Pretty sure can count on one hand, but if Hagler challenged any Middleweight Champion thru out history, how many stop him from winning. Oh, prime Marvin to
I'm going to turn this into a "best of answer. There are always a reasonable amount of guys who could find a way to beat someone once so I will make this a best of nine thing. I believe Monzon, Jones Jr. and Greb would have won more than they lost. The only other two with a chance are Ray Robinson and Holman Williams. I don't know enough about Williams to make an informed opinion. Robinson, while excellent at middleweight, was prime at welterweight. At 160 Ray had as many bad days as good ones against the top fighters and those guys weren't Hagler. I say Hagler beats Sugar more than he loses.
You have sort of closed this down, other than the fighters you quoted, not many ( if any ) MW would have stood a chance of topping Hagler. Maybes- Ketchell, Steele, Walker, if it's the Hagler of the Duran or Leonard fights. stay safe buddy.
Napoles. Emile Griffith on a good night, maybe. Monzon undeniably. Mr Ray Robinson. Jones Junior, Mike McCallum. Sumbu?
Thanks Mike. I am never sure what to make of Freddie Steele. He had a great record and beat some really good fighters but I just don't get the sense of top of the line greatness.
Know of what you speak, he is hard to slot, but thinking he was a excellent fighter in his day, and warrants a mention. FYI my No 1 is ........... Greb, then Hagler ( would be too quick and slick for a slow paced Monzon ) then Monzon himself, after them its , pick em. stay safe hombre.
imo ... MW is a tough one all around .. so many could beat each other on their best night ... from SRR to Greb to Monzon to Fitz to Walker to Roy Jones to Mile Gibbons to Burley , etc ... man I can go on and on .... in reality ,,, these guys are all 50 -50 fights
Vito Antuofermo did it. So you have to include him. If Vito could fight the version of Marvin who challenged him to a draw (and yes it was a very close fight, scored it again last year or year before and Marvin has lulls of inactivity where Antuofermo flat outhustled him to win rounds and also had him on the defensive at times), so could many others. Remember the MMH who first challenged for the title wasn’t yet the machine he became.
Hi Buddy. I bow to no one in my admiration for Napoles, one of my fav fighters, growing up him and Olivares shaped my life, BUT as to him stopping Hagler winning a title, don't think so, too small, cut too easily, Hagler would have inflicted gory fight ending cuts on the scarred brows of Jose long before halfway, if it's over 15, just my opinion amigo. enjoy your posts, stay safe buddy.
He only lost to Turpin as a Middleweight fighting a Middleweight until after his first retirement, and he avenged that one. His only other two losses were Laotian while he was a Welterweight, and he beat Laotian 5 times, and to Light Heavyweight Joey Msxim
"Could" is a wide net to cast. There's guys that Hagler would beat more often than not, that "could" beat him on the right night. And of course there's the different rehydration rules for different eras. hagler would be 154 today, let's be honest.
Yep, you’re right, Bit - his record as a middleweight during his welter days was damn near perfect. The comebacking version of Ray was susceptible to off nights but the prime version pre-retirement didn’t have many at all.