LaMotta was a tough SOB but Hagler was as well and neither man is getting knocked out. Hagler by points in a fight to remember!
I've always been with Hagler on this one, but the more you dig into what LaMotta was doing in the 40s the more you wonder. I'm not so sure anymore.
Haglers jab and smart movement would be the difference IMO. He wouldn't let LaMotta bully him into the ropes.
Lamotta beat Sugar ray Robinson, the p4p supposedly greatest fighter that ever boxed professionally so it's a 50-50 toss up.. Both were similar in size, and tenacity, both had heads of concrete, both were hard men who were tougher than nails, and both fought in strong eras.. 1 THING FOR SURE NOBODY'S GETTING KO'D.. If these guy's fought 6 times they would be 3 -3.. to tough to call....
The Hagler who fought Sibson beats any version of Jake every time for me. Jake is tough enough to make it a rough fight. But Marvin is more talented and has more tools to rely on. He hits harder, is a superior boxer, is quicker, has faster hands and feet, moves better and can switch from southpaw to orthodox all day. LaMotta doesn't have the power to slow him down or take him out of his game. Plus Marvin is strong enough not to be bullied like Robinson was (at times) by LaMotta. Hagler by UD.
I actually had a great conversation about this with my good friend,Goody Petronelli about 6 years ago. He helped me train my son so, I was so fortunate to have many long talks with him about many different fighters. Goody was fiercely loyal to his Italian heritage,always sighting Rocky Marciano as the best heavy ever. With a wink he`d say, hey he never lost and he was Italian as well` ! He knew LaMotta ,personally and he liked him as well. When I asked him who would win a fight between Hagler and LaMotta,I referenced LaMotta`s iron chin and legendary toughness. Goody didn`t blink... He said `Marvin had too many tools for Jake,he could box,bang and he could switch from orthodox to southpaw,and that would give Jake trouble getting to him`. Then he said`,plus Marvin takes a helluva shot and he can crack as well.`. he said Marvin stops him on cuts after outboxing him...That`s the way I would see the fight going down as well...
Hagler easily, Lamotta was a phoney picking on small men, fluking a championship off a foul and generally getting outboxed by the better ones.