Bernard Hopkins vs. Glen Johnson, Part 1

[jamok3]

hopkins= baaad man.

[BigOldMrKnish]

damn, some triple og shit.

[tojo148]

DOPE ;HOMIE

[rediculousnicholas]

glen johnson had a 32-0 record, with 22 KO's... that is a perfect record to have because it says you are aggressive enough to get the KO most of the time, but those 10 distance fights tell ur opponent you are versatile enough and experienced enough to beat him even if he is unable to be KO'd by you. B-hop had to respect glen, and had to know he was in there with a very skilled fighter who has been around the block almost as much as he. B-hop stops him, B-hop has the intangibles, he a great one.

[huthut91]

Sad that a fight this good took place in what looks like a busy living room. By the late 90s I think Hopkins was the best fighter of his generation (yes better than Roy).

[PJ3love]

fuck me! Ive seen bigger amatuer venues!!

[NLR884evr]

Love hoe BHOP goes to that body! If they awarded PhD's for boxing then BHOP got his with honors. Thanks for posting! Cheers mate

[BrotherJR76]

Glenn Johnson completely outclassed and out fought in this fight. Hopkins to me, looked better in this fight than he did in his fight with Felix Trinidad which many consider his finest performance.

[mrzoda08]

Hopkins was 31years of age at this time..

[jimpurdie]

this was 13 years ago hopkins was 32 or 33 here.

[BTouch454]

To KLC899, This was ll years ago, nobody fights the same a decade later, atleast smart people don't.

[ovowviovovrvsdfv]

hopkins actually impressed me in the last two fights

[xcalumt91x]

johnson wouldnt even look at hopkins lmao

[KLC899]

too bad hopkins doesnt fight like this anymore

[connymat]

@KLC899 He has become smarter and older, thats why i think.

[HarryTheTalkingDude]

Thanks a lot for uploading this fight.

I reckon Hopkins was in his prime here, he had 6 title fights in 96/97, with 5 KO victories. Great middlweight.

[drepop803]

i love the way hopkins fights when hes a chance taker.

[flyinghotwing]

people who criticize bernard really know litle about boxing, hopkins has had a great career, beatin some of the top names in the sport in the last decade or so

[siphersniper]

To people who say bernard got better with age, I would bet the house this bernard would DESTROY his older self

What Roy was able to do against him should be considered legendary

[flyinghotwing]

u r right tht hop was better a few years back than now, but for a guy in his 40s there hav been few that good in such fine shape...when he fought jones he didnt have much experience, while roy had tons of amateur experience as well, they said roy broke a hand and beat hop one handed most of the fight...i think its a shame they dont fight like right now, id pick olhop in the rematch

[siphersniper]

hop was undefeated 4 10 years after the jones fight, how much "better" did he get?? Here he is kicking glen johnson's ass, N hop got experience from boxing in fukin jail, HOW GREEN DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO LOSE TO JONES?

[flyinghotwing]

take nothing away from jones, who was superior, supposedly breaking a hand in that fight -winning w one hand...all i am saying is that bHop blossomed later, until then he had fought four years of nobodies and really was not the finished boxer jones was, remember jones was/is one of the finest boxers the sport has seen, but once a boxer loses a step in reflex, and given the fact that Hop got better w/ age i just think that in the last five yrs, or now, Hop would win, he has learned to Box/brawl

[siphersniper]

I agree with almost all your opinions except.....

Hopkins is and has always been a technical dynamo-when he was younger he added a vicious offense into that-the roy jones that beat him would TERMINATE his older self the way I see it

I suggest you catch the jones vs lacy fight if you can, Im not so sure hopkins can beat him now, right after Joe I would have agreed with you

Still a fight I would pay 4......

