Can Hagler take Golovkin's punches?

:deal

The voice of reason, and wisdom!

GGG is a phenom.

 

Golovkin has looked his worst when under pressure from a rough, tough fighter not scared to take a shot and willing to fight inside. As much as I like Golovkin, I think that stylistically, the Hagler from the Hearns fight would be a really stiff test for him.

Frankly I think that Hagler could take Golovkin's best to the chin and return fire, especially because Golovkin's power is more punishing and accurate than shattering and wild.

But here's a few more thoughts.

1) Is Golovkin not heavier on fight night than Hagler? IIRC Hagler had same night weigh ins and GGG not. Those few pounds could be crucial.

2) Golovkin's best shot is probably the left to the liver. I'd put money on Hagler's chin but he looked uncomfortable taking it to the body against Mugabi.

On resume, you have to give it to Hagler but GGG passes the eye test and I think he'd be Hagler's roughest night out.

 

:good:good

 

This content is protected

 

Hagler would have to commit to throwing punches. He was rather gun shy vs Duran and waited for until the middle rounds to open up vs. Leonard. In fact, he was being outboxed by Mugabi for a bit before getting aggressive. Neither Duran or Leonard hit as hard as GGG.

Can Hagler take GGG's punches? I think he could take them better than most to the head, but he's also going to need a rib cage of steel.

Some of GGG's body shots are hammers. No one like body shots

 

Body shots duly noted, and GGG does have a great left to the body. I dunno though...has he really been tested? Hagler's pre-title competition was tougher than anything GGG has faced in his entire career so far.

Maybe in a few years this matchup makes more sense. Right now Hagler for me.

 

The best fighter Golovkin has fought to date, took him 11 rounds, and this was despite having a very small ring and having hardly any firepower.

This happens to all these 'ko machines' as soon as they step up, the knockouts disappear, Wilder is another great example.

I admire Golovkin and think he's a h2h threat for any of the greatest mw fighters of all time, but we don't know enough about him to make a judgement on how he'd fare against Hagler.

As it stands, Hagler takes Golovkin out to sea and then drowns him.

 

He wasn't being gun shy against Duran due to

 

He wasn't being gun shy against Duran due to fear of his power though, he gave Roberto too much respect and wanted to out box him just like he did Leonard. He didn't look gun shy against the biggest hitting gunslinger of the trio in Hearns did he?

 

Well then, I doubt Mehdi Bouda would go 10 with a 26 year old Hagler, and I know Martin Murray wouldn't go 11. Hagler beat Sibson and Minter easily, and they were miles better than Murray.

 

Yes, it has. GGG has never been floored in 350 amateur fights or as a pro.

You just can't have his style without a good beard.

While I agree Hagler fought better fighters ( Many of best were fighters moving in weight ) I also think he was not as dominating with fighters on the level that GGG destroyed.

GGG would destroy any welter, including Mayweather. Heck Canelo is hiding behind the 155 pound line and really does not want to face GGG either.

 

Hearns could hit and he had a shaky chin. Hagler fought him perfectly. Take him out before he lands too much.

In the other fights, Halger showed an alarming lack of ring strategy. Or if you prefer he was too cautious.

 

Yes and the man had it all in spades, he was a true alrounder.

Hagler would be all over GGG and hitting him with every punch in the book.

 

I'm not so sure the prime Hagler of 80 to 84 would fight this way. Hagler's increasing reliance on his chin and attrition warfare was based imo on necessity as his speed and reflexes began to deteriorate. A prime Hagler would probably use movement and his brutal jab in an attempt to dictate the flow of the fight and soften his man up. GGG showed an accurate punishing jab against Lemieux, but I'm not sure it's on the level of Hagler's. When GGG is able to close the distance past the jab I think Hagler shifts the battle to a closer distance inbetween close and middle range, where his clubbing shots are hard to evade. GGG thrives on mid range combat requiring slightly more space than what Hagler would be fighting at. I think GGG is the harder puncher, but it's hard to envision a more proven chin than Hagler's. I would make Hagler the favorite, but not by more than 2 to 1. Interesting match.

 

Leonard has said that regarding the Mugabi fight, that Mugabi was outboxing Hagler, and it gave him extra confidence.

I think Ray was just seeing what he wanted to see, because even though Mugabi was landing good shots, Hagler was landing more of them, and couldn't miss with his jab. Mugabi certainly wasn't outboxing Hagler as he was losing the fight. Hagler was just getting hit more than usual