How do you rate haglers win over duran?

Very highly. Duran had settled in at middleweight and was streaking. He was inspired with many more years in the tank. Hagler boxed beautifully. It was one of his signature wins. Very misunderstood fight.

 

Nothing really special? He won the WBC middleweight title. How many middleweights do that? How many lightweights do that? Duran was a solid middleweight contender and champion.

 

Well that's what I meant. I'm not talking about "special" compared to the average fighter in the sport, I'm talking about the highest level, which is basically all anyone talks about here anyway.

Hagler looked alright in a solid victory, not up there with his best performances.

 

Fair. I think Hagler could've KO'd Duran if he really wanted to, but respected him too much. Hagler was way too tentative, and seemed to be fighting "down" to him.

 

I agree with the general consensus. Workmanlike performance by Hagler, possibly even intimidated by Duran who was on a good streak. Having said that hadn't marvin stopped all his challengers up to that point. maybe an offnight but i think Duran had something to do with it. He didn't seem to have the power to hurt Hagler but he had enough to get respect and plenty of ringsmarts to keep him thinking. Some lovely right hands through the middle and a bit of rough work.
As much as I wanted Roberto to win this fight and I remember avoiding the result all day Hagler was a clear winner in my eyes.
I think if Roberto had come for a war Hagler would of stopped him

 

My feelings exactly.:good

 

To a degree I'd agree with that as well, he didn't look so marvellous. i don't want to judge him on that one performance but if Duran had been a naturally bigger man with that skill/experience set Hagler would of been in trouble.

 

I've always seen it as a better showing for the greatness of Duran than Hagler. No Lightweight in his first fight at 160 should be able to be so competitive with a top 5 Middleweight ATG like Hagler. It's one of those things that helps to elevate Duran above the other 135lbs greats in history. In contrast, Hagler laboring to a decision doesn't really impress.

 

Having a name like Duran on your resume can't REALLY hurt you, but Hagler basically had all the advantages in the fight- he was taking on an older, out of his true weight class duran and the fight surprisingly went all 15 rounds.....This fight and the Barkley fight are the things that solidify Duran as a top 5-7 great of all time--well that and his unbelievable run at LW in the 70's..Duran was a one man wrecking machine back than....

 

I make two observations of this fight:

Firstly, the first seven rounds Hagler boxed great. His overly respectful approach after that cost him a more spectacular, and complete, victory.

Secondly, if Duran had come to fight, instead of boxing cautiously and relying on the odd counter right hand now and then, he would have got KO'd. People blame Hagler for his safety first approach, but Duran didn't exactly fight like he fought Davey Moore. I don't blame him, but the lacklustre nature of the fight has to be partly his doing as well. It's not the only time he did it: look at his perfomance against Leonard in the rubber match. Similarly pathetic.

 

I agree with this to a certain degree. I think because of how Hearns scorched Duran, people in hindsight feel that Hagler should have done the same. One thing I have noticed is that when people present their argument as to why they feel Hagler is overrated they use the Duran fight as leverage.

 

That's a good description.
He didn't really cover himself in glory in that fight...he did enough to win, but not much else. Duran was older and naturally a lot smaller. I've always felt (apparantly like others here too) that Hagler showed Roberto too much respect.
Still, I don't think the fight was quite as close as the cards indicated.

 

Wow. I really have a different interpretation of this fight. That's cool, though.

 

Duran at that time was about good as Mustafa Hamsho ever was, minus the true middleweight strength and workrate, but with added bonuses such as experience, 'genius' and a lot of making up to do (1981).

As has been said, not a great performance by Hagler but still a typical solid title defence. Although the fight wasn't that close - should have been more like 10-5. If only they had a rematch... I think Hagler would have beat up Duran, who by that point was only capable of pulling out a good performance here n' there.

Parallel? Like Ray Robinson in the '50s taking Archie Moore the distance and giving him a decent go.

 

It was a tactical superfight in '83................. Hagler was tight and somewhat stiff in his first MAJOR PPV fight of his career........ Duran was in great shape, but still a pinch too heavy at 156 1/2 pounds at age 33..... However, both dudes showed great respect for the other guy..... Hagler liked guys who pressed him, and Duran knew that..... SO! Instead of obliging Hagler with pressure, Duran opted to box instead........ Hagler won by sweeping rds 14 and 15, but Duran and his skills made Hagler look rather ordinary.........

MR.BILL

NOTE: "Hagler-Duran" was still better than shitty PPV's like "DLH-Trinidad" or "Lewis-Holy 2."
:deal