[flyinghotwing]

i caught 3 min on youtube so far all i could find, jones did look fabulously good for his age against lacy,but really i cant even take that seriously as impressive as it was, facing the likes of a guy like lacy, who was pretty good but now is exposed by any good boxer, and hopkins woutd have more size and strength and cunning and offense than lacy for jones, and jones is vulnerable in the chin since his relfexes have lost a step too. we may never know cuz both their egos seem to prevent the fite

[siphersniper]

Jones came closer than ever 2 being his old self in that lacy fight....you can torrent the whole fight

And hell no, hopkins can't be stronger than lacy(the tank) at 45 and can't knock out jones, cant agree with that at all

The only thing hopkins has over lacy is boxing skill and when jones lets his hands go(which he has more n more) he's faster and just as skilled

[flyinghotwing]

thanx-jones looked good, but lacy is no threat to a good boxer, calzaghe murdered him alive too..and while Bhop is not stronger, like if they wrestle, Hop is 3 inches taller, more reach, MUCH stronger than jeff lacy in every way in the ring, save for one left hook, but when you cant land it it dont matter how strong you think you are, the crafty Hop is superior in every way to lacy, no comparison....jones does not have the reflexes he once had otherwise he would not get KOd by JOhnson/Tarver

[siphersniper]

Roy did'nt let his hands go at all with joe, the way he hit sheika and lacy I have to go more with rust than reflexes but his reflexes have diminished no doubt

Hop does'nt throw that much anymore, he tries to stay very awkward and win with a few good shots and clinches

The calzaghe fight was definitly a bad night 4 jones at a very bad time, I would agree that Joe beat him, but Roy barely ever threw and Joe could'nt even get him off his feet, Roy just let joe walk in and throw

[flyinghotwing]

its all a matter of styles and opposition, the lacys and the mediocre fighters of the world pose no challenge for great boxers like jones, but hopkins is a different breed altogether, it would be good to take care of the unfinished revenge which probably wont happen, but pavlik isnt THAT bad either and hopkins made HIM look like an amateur, not bad quickness for a 44 yr old.

[flyinghotwing]

with all due respect the sheikas or lacys could make jones look good no doubt, and jones looked extra good, but hopkins or dawson or johnson are totally different, just as with calzaghe, too good for an old fighter...( and to think that hop is even older wow)

[flyinghotwing]

no doubt hop n jones together again would be great to c!.............but hop might go against a big one like adamek or dawson/johnson winner and then retire.......at 45 next year

[siphersniper]

Jones n Hopkins exchanged words on a radio show

Hopkins offered Roy 40%

Roy said 60 40 to the loser

Hopkins declined 4 now but it might happen just yet

[flyinghotwing]

yes i read about the interview seems like jones is feeling great...good to c, it now looks like hopkins has reservatioins, but its all ego and money, hopefully they can go 6040 , what they should do is go 5050 and forget adamek or dawson cuz hopkins will probably lose those, and even if he loses to Jones, thats what people really want to see! lets hope it gets done before they turn 50!~

[siphersniper]

I was thinking 50/50 too but hopkins has to give back to golden boy so that why I think he pushes for 60

Hopkins vs Jones is what everyone wants to see, if jones is as washed up as hopkins says he can fight dawson or adamek a few months after

[ihatelifejosemartine]

Never knew The Executioner and The Road Warrior fought. Thanks for this.

[Jorsalfar]

Where are Hopkins' eyebrows??lol

[princerudynasim]

above his eye?!!! .....dick

[NapoletanoDaBest]

Agree or not,but,,I really think that Bernard,and even Glenn are better at 40.

Maybe cuz of actual means and experience.

I really think that this 97 Glenn can't fight close with Dawson.And this 97 Bernard can't beat a slick master like Winky.Bernard wasn't a master but a beast at this time.Then mastered his style.

[rizzi2007]

BERNARD HOPKINS IS A WARRIOR!

[Inspector711]

Didn't look like much of a warrior the way he fought taylor and Calzaghe.

[rizzi2007]

okay ill let u answer this. name one fighter who turning 44 is still fighting fights like the way he wooped pavlik and is ranked no.3 in the worlds pound for pound rankings and that was undefeated for over a decade and a future hall of famer! exactly...Go learn your history about boxing dude!

[Inspector711]

you're the one who called him a warrior not me so I guess you are the one who should learn about boxing. The manner in which hopkins fought those fights was not warrior like it was more cowardly.

