Calzaghe isnt knocking out Hagler and hes not outworking him either. Sure he can throw slap after slap, but Hagler wasnt your typical brawler either he was more of a boxer/brawler he would make Calzaghe pay on the inside. Joe is no Sugar Ray. Hagler drops Joe at least once and in trench warfare-like fight, Hagler leaves Joe a bloody mess and wins by UD. Leonards win over Hagler was questionable.
People should stop using Hopkins as a counterargument to Calzaghe. Calzaghe climbed in weigh for that match. Hopkins is bigger than Calzaghe and he already settled into 175 with several fights under his belt when that fight happened. Hopkins on fight night is a WAY WAY WAY bigger fighter than Hagler ever would be on the ring at fight night. Dimensions-wise, Hopkins is not only heavier, he's also a bigger guy. And people still keep using the age as an excuse, the man is still a world beater at 45 years later after he lost to Calzaghe. Hagler would be a small guy in the ring vs Calzaghe. Calzaghe is WW fast, Calzaghe is skilled, Calzaghe would outmuscle Hagler by several pounds worth. You guys keep complaining about how Wlad leans and wrestles his opponents to exhaustion, and this doesn't factor in how this fight would go in an inside game? Calzaghe is a dirty fighter too, making his inside game just as good as it gets. Joe has never needed to "hurt" his opponents. This is another mistake when analyzing. None of his opponents in his twilight years ever praised his power. But he still managed to push them around because while those shots don't hurt in single shots, he throws combinations at you and forcing you to shell up. Using words like decimate or destroy doesn't even make sense. Because if those words mean something to you in this matchup, then weight classes mean nothing to you and Sergio Martinez should just fight a freaking 175 pounder like Dawson or Hopkins. Because that's the equivalent thing that you're telling Hagler do with Calzaghe. I would agree with people saying that Calzaghe has a skill deficit compared to Hagler, but this deficit isn't as wide as for example Pacquiao vs Margarito. He's not even that far behind since his skills work well with his high volume fighting style. Boxers like SRL PRAISE Calzaghe for his skills. I wonder why the heck posters can't do the same or are in denial at his skill level, thinking he's like freaking Margarito out there.
Calzaghe is too slick to be KO'd by Hagler. His name could scare anyone at 160 but Calzaghe has skills and speed to beat Hagler by decision.
Hagler was an infinitely superior technician to Joe C. He'd box the chops off Zaggers before getting a stoppage via brutal accumulation of punishment somewhere around rounds 7 to 10. This would not be a close fight, at all. Two different levels of fighter entirely.
Why does Hagler get the status of an invincible god? He was great and I am a big fan, but he wasn't perfect. Duran gave him some trouble, Calzaghe would handle Duran more convincingly. It would be a great match, but how can people say Hagler stops him in a few rounds? Calzaghe has a great chin and even greater powers of recuperation. Whenever he got hit hard, he would come back immediately with pure aggression. Sure, he wouldn't hurt Hagler, but Leonard backed him up with his flurries, Calzaghes non - stop punching might very well confuse Hagler.
It's not even close. Calzaghe would be way too big way too speedy with a massive reach advantage. Legend herns gets tko by sir Joe before 8.
Calzaghe's extraordinary qualities are in his athleticism. Hagler was a great athlete but also had technique, an area in which Calzaghe was not nearly as strong as Hagler. Calz's chin is very punchable, dentable. His hands are very fragile. Hagler would possibly get sliced up and cut stopped against Calz, that is a very plausible way Calzaghe wins this--but I doubt it, I really don't see Calzaghe beating Hagler. Calzaghe would probably be floored multiple times. Hagler's combinations would land easily on the defensively inadequate Calzaghe. Calz doesn't have the power to knock Hagler out, he doesn't have the sting or the tact or the defensive prowess to outwork/out-think Hagler. I think regardless of size, the gulf in class and the fact that Hagler had good punching power combined with Calzaghe's poor defense would lead to a KO for Hagler
Leonard actually had steam on his punches, so I'm assuming Hagler wouldn't be as troubled by Joe as he was Leonard.
Great explanation. Hagler was always on balance and able to throw solid shots with either hand. Zags threw arm punches. That factor alone would negate most of the strength advantage he might have.
How about this scenario: Hagler just decides he's going to "Tommy Hearns" Calzaghe. No boxing, just an all-out assault. Oh, just to refresh your memory, here's what I'm talking about: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHqEUX2Vw6k[/ame] Raise your hand and say "aye" if you think Calzaghe survives that.
My knee jerk reaction would be Hagler by stoppage just down to sheer number of punches thrown, only a handful needing to connect as well. However we've seen Calzaghe adapt so well in tough fights before, often to completey disarm an opponent. This is a fight I'd love to see. If Hagler came out like he did again Hernes it would be an all time great fight. EDIT: Actually, I think I have to change my choice back to Hagler. Hernes was known for the KO power in his right hand but Hagler just brushed it off. People often forget about that (especially me!). Hagler by KO.