[General] Is Stephen Hawking is a GREAT scientist

[Hodge John]

I was asked if Stephen Hawking is a GREAT scientist. I said no.
This was part of a discussion about Philosophy of Science. I am aware he made a prediction about black holes evaporating and that he has made and lost several bets. To my knowledge the evaporating prediction has not been unambiguously verified by observation. Has he made a confirmed prediction not predicted made by other models?
A great scientist must have a unique prediction verified by experiment the also rules out competing models. Newton (in my view) was not a great scientist until the delayed return of Halley's comet.
The group is not composed of practicing scientist.
What do you think and why? (a Philosophy of Science question).Hodge 
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