[rizzi2007]

yea am im not going against the term i used 'warrior'. i think you should read my reply again dude! derrrr

[Jaryyyn]

he IS a warrior...

[flyinghotwing]

if uR a baseball player and you get four hits out of ten and totally suck and strike out the others, does that make you sorry? no it makes you a fantastic hitter..thats perspective, if a man has fought for many years and doesnt look as good near 40 as he did earlier you dont say he was a coward you say dam that old dude is still pretty tough, unless youre a complete idiot or a hater or both

[abraxis20]

Thanks for posting this as its good to see Hopkins when he was young and aggressive. He is still a very good fighter but is usually very negative these days.

A return fight between these too would be good and I think a lot closer. Johnson is bigger and stronger at light heavy and can still keep up a good workrate. I would still bet on Hopkins though!

[0121zero]

Hopkins was old then too lol... the guy is a LEGEND

[Jorsalfar]

I like Johnson, he's got the right attitude. He never brags and will fight anybody. A hardened warrior.

[pungadoo]

wow did Johnson take that right hand flush

[TheThirdEyeCeesU]

Yeah, Johnson has a granite chin. Hit him on it w/ a sledge hammer and he'll still keep coming forward.

[cones2005]

no, he got kod

[pungadoo]

I was being sarcastic smart guy

[cones2005]

u wernt actually i was :P

[Jorsalfar]

I'd like to see Hopkins take on Felix Sturm, the Bosnian German warrior. It would be a close match I believe. Sturm is just as strong and skilled as Hopkins, but much younger. He beat De la Hoya but was denied the victory because Oscar was to fight Hopkins next.

[Jorsalfar]

You know Iam talking the truth pussies! He beat your prettyboy Oscar and the fucking judges denied him the victory! He would kick Hopkins' butt!

[Jorsalfar]

Nah, Tarver won't fight Joe, he's too scared and knows he hasn't a ghost of chance to win. It will be Dawson most likely and then Joe will retire.

[podge888]

jones clearly won their fight but ive always wondered who wud win if they had fought around 2000 wen they were both in their physical peaks now jones is shot and hopkins is just as good as ever jones always had more talent but hopkins has overcome so many odds in the ring and is so ring smart the fight wit jones improved hopkins a lot. hope bhop has a rematch wit calzaghe and goes after him cause joe cant fight on the back foot or punch

[Nuriseferi]

next fight Elvir Muriqi vs Glen Johnson

go elvir go

elvir fOr world Champion elvir we love you!!

[KTF0]

wow both fighters don't have wrinkles in their faces. It seems weird to see them this young!

[adgz]

what the F*ck this was in my hometown of Indio,CA damn i wish I knew bout this but I was also only 13 at the time Wow

[flyinghotwing]

they still showed fights on cbs in 97!, boy i miss good fights for free on free tv......greedy bastards

[bomptonpfunk]

The good old days when championships fights were shown on regular tv.....

[voltronmax45]

In 1997, the Roy that beat James Tony would've gotten Glen out of there in 4 rounds or less.

[SmelOdies]

I agree.

[huthut91]

@SmelOdies I disagree, it's a difficult fight at any point for Roy. Glenn didn't just catch Roy and spark him out like Tarver did he systematically beat him down.

[paschan]

I think the Roy that beat Trinidad (no matter what they say but he made it easier than the B-Hop who beat trinidad) would knock Johnson out today.

[flyinghotwing]

if u guys use that kinda logic then julio cesar chavez would have ended his career undefeated in some 120 fights, but the truth is that if you hang on too long your reflexes arent the same and you might get beat..so its good to see chavez get his ass kicked as well as jones, and old man hop might get his if he goes on five more years, which at this point seems possible, amazing!

[flyinghotwing]

sorry you dont know that. perhaps a UD but gettin johnson out of there is difficult and jones never did have one punch KO power, although close at times...jones was a cherrypicker like floyd mayweather while i must admit that both of those fighters have to go down as two of the all time greats talentwise, but in terms of having balls they dont even come close to the "ALL TIME" list, cuz in the old times they used to fight for real, like robinson, who, f-example had 170 victories!

