Canelo v. Hagler's Top Middleweight Opponents?

There are also some big middleweight fights that should create some match -ups, In fairness to 3G he deserves a rematch. By Then Saunders & Jacobs have fights that should clear the smoke of the division and be ready to fight the winner (hope next one is a clear win for the better man.

 

Andrade is failry likely to beat Saunders. Jacobs also has a tough match against D-Checnko.

Jermall is next in line with the WBC and Murata is next in line with the WBA.

 

I like Saunders over Andrade but could be close. Jacobs is very good and should be a tough fight for Canelo but D-Chenko could be a test. Jermall still has to fight someone in the A- class level

 

Martinez, at 160, has a relatively narrow window. He actually began winning Middleweight straps at the age of 35. He earned kudos, as much for the stage he was at in his career (and having moved up through 147 and 154), as he did for the wins at 160 themselves. In retrospect, how much would Golovkin have gained form bursting that bubble? (I'm not saying he'd gain nothing but it would be questionable).

Cotto, in my opinion, was never a Middleweight. He beat a Martinez, who was a 39 year old shell by then; his late career 'resurgence' had been in the the balance, over the course of the previous two years. Moreover, Cotto forcing a catchweight was ridiculous and Geale being forced to come in at 157 even more so. Nice name - no substance at 160.

Sturm, at his best, was a good world level middleweight and, any time before the end of 2010 (earlier rather than eleventh-hour), he would have been a good scalp for Golovkin. He went on the slide, soon after that, from what I could see. Him and Pirog, who was unfortunately injured beyond being able to continue his career, are the only guys out of those you mention, who I think make a notably positive impact on Golovkin's ledger.

 

It’s too bad about Pirog, especially considering that the fight was signed.

GGG’s options for most of his reign were pretty bad outside of Jacobs. He could’ve put Korobov in there somewhere. Or ventured up to 168 for one fight with Abraham or whomever and dropped back down.

The one guy who was willing and didn’t get his shot with GGG was/is Lara. I give Canelo credit for fighting him because it was potentially career-suicide coming off the Mayweather loss.

 

...
Martinez at 35-36 is a clearly better than most of GGG:s challengers and most of Hagler's.

 

I can agree with that bit...

 

I liked Pirog, he was a bit of a character. I think it would have been a terrific scrap between him and Golovkin.

Indeed - there was not a lot out there. Even Jacobs hit his own wall of serious illness, as Martinez had just moved into his Indian Summer. Williams, of course was seriously injured, not long after that. To say it was a desperate period, beset with personal tragedies and challenges, would be an understatement.

Golovkin moving up a division might well have been an interim solution, if he could have found his way back to 160, at a later stage. All-in-all, however, it seems to have been a case of bad timing for him.

Lara would have been interesting. Some say he got the better of Canelo.

 

He does pretty well. In fact he probably goes 4-0

 

Canelo is a slow rolled poker hand. Everyone thought he was average years back, but it turns out he's great.

 

I think that Vito Antuofermo, Tommy Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, and John The Beast Mugabi defeat Canelo Alvarez, in their primes, Vito would wear him down, Hearns, Mugabi hit too hard, and Leonard is much too swift for Alvarez, unless you find less than honest judges.

 

I agree...but I want to pick Minter...I am trying to....oh well

 

I think Alan Minter would outbox Canelo, and win easily, good hard right jab, and overall toughness.

 

I am a big Minter appreciator....so while I disagree I do appreciate you picking him!