Could Marvin Hagler go 12 with Ron Lyle?

Hagler gets knocked out, and fairly early at that if Ron comes out guns blazing. We are talking about a fighter in Ron Lyle who had the iron chinned Foreman on ***** street and on rubbery legs in their bout, and as we all know Foreman was by far the naturally bigger man and he had a proven chin. Taking that account I say Ron knocks Marvin out within 3 rounds at most.

 

:yep

 

No.

 

I don't think he could go 12 with Lyle.

 

Absolutely. Hagler has no chance here. I always thought Hagler at his very best would have a good fight against the larger Qawi at light heavy, with movement and his jab...but Qawi would eventually bring the fight in and take a decision. But against a heavyweight like Lyle, I can't see Marvin having much of a chance at all.

 

It would take someone with Louis/Tyson/Liston punching ability to concuss Hagler, and even then I am unsure. He was a very tough man. I would expect Lyle to knock Hagler down a couple of times and stop him through accumulation around the tenth. Hagler would be visibly hurt but angry and wanting to carry on. He would likely sit and seeth for the rest of his life.

Hagler isn't going out in three though. Remember, there is quite a difference in skill.

 

You seem quite anti-Hagler.

 

To be honest, I think Qawi takes Hagler out in brutal fashion late.

 

I'm not sure...it's hard to say that because Hagler was never stopped and rarely even ever troubled by any puncher he faced...Qawi? I don't think Marvin would elect to go inside with him...hence, it would go the distnce IMO.
but against a hardhitting heavyweight like Lyle? I respect Marvin as an ATG but this is just asking too much of him IMO.

 

While I agree with you that Hagler was rarely troubled by a puncher, Qawi at 175 is like nothing Hagler has ever faced. 15 lbs is a huge amount of moving up for Hagler, and the punchers there punch ten times harder than the middleweight ones. I don't know how Hagler would have handled those 15 pounds. There's a reason he never tried to move up to light heavy.

 

No way could Peter box Ali on even terms for ten rounds, or put George Foreman on ***** street, or get back up from the deck to knock Earnie Shavers out.

 

Let me make several points.

Hagler was only 5'9" and he weighed 160 lbs. in his prime. There is no reason to suppose that Hagler could have put on 70 pounds and fought effectively at 230 lbs. Just because Toney did it, it doesn't mean everyone can do it.

Lots of great small guys tried gaining pounds to move up a weight class or two without success. The added weight tends to slow a guy down. Also, at the heavier weights the great small guys drastically lose their preexisting edges in power, strength, and durability.

On a pound-for-pound basis, of course Hagler was vastly superior to Lyle. But to imagine that Hagler could successfully beef up to 200 lbs. and last 12 rounds against Lyle is stretching imagination.

I guess we'd have to have seen how Hagler fared at 180 lbs., 190 lbs. and 210 lbs. before we could say with confidence that he'd survive against a big brute like Lyle.

Also, keep in mind that Lyle wasn't really as limited as people think. Lyle had fairly fast hands and he could move effectively on his feet when he wanted to. Lyle was also a decent counterpuncher.