Hagler vs Hopkins both in prime at 160 who wins?

The fact that you think Taylor actually won either fight with Hopkins illustrates more bias than your argument. Its also funny that the majority of the fights you use to knock Hopkins took place when he was a decade or more older than Hagler was when he retired and some of them came against significantly bigger fighters and challenges than Hagler ever dared to face.

As for his forgettable defenses I wont even start on Hagler's. The guy has one of the thinnest MW resumes of any MW great in history. When your top 4 defenses are Mugabi (coming up from JMW), Hearns (coming up from WW and JMW), Leonard (coming up from WW and having one uninspiring fight in 5 years), and Duran (a natural LW) you dont need to go around talking about how weak other eras are. Who was the best natural MW that Hagler actually fought as champion? Hamsho? Sibson? Minter? Yeah, those guys are really a whole lot better than Hopkins' B and C level defenses...

 

I think both are top five or close to it...Without attempting to tear either down, which is just plain silly...I'd pick Hopkins to take a very close decision. Great skillset, solid footwork, and yes, size and strength. Hagler's stamina and determination make this very close though.

 

Very true. I think Hagler gets a pass for things that Hopkins for some reason is heavily criticized for. No way did Marvin rule over a great era. The version of Mugabi he fought was quite possibly the best opponent he beat. Hearns and Duran was of course both much greater fighters, but I don't think either was a great MW.

I don't see a big difference between Hopkins's comp at MW and Hagler's.

 

Funny guy !!! Hey, why don,t you look who Hagler cleaned out to even GET a shot ... He even went to Philly to fight the `iron`. Do your homework...Sorry, Hopkins biggest `victory` at middle was a chinny,blown up welter... The guys Hagler fought,who came up in weight were ATG,s !! Bhop way overrated at middle, fact ...Who could forget, Brown,Joppy,Hakkar ,Allen and Daniels !! True 160 lbs of IRON !!! Now there,s a hall of fame !!

 

It's a bit rich to be calling out Hagler for wins over smaller guys when Hopkins made a career out of doing just that, and as someone who turned pro at 175 no less. His two marquee wins at middle were over welters, one of whom turned pro at 130 and, let's face it, lost to Felix Sturm the only other time he fought in the division. Plus various other smaller guys like Brown, Daniels, Jackson and Winky.

All Hopkins has over Hagler at middle is longevity and his supposed ability to get into his head. Personally I would question the mental toughness of someone who couldn't out-psyche Jermain Taylor, and who clearly tried to take the easy way out against Robert Allen and Calslappy...

 

Hey, some of the guys Hagler fought on the WAY to the title would have been problems for a 160 Hopkins...

 

Hagler definitely didn't defend against a great crop by the standards of pre-80s middleweight, but Hopkins era was egregious imo.

You know it's awful when a raw Glencoffee Johnson is considered one of your best challengers.

 

I dont know about that. A lot gets said about the Philly middleweights (some of my favorite fighters BTW) but those guys werent unbeatable. All of those guys had lost to fighters a lot lower down on the totem poll than Hagler, i.e. journeymen and a couple of those guys still beat Hagler. Mike Colbert and Kevin Finnegan were the best of the rest and those guys as well proved that it didnt take a Hopkins or Hagler to beat them either. You guys that have a rose colored view of Hagler and his opponents need to get real his era wasnt any better than Hopkins at all.

 

Look, Hopkins is an excellent fighter (never said he wasn,t) But your referencing Colbert and Finnegan ? Heck why not mention Doug Demmings ?? How about mighty cyclone, the Worm and Bad Bennie IN Philly ??? Now take a look at BHop,s l resume before and during his middleweight `reign`... The three I mentioned Hart,Briscoe and Monroe would have been a threat to Hop at middle.,and would have run roughshod through the Hop era middles ! Hart had an insane left hook,pure TNT. He could have possibly hurt Hop considering that Hop visited the canvas more than once. Hop would have had his hands full GETTING to the title back then... No rose colored glasses here just fact. They ducked Hagler for years,Monzon (at the end) Valdez,Corro only Antuofermo had the balls to fight him and he got gifted with a heinous draw. Hagler would have been champ two yrs earlier if Valdez would have manned up ... As for a couple of guys `beating Hagler... Watts,that was a joke. Only the Worm really turned the trick and that was against an ill Hagler.And the Worm would have been BIG problems for Hopkins too ...Hagler would have been undefeated if he fought in Hopkins era...

 

If you like nausea,look at who BHop `defended` his title too !!!