Greatest Middleweight fights of the 80's?

Mark Kaylor vs Errol Christie

 

Iran Barkley-Robbie Sims was a cracker with unknown Barkley with a Sims who in the next 2 years would beat future middleweight champs

Doug DeWitt and Duran as well as terrific 1 round pasting of John Collins for the USBA title.

Barkley-Eddie Hall was another wild encounter too.

 

Kaylor v Christie

 

Good list but wasn't Toney v Barkley fought at 168?

 

Hagler d. Hearns
Hagler d. Mugabi
Leonard d. Hagler
Duran d. Barkley

 

Yes and it happened in the '90s

 

Apart from those two tiny details, it’s a perfect choice for this list.

 

Caveman Lee vs John Locicero wants to enter the conversation.

 

You put together a good list of fights - didn’t miss many.

 

Terrific fight with the 4th and especially the 5th rounds being classics. The commentary was on point too, really made the fifth round even more spectacular.

Caveman Lee-Marcos Geraldo in 1980 should be considered too.

Caveman had been dominated by a young unknown Frank Fletcher and stopped in 4 whilst Marcos Geraldo was always a hot and cold fighter but had gone 10 round points defeats against Hagler and Leonard in recent efforts.

Gave the smaller Leonard lots of problems and Hagler needed to win all the latter rounds to make sure (all three judges gave Geraldo 3 rounds) of a win.

Geraldo came out fast and landed a hard left hook which buckled Caveman´s knees. The Mexican went for the finish but walked into a left hook which knocked him spark out.

Caveman would go on to ko his next 7 opponents including his wild brawl with LoCicero and and off the floor win over game Jerry Holly before coming in short notice against Hagler. He threw some bombs but Marvin kept cool and landed his southpaw right and 67 seconds later Caveman hit the deck twice and was stopped. Lee would have 2 more fights, going 1-1 both by kos before winding up in jail for armed robbery!

Geraldo would get one more big fight against Tommy Hearns but get destroyed in one before becoming a name trial horse to finish with a 71-28 (50 kos).

 

Just rewatched the Lee-Fletcher fight. Frank didn't let Caveman get in a groove at all, such a great pressure performance against a dangerous sharp-shooter. And some Duane Bobick commentary, too. Think I'll continue in the same vein with tonight's viewing.

 

Duran Barkley #1
Hagler Mugabi #2
I rank Hagler Hearns a little lower, after about 2 minutes of round 1 Tommy was not going to win.

 

Frank Fletcher was such a wonderful in your face fighter.

His fights with the useful Sammy Nesmith, undefeated Norberto Sabater and Ernie Singletery (for USBA) were crackers but against Tony Braxton, Clint Jackson and James Green were classics.

Shame he didn´t get a shot at Hagler. Would have been destroyed but would have been fun.