This fight is on Youtube now. Sorry, don't know how to put it in here just yet. It's the 1st time I'd seen this fight and one of the few in Hagler's prime that I hadn't seen. It's a pretty close fight. Anyone else think Geraldo's performance was Monzon-esque in style? I usually pick Monzon in the mythical matchup versus Hagler. Sometimes I almost talk myself into thinking Hagler could take him. I don't think that will happen again after seeing this fight. Geraldo put up a great effort but isn't close to Monzon's class. Wouldn't bode well for Hagler vs. Monzon IMO.
Was an intriguing fight and full of tension because Hagler's title shot with Minter was on the line. I think the comparisons with Monzon end with the height and the Latino ethnicity, mind you. Geraldo fought an effectively defensive fight until Hagler's big right hook, in the 5th round I think, turned the tide. Strange fighter, Geraldo. Gave Hagler and Leonard problems but folded easily against many others.
Yes, by no means did I intend to put Geraldo near Monzon's league. And that's the thing which now makes me cringe when picturing a Monzon - Hagler fight. As highly as I think of Hagler, there were fights where he wasn't quite his best when thrown off plan: Antuefermo I (which he clearly should have gotten the decision anyway), Geraldo, Duran, Leonard. He seemed to lack a plan B sometimes. I see him tentative and following for much of the Geraldo fight and just think that would cause a world of trouble against Monzon. Yeah, Geraldo seems to be a very strange cat in terms of consistency.
Sure, Natonic, some great points. I don't think Monzon would fight as defensively as Geraldo, Duran or Leonard did in their fights with Marvin though. Although I am not necessarily a picker of Hagler over Monzon.
I think you're looking to make Geraldo into a poor man's Monzon strictly on his height and proportion. This fight proved that Hagler fought down to the level of his competition A better example would be Thomas Hearns who aced Marcos before Tommy reached his prime. based on your analysis, Hagler shouldve had no chance against Tommy Hearns. THis is what many people thought based on his preformance with Duran. But Tommy is most closely compared with Monzon except Tommy is sharper, quicker, and infintely more dangerous in the opening rounds.
I thought Hagler handled him quite well. First half of the fight was close but Hagler started to whip him in the second half, thorougly mastered him and had the fight been scheduled for 15 he would have ended up beating the **** out of Geraldo.
Geraldo is a guy who checked out in 1 round in 5 or 6 of his fights. I would've expected Hagler to handle him much easier than he did.
I agree with this I think Geraldo fought well in the first half of the fight but Hagler adjusted and gave him a beating the second half. Hagler was fighting down to his competetion and a fight with Monzon and Hagler would be much different. I pick Hagler against Monzon because from what I've seen Monzon didn't have the speed to trouble Hagler. Some say he lost to Bennie Briscoe the first time they fought and Hagler is much better than Briscoe. Briscoe also almost knocked Monzon out in the 9th round of there rematch.
Geraldo was pretty tough hombre.But remember styles make fights & I think Red Rooster said a fighter fights to his level MOST of the time. I reallyThink Monzon slight fave over Hagler, but who knows both favorites &I think HERE you can say OVER USED EXPRESSION ALL TIME GREATS!!!!!:happy
That was before Hagler really put it all together. He fought better with Obel and Sibson when he had the title.
Yes, Hagler never looked better than the Minter fight. After that, he improved with each fight, something that had not gone unnoticed by the media and people like Russel Peltz-noting his improvement had gone up since his days at Philly by 25%. I remember that article in KO magazine following the Scypion fight The best is getting better Ironically, his stock crashed heavily in the aftermatch of the Duran fight. Amazingly enough, Marvin gained new fans that had never seen him before so his reputation among the general sports fans, actually grew by leaps and bounds. Even I was amazed to see that his popularity rivaled even Leonard's and by this time, has exceeded it.