ATG: Four Decades later, Who is the Greatest of the Fab 4?

Love this thread. These four were long before my time, but reading these posts is an education.

Will have to spend some time on Youtube watching some of these fights over the week-end.

 

I just don't think his resume is that impressive compared to others. His best win is Hearns. Great win. But apart from that, I see consistency and dominance but not a stacked resume. Duran wasn't a middleweight and neither was Leonard. I also think Leonard was more past it than him when they fought. Hagler should have beaten him, by KO. If Hearns had potshotted him, I think he would have beaten him too but Hearns liked to brawl.

 

With all due respect I think you are wrong about Hagler’s resume he went through a murderers row of opponents for many years before he fought for the world title I don’t know if names like Sugar Ray Seales, Bobby Bogaloo Watt, Eugene Cyclone Hart, Bennie Briscoe mean anything to you. This guy went through hardships kept toiling all the way to the top. His first professional fight he was paid $40! When he ripped the title of Alan Minter in England ( the less said about the despicable behaviour of the crowd the better) he defended against real tough fighters like Mustafa Hamsho twice when strong man Hamsho someone, some won’t want to face once, Caveman Lee and the likes. He was the first person to beat knockout artist John the Beast Mugabi. In my opinion Marvelous Marvin is the greatest Middleweight of all time.

 

Agreed, I think Hearns is slightly better. I prefer Hearns' wins over Hill and Benítez, rather than Hagler's over Hearns and Minter. And I prefer going up from 147-175 over 13 defences.

Obviously that's simplifying it, and there's other factors which lead to my decision, but yeah, I agree.

 

I only think he's overrated compared to other ATGs. He's still a top ATG.

 

Sugar Ray is the best of this lot

 

I get your point but I don’t think we can say arguably the greatest middleweight in history is overrated.

 

Duran is the best

 

Agree to disagree.

 

Oh dear

 

I think Ray is the best. He beat the others quite convincingly. The whole thing is who beat more greats and Ray did. The others came up short. It showed Ray's diversity. He beat all of them with different styles. Well Hagler and Duran in the rematch he beat them with moving and countering and holding. Hearns he tried to box then became the aggressor. He found different ways to win. What hurts Ray is how much less of a career he had than the others. Big difference. 40 fights compared to many more and longer careers.

 

Depending on statements, I see each of them get overrated. Throughout time, I have found my opinion of Leonard is consistently lesser than most have. Duran and Leonard above Hagler and Hearns, I believe is how it goes. Hagler probably gets my vote for the bottom.

 

This

 

Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Roberto Duran
SRL
Tommy Hearns(my 2nd favorite fighter on this list)