Could he have succeeded at light Heavy,or was Middleweight his ceiling? Is Hagler the most complete middleweight of all time,in terms of skill, toughness and power? If he'd fought in the age of social media and promotion, would he have received more credit even? How does Hagler compare to earlier greats, Monzon, Robinson ?
A close fight with Duran, a war with Hearns, and a loss to Leonard, all welterweights, does not imply he could go up and ever dream of hanging with Michael Spinks. Does anyone have a case for Hagler beating Victor Galindez or Marvin Johnson? Qawi? I'm willing to hear it.
He could obviously surprise us and do better than what I’d guess, but I’d guess he could beat some mediocre light heavyweights like Andries, Torres (maybe) if 36 year old Tiger can who could only go forward and relied on strength, considering he moved up and gave away a large portion of his main attribute and won, I suppose Hagler could beat Torres. He might, just might beat Gus Lesnevich.
In the Past he would, like those who would have been 'his' peers at Middleweight then... well, the Marvellous One, would have fought many Light - Heavyweight contests as a MW engaging in 'catchweight' fights and then of course closing out his last few years as a definite L-HW and a Career Number of Fights, DOUBLED at least, generally speaking. So, WHO, would he have been fighting in those contests would better answer the question. Lloyd Marshall anyone, or jumping ahead in time, RJJ anyone?
Nah, he was best suited for middleweight. Too small for 175. 175 was stacked, and Michael Spinks was roughly the same level of greatness in that division as Hagler was at 160.
He was perfect at 160lbs for me Ferg, real pro who stayed around his weight all year round. I think it’d weaken him to fight at 147lbs and his body wasn’t made for 175lbs he was just a middle sized middleweight lol if he’d fought Spinks, Qawi or Mustafa God forbid it. Qawi would’ve looked like a pit bull playing with a raggedy Ann doll, Spinks and Mustafa both could KO him if they’d decided. In my opinion Ray Robinson is a more complete middleweight and so is Emile Griffith (but Hagler could beat EG) those guys were tested better… Robinson had him covered for toughness, power, and skills all day. Hagler and Monzon are on equal footing for me 50-50 for greatness flip a coin but Monzon is just a better fighter I think.
Marvin's build was perfect for the 160lb division. He would n't have been so effective if he'd moved up against the elite lt.heavies. As far as middleweight goes,throughout boxing history it's been a division laden with talent but Hagler,Robinson and Monzon lead the pack of all time greatness.
My first boxing hero. I do think Greb takes him. Antuofermo, also an aggressive swarmer, ran him close so I don’t like Marvin’s chances there, and Monzon could conceivably nullify his attack. The Robinson who took the crown from Lamotta also wins. Not too many others that I can think of though.
Sure, I don't see why he couldn't have moved up and competed. He was a tough, determined, physically gifted, hard working fighter. Who knows how he would have handled their power or how they would have handled his combinations though.
Its so hard to picture Hagler getting beat up. He's like a super hero. So many fighters that moved up, got beat up, stayed around too long, and how that completely altered how we see them and Hagler side stepped all of that simply staying at his real weight and exiting when it was time to go. Like even somebody saying Qawi murders him, yeah probably, but damn its so hard to visualize it. Its like somehow Hagler just finds a way to beat Godzilla even. Its so illogical when it comes to Hagler.
Idk about light heavy tbh, but if a super middleweight division existed (in a fully recognized & established form, with a championship sanctioned by every org in the Big Three - which wasn't the case in fact until Leonard-Lalonde in '89) in his prime, Hagler would have made it his bitttttch.
I loved Hagler but he was a small middleweight and I don't think he could have hung with Spinks or Qawi.
Hagler wasn’t even at the high end of the middleweight limit. With the way they do weigh-ins now, he’d have been more comfortable at light-middleweight rather than moving up.