[voltronmax45]

At 160 and 168, Jones had one-punch KO power. But you're right, Johnson has a very good chin and he might've been able to go twelve with Jones.

[WohNelly]

Jones still fought better primed fighters than mayweather...he fought a prime Hopkins, Toney, Reggie Johnson, Woods, Hill, and Tarver

[nevawrong]

@voltronmax45

i agree, because real boxing fans knows that ROY wasnt the same fighter when he fought JOHNSON.

once ROY loss all that weight after he beat RUIZ, he never was the same boxer again, his whole body changed, & he lost the ability to take a punch.

he wouldve beat JOHNSON easily in 1997 tho

[bertmarx]

@voltronmax45 then why was roy ducking him tarver and hopkins... oh all three beat him

[sfourne2]

Hopkins was better fast than glen , he pressed him during the first 10 rounds and finished him in the round 11 , I think that in 1997 hopkins was able to beat roy jones...

[MR1ICE]

Bernard Hopkins never..beats Roy Jones ever..!

Thinking is one thing, doing is another.

Roy Jones is the better fighter.

[flyinghotwing]

perhaps its hard to argue that anyone is Better than jones, ever in fact, but the truth of the matter is that both jones and hopkins are fabulous and if you compare the opposition and the overall career, i would take hopkins as the greater executioner of the two, although talent wise jones was superb, but getttin Ko'd is getting Ko'd while bernard is 43 and whipping young studs still!!!...and that aint thinking, its DOING.

[paschan]

I think you're the only human beaing who thinks so...

[KIMBOSLICE66666]

I think your the only Johnson nut hugger today

[paschan]

I'm sorry, the comment wasn't for MR1ICE, it was for sfourne. Roy Jones jr. is the best fighter ever in my opinion...

[KIMBOSLICE66666]

you smoking crack in 97 b hop was fighting on usa

[disyaboij123]

but yall forgettin that roy had a broken hand in the hopkins fight. and that it wa is 1st championship fght an that he was real nervous. you can se that the roy beforethe hopkins fight an the roy in the hopkins fight were way different. if roy was like 2 years into his prime as well as hopkins i still say roy wins by ko. he had a spand of 4 years without going 12 rounds cause he would ko the shit out of everybody he faced

[tenderloin360]

jesus christ hopkins is too fuckin good here though. joe won but damit if he fought prime hopkins no way he would have won.

[kingfaze19]

how many times does roy have to get knocked out 4 people 2 realize hes a hasbeen.he fought trinidad, big deal, it was like fightin hes nephew. damn wat if hopkins was 31 right now

[nore24]

roy jones wud never beat hopkins now....NEVER

[nomadicsx]

get real! jones is faster and in his prime a far better fighter than hopkins ... and thats why he BEAT him! ha!

[SmelOdies]

Even as a Hopkins fan, I have to agree with you. I guess there's different definitions of what is "better." Bernard is historically a more intelligent fighter than Roy. He's more disciplined and a better disciple of the science. But he was never as talented as prime Roy in terms of speed and power, pretty combinations. They have a comparable record, however. If Bernard beats Joe, he probably moves ahead.

[ironman36]

you know, people often forget that Boxing is almost like a game of rock, paper, scissors.

[tatertots00]

@SmelOdies  do you have the first Roy Jones Montell griffin fight?

[SmelOdies]

@tatertots00 No. Unlikely to be posting fights anymore for various reasons, but you never know what the future holds.

[intoccabile]

Styles make fights....ALL active fighters beat bhop, he doesnt throw enough punches.

Hopkins beats more styles than roy does though.

[stackbundles11]

You better re-up and check ur stats.. Roy whooped Hopkins that's why hopkins was tryna fight him so bad. Roy was gun shy after the whole lucky tarver incident... If hopkins beats calzaghe then jones is gonna whoop hopkins.. Hopkins can't say he don't want a 50/50 payday either... There's no reason we shouldn't see 2 of the greatest fighters fight again within the next 2 years. Jones by decision again.

