Toney: "Hopkins is not a HOFer"
His views on Bernard Hopkins and why a fight between him and Hopkins never went done:
“The reason why the fight never happened is because he backed out. You know Bernard, he’s a good fighter. He’s not a great fighter. He’s not a Hall of Fame fighter. You know what I’m saying? A fighter like him, he’ll run. These old school fighters never run in with their heads down and hit and hold. That’s all Bernard does. He was supposed to fight me in ’04 and he decided to fight De La Hoya because I would have beaten him. Even if he had fought me at cruiserweight, he would have went from the ring straight to the morgue.”
“The reason why the fight never happened is because he backed out. You know Bernard, he’s a good fighter. He’s not a great fighter. He’s not a Hall of Fame fighter. You know what I’m saying? A fighter like him, he’ll run. These old school fighters never run in with their heads down and hit and hold. That’s all Bernard does. He was supposed to fight me in ’04 and he decided to fight De La Hoya because I would have beaten him. Even if he had fought me at cruiserweight, he would have went from the ring straight to the morgue.”
Regarding clarification on whether he really believes Bernard Hopkins is not a future Hall of Famer:
“No, I don’t think he’s a Hall of Famer but he is going to be in the Hall of Fame. He’s not a great fighter. The way he fights, he fights scared. If you ever watched an old school fighter in the 60s and 70s, did you ever see one running in with his head down and hitting and holding besides a bum? Come on man! I’m a fight historian. I watch fights. I see how old school fighters fight and Bernard Hopkins does not fight old school. He fights old scared.”
“No, I don’t think he’s a Hall of Famer but he is going to be in the Hall of Fame. He’s not a great fighter. The way he fights, he fights scared. If you ever watched an old school fighter in the 60s and 70s, did you ever see one running in with his head down and hitting and holding besides a bum? Come on man! I’m a fight historian. I watch fights. I see how old school fighters fight and Bernard Hopkins does not fight old school. He fights old scared.”
It would of been an interesting fight, shame it didn't happen
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