CLASSIC FIGHT NIGHT THREAD:Wilder-Fury II

GGG and Kovalev have definiely revived my interest in the contemporary boxing scene. I'm not going ape**** crazy though, like some people and comparing Triple G to the great middleweight champions of the past, but he has really sparked my interest in today's scene, that's for sure. My biggest complaint about boxing today is this **** about the best not fighting the best. Case in point, Miguel Cotto...come on Miguel, either fight GGG or vacate the middleweight belt.He's becoming a joke, as is Froch, coming up with all these reasons not to fight this beast. GGG will wipe the deck with Chavez Jr...another joke, Froch, and whenever they meet, with Cotto too.

 

Ironically, I think that Calzaghe would have had an excellent chance of beating GGG.

 

It would be a tragedy if he does not get to fight Cotto for the lineal middleweight title, and I don't think many would expect Cotto to see off that challenge.

It might be the case that he can have success at super middleweight or light heavyweight, but he should do so from the position of a lineal champion at middleweight aspiring to be a multi division champion.

 

It's simple. Cotto fights the may 2nd winner, the winner vacates, GGG fights the 2nd ranked gut for the vacant title. Problem solved.

 

I agree but we are talking about another weight class at 168 and GGG is 5"10 so he may be more suited for 160 lbs, nothing wrong with fighting in one class, Monzon and Hagler did well dominating 160 and the lower weight classes came to them

 

It shows GGG's greatness that some posters want him to fight at 168 because he is so domineering at 160 lbs and NO top contender wants to fight him. As if this is HIS fault. Triple G would be even money with any modern MW since Greb...Even Hagler. I cannot picture a bleeder like Vito Antuofermo
lasting 15 rounds with this monster. Yes of course Gennady hasn't fought the opposition as Hagler did, but my hunch he would have done damn good as well. GGG can hit to the body and head with numbing force, can arc his punches, can box in close, can cut off the ring better than anyone, has an iron chin that in 300 amateur , and 30 pro fights has kept him off the floor,
and has great staying stamina because of his demeanor and calmness. What else can you ask of a fighter ?

 

Yep.

Be that as it may, he sure is a pleasure to watch and I've been running out of those kinds of guys for a long time now.

He's not given credit for how smart he is in the ring either. His ringsmarts are up there and he pays attention and follows instructions also. And his pre-fight preperations are obviously top shelf. In shape. He has to do things to get the other guy out of the safety mode they go into. That's when we see that brains over brawn and alterations in footwork and combos. A real pleasure and I love the way he makes opponents pay tolls.

 

Murray didn't have anything to keep GGG off him, though. I wasn't overly impressed with GGG in this fight, although he has great power. I agree he is formidable, but I think you have to factor in his opposition. I can't put him with the greats just yet; I am not convinced he could have taken Benn, Roldan or Eubank for that matter! He needs to be around a lot longer before he can be considered great.

 

He just doesn't look good enough to beat a prime Hagler, from where I'm sitting.

Hagler was even more accurate a puncher, a better boxer, at least as durable, a southpaw, and could box in every direction. He's just more of a complete package.

 

If you have to use Hagler as one who could beat, then GGG is one heck of a fighter. I think Hagler is a top 7 ATG at Middle. But was he a better boxer? From where I'm sitting Hagler was being out boxed my Mugabi, and Mugabi was better known as a puncher than a boxer.

Hagler was nearly upset by Duran, a blown up light weight.

And he drew with Antuofermo. Okay. Maybe Hagler edged it by a hair, but you get my point.

Want more? Geraldo who was 49-15 was close on the cards in a 10 round decision win for Hagler. Admittedly I have not seen this one.

Point: Hagler was not a master boxer. He had trouble with different styles. His best stuff was durability, very good ( but not great power ), and being a south paw. Most of his best wins were from fighters who moved up in weight.

GGG vs Hagler would be one heck of a war. GGG could win on points. I never felt Hagler was a great thinker in the ring. He gave away too many rounds at times

 

^^^ Respect. Burt is as old school as it gets but its not stopping him from giving a modern fighter his due. While no fighter is unbeatable, I have a hard time picking 5 past ATG's at middle that I think would defeat him.

 

Yes, Golovkin is very good and that is illustrated by the fact that it's not at all unreasonable to match and compare him with Hagler.
I just don't think he's good enough to win.

 

U,if GGG is to be defeated by past MWs, I think that it has to be
a MW with great handspeed and power primarily...Thus I would
give a Roy Jones the best chance to beat GGG...But Roy I believe was not as rugged as GGG or of course Marvin Hagler, and could Roy take the relentless battering that he would receive at the hands of GGG if Roy couldn't stop GGG early ? Though GGG has not fought any top MWS, it is no FAULT of his own. This era of MWS are catnip compared to the generations of the past I have seen ringside, BUT every so often a Beethoven, a Caruso, an Einstein is born, even in a mediocre age. Time will tell...

 

Im not sold on GGG having a cast iron chin. There's no hitters in the division.

He fought no punchers and the feather-fisters are even more light hitting cos they are all on the back foot. I haven't seen him take a sold blow yet.

 

GGG's amatuer record was 345-5! He was never floored. This suggest extreme skills as the amatuer game is mostly who lands the most in the shortest amount of time. GGG holds wins over Lee, Direll, Bute ( KO'd BUTE ) to name a few.

As a pro GGG has never been floored. He doesn't blink when he's hit. He does he change tactics or retreat. This suggests an iron chin.