Was middle weight great Marvin Hagler fortunate that his best challengers were coming up from lower divisions?
I guess so. He never had an arch-rival in his natural weight class, and there was no super middle division when he was active. That said, Tommy was very much a legitimate middleweight when he fought Hagler due to him bulking up, and I guess the smaller guys like Duran and Leonard was just where the big money was at. I don't necessarily think Hagler had an easier time of it just because he fought some naturally smaller men though. Hagler himself was not a big middleweight, and by the time he fought the likes of Leonard, Duran and Hearns, there was not an obvious discrepancy in size. I think that maybe had there been a super middle division, Hagler may have moved up in weight at some point if there was money there.
Basically He walked through dwarfs Had no big defense from a big puncher his own size Duran and Leonard could pin him back His defense was laughable His chin was iron, his power great. And he was very likeable Roy jones would have probably ko'd him and that's being kind
Based on what, exactly? Hearns bounced genuine light heavyweight Andries around but couldn't kayo Hagler. To be honest, this forum is becoming a joke. I see fighters like Hagler being ridiculed and guys like Jones and Calzaghe being revered; there has to be something wrong with that.
No is the short answer. Hagler's overall attributes would have been more than enough to do away with any other middleweight in history apart from maybe Ray Robinson. The guys who were moving up in weight were themselves ATG's and in the cases of Hearns and Leonard they were naturally not far from the weight anyway. I agree with ribtickler68 that some people on this forum like tennis have no idea and overrate fighters like Roy Jones and make out that he would have knocked out Hagler! Based on what evidence? Hagler had one of the best chins ever and fought in a far more competitive era than Jones.
Doesn't hold water. His first defense was against Obelmejias, who did go on to become a champion in a higher weight class. Their rematch saw Fully get one-punched out. Hamsho, Sibson and Scypion all went on to compete for world or sectional titles at higher weights. Roldan was a career long MW. Duran was a WBC successor at 160 over a much bigger MW than Hagler, and we know what Hearns went on to accomplish after reaching physical maturity. A similar question might be posed of Monzon, or a few other MW champs.
THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO DEROGATE ONE OF THE GREATEST MIDDLES OAT. It is a venture to evaluate is accomplishments.
Who was smaller WTF, they were all 160 pounders, Hagler just had a lot more muscle and strength, and of course skill thats why he kicked ass... Hearns was taller but not bigger, but Hagler had the better chin, thats why he won, as usually what happens when 2 guy's get into a brawl..