up his age. But after watching Taylor against Marquez after a few people pointed a few things out, I saw that Taylor really has no inside game. Very good with the jab and straight right from the outside, but we know Hopkins wins his fights in the trenches. I just cant see Hopkins getting shut out with a jab like Winky did to Felix. Bernard has way to diverse of an attack, and he can change styles when needed.
I like Hopkins by a late stoppage or UD. Taylor will have his moments, but Hopkins will take control. Hopkins was on a radio interview in boston today, and he said he would teach him a lesson and take him out. I havent heard him this motivated since Trinidad. Maybe this is a sign of things to come, who knows
