I'd like to have seen Naseed Hamed fight in the early 1900's. That would have been fun. Maybe he'd step up in weight and fight Joe Gans or Battling Nelson.
Don't agree, If their was no Hagler, who defeats the Mugabi that Hagler fought, or Mugabi prior to Hagler? Maybe Mccalum or Hearns, but he has a punchers chance against both. And it would be very doubtful they could take some of the shots Hagler received. Hagler ruined Mugabi, some try to deny that. But theirs a big difference in Mugabi's performances before Hagler than after. Green and Obijiemas had the tools to win at least a version of a championship at their weight class if their was no dominant champion at their weight class.
That could go for anyone who is in this era who is bigger. Can you imagine Lennox Lewis fighting in the 1950s?
And make that infamous 100 yard dash after paralyzing a civilian in his state-of-the-art horse and cart.
Rose and Harada were, by most accounts, home town decisions too. Olivares ? Good luck. One of the greatest ever.
Hearns wouldn't go near Mugabi. That's why he had to go up to Middleweight to fight Hagler. Bob Arum wasn't going to let Mickey Duff managed Mugabi crash the party.
Pat Cowdell was unlucky running into Salvador Sanchez. A knockdown in the 15th saved the Title for Sanchez. There were certainly times in the early 2000's when I'd have tipped a peak Tony Sibson to at least win a version of a World Title. There are so many though. Without one of the worst decisions ever given in a British ring, Dave Charnley should have been World Champion in his own time let alone a different one. Colin Jones would have a good chance in any era including now.
He was very stiff against Rose as it was. There was nothing in that fight and I'm an Australian and naturally a huge Rose fan. Rudkin was such a good fighter. He battled a huge talent in Rose and some bizarrely parochial scoring by Ray Mitchell and Vic Patrick and still earned a SD on Australian soil, that in my eyes could've gone either way.
