By just about every measure, B-hop was in his RELATIVE prime during the 1st fight. As was Roy. But neither had yet peaked. Both would hit their peak at around the same time (96-2002).
B-Hop doesn't have one single win even close on his resume as Roy has over him.
Did you even watch the fight breh?
Roy took 3-4 rounds off Lebedev and should've been credited with a knockdown at the end of the 10th, which would've probably saved him from that horrific KO.
He would've lost by split descision and been a point away from actually taking the fight.
And you seriously can't believe that Cloud, Shemenov & Murat are better than Lebedev.
Even Pascal is only just barely better than Lebedev.
A blown up out of shape Middleweight fighting top Cruiserweights in his mid-40's is alot more difficult than a natural Light Heavyweight fighting top Light Heavyweights in his late 40's.
We would have to assume B-Hop isn't able to compete with top Cruiserweights which is why he's not up there fighting them,
even though he's naturally bigger than Roy.
He wouldn't be able to do so (or we would have to assume) because he hasn't beaten anybody on Prime Toney's level in his entire 26 year career.
And Toney had issues making weight his entire Middleweight/Super-Middleweight career. This is a natural 190-200 lb'er who his training staff somehow managed to squeeze into a Middleweight/Super-Middleweight frame. Still didn't stop him from putting on some of the best peformances of his career in those weight classes. Including arguably one of his best ever earlier that year against Tim Littles while having some of the same "weight problems".
Are we forgetting that at the time of Roy-Hopkins I, Roy had issues making Middleweight and had moved up to Super-Middleweight, but drained himself back down to 160 to easily outbox Hopkins (with a fractured hand) to capture the Middleweight title?
What "Roids" did Roy use?
You do realize that there's nothing really abnormal about having a 6:1 testosterone ratio for any athlete in just about any sport?
If that fight were he tested "postive" had happened in Neveda, you do realize nothing would've happened?
For all we know, Hopkins, Mayweather, Pac etc. could be registering at the 6:1 testosterone ratio... and if they did, NOTHING would be reported about it because it's not illegal.
Roy still beat him... and clearly. While practically a shot, weight drained, dried up corpse.
Has Hopkins ever dropped 20 lbs & two weight divisions and beat the #1 rated fighter in said division?