[SmelOdies]

Possibly, but strangely enough, I would give Hopkins a puncher's chance against Roy. Remember, the old man had Taylor going in the first fight and knocked Tarver down. Roy is still chinny. I grant you, it could be a close fight, not that dissimiler from the first fight, but anything can happen.

[dano1b]

roy jones dint own hopkins my friend lol

[Mowglieboy69]

I'll break it to you like this, if Johnson was past his prime and got owned by Hopkins in his prime, then how did Roy own Hopkins near his prime? How was he not shot to lose to someone like Glenn Johnson? Seriously,just watch them fight, it's clear as day.

[wubranch]

it was just a decision win, but hopkins was not owned. He jsut had trouble with the speed, and he was never hurt in the fight either.

[SmelOdies]

It was a pretty clear win in a boring fight. They couldn't hit each other basically and had far more trouble trying to hurt each other. I would say Hopkins won 4 rounds to Roy's 8.

[tw69hands]

Jahova126, Roy Jones, Jr. was not 'shot' when he fought Glen Johnson. Both boxers are the same age. Johnson took more shots than Jones and lost more fights, so...Jones just got beat, fairly and squarely.

[Mowglieboy69]

No, the fact that Johnson was as old as Jones doesn't mean Jones wasn't shot, how the hell do you come to that conclusion? How does what Johnson does effect Roy Jones? Johnson was a much better fighter at that stage of his career than he had ever been. Similar to how Randy Couture is now in MMA. Jones went the other way, and slowed down a lot and lost most of his ability by that age.

[Jahova126]

But you gotta remember too Roy Jones was shot when he fought johnson...

[Mowglieboy69]

This was a prime Hopkins. The Johnson that faced Hopkins was nowhere near the same style or on the same level as the one who faced Jones. Not to mention Jones was shot by the time Johnson faced him.

If you're going to dispute me saying Johnson was better in the Jones fight by saying Johnson was in his prime here, simply watch him fight at the two times. He is nowhere near world class in this fight, or near the level he was years later, regardless of age.

[cizer77]

This is damn good to see Hopkins in his prime.

[voltronmax45]

How the hell did you get this? Thanks for the upload, I've always wanted to see this fight. This Hopkins would have stopped Taylor quicker than Pavlik did. I also agree that the 160 version of Roy that beat Hopkins would have wiped the mat with Johnson.

[pungadoo]

look who big johnsons back was

[86pimp3]

Hopkins had underrated power at middleweight.

[Orangewind]

It became underrated as he aged, but he was given his nickname for a reason...he beat them down and out. He wasn't a devastating puncher, but he had a good punch in his prime.

[SmelOdies]

Agreed. He was always more boxer than puncher, although you might say he was more pressure fighter than puncher as well, but he had power to keep you honest and hurt you as well.

[GAMEatglovesup]

By the way i don't see the point in adding the blue credits at the beginning of the fight and taking a shot at Roy Jones. Jones was past his best when he fought Johnson. Hopkins could have rematched Roy for 40% but declined (he took 30% against tito and 25% against oscar).

P.S. You can see Johnson changed his style around into a more aggressive pressure fighter later in his career he is trying to box much more in his earlier days.

[SmelOdies]

Well, you know, I'm just having fun. I wouldn't read too much into it. If I were striving for true journalism or sportswriting, I'd have to be paid.

[calderownz]

In taking the smaller percentage, he stil made MUCH more money. So, he knew what he was worth, and what he was doing. As far as taing adig.. he merely stated the truth.

[GAMEatglovesup]

I have this fight on DVD. Good fight a very good display by Hopkins. His work rate, combinations, precision punching, speed, defense, angles was awesome. This is one of hopkins better performances.

[SmelOdies]

It's hard to get the naysayers to acknowledge it, but precision punching is one of the few tools Hopkins carried into his later career with aplomb. Even in the Winky fight. For old fighters to famously say, "I saw the openings, couldn't take them, know where to punch, couldn't pull the trigger," that's impressive.

[Mowglieboy69]

Jones would've owned Johnson too in his prime.

[mrtvman]

cool