Ezzard Charles was still green and not at his absolute best when he was a MW. But could he have beaten the likes of SRL, Hearns, Hagler, and Duran even at his early stage? He was good enough to beat a guy like Charley Burley, so surely he would have at least been able to beat any, if not all of the Fab Four IMO.
Loses to Hagler. Has trouble with Hearns. but I can definitely see him beating him. Leonard and Duran would not be big factors IMO. Too small, and all three are on a similar level of class. Charles decisions both.
Duran -no chance. Stopped Hearns- no chance. Stopped. Leonard- no chance. Stopped Hagler- not against middleweight Charles who btw was great at this weight. Maybe stopped.
He beats all but Hagler. Hearns possesses a lot of tools to trouble Charles, but imo is too fragile at 160 to take Charles's punches. I like Hearns to box well early on but take some body punishment and gas out. Charles stops him late. Hagler's jab and movement troubles Charles too much and Charles doesn't have the fire power to trouble Hagler. Hagler jabs and moves his way to a decision. Duran & Leonard are too small imo, not quick enough at MW either.
Who does have the fire power?Jackson and McClellan but they'd have trouble landing. I think the only way Hagler gets stopped is if he moved to light heavyweight.
There's nobody I pick to stop Hagler but theres definitely guys I'd pick to keep him honest. If Hearns, Mugabi, Duran and Briscoe can keep him honest/wobble him, you best believe Monzon, Jones, Fitzsimmons, Langford, Ketchel, Zale ect ect can do the same. Jackson, McClellan too. Ezzard was a brilliant puncher at 175, not so much at 160. I agree that nobody should he favoured to stop Hagler at MW. But guys like Moore, Foster, Spinks ect definitely do at LHW imo.
Bob Foster would knock his head off his shoulders but i always felt he was like a light heavyweight version of Julian Jackson he could give but not take.
