Marvin Hagler Vs Bernard Hopkins

Hagler couldnt KO a blown up light weight in 15.

Hopkins close UD

 

It is genuinely funny how people backing Hopkins have a tendency to bring up the Duran bout, forgetting that every other Title Fight victory of Hagler's was earned inside the distance.

 

Hagler UD maybe 8-4. BHOP may go down but i think he hangs in long enough. Could be a diffrent story over 15 rounds.

 

Even the one with the former welter weight.

 

Good point. What is the context for this fantasy fight?
15 Rounds or 12?
Prime-for-Prime? If so, during which period of Hopkins' career do we consider him to be Prime?

 

Yeah - even that guy - the guy who went on to win a version of the Middleweight, Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Titles? Then went on to compete at Cruiserweight (and may have even won a version of the Title there too)?

 

I'll take Hagler on points in a competative fight.

I don't think the best Hopkins would have any issue going 15 and I definitely wouldn't bet on him being stopped.

Hopkins is smart (and good) enough to win some rounds and always be in the fight - but Marvin is simply a better Middleweight and I think he takes a clear UD.

 

That's one of the dumbest comments you could have possibly made. Congratulations on that. :good

 

This would be a nip and tuck type fight where the decision is argued for years

 

He never outboxed Leonard,which fight were you watching? Landing the harder punches, OK, but in terms of ring generalship, Leonard fought way smarter.

Outboxing Duran, where Hagler had a serious size advantage over a former lightweight, means he will outbox Hopkins who could hang well at LHW??? Do you seriously think Hopkins would have any trouble with Duran?

Hopkins was beaten/troubeld by RJJ's inhumane speed, Taylor who was 6'1 with fast hands and Calzaghe, 6'1 with very fast hands. Hagler is smaller than Hopkins and not faster.

 

I agree it would be very close, if we are talking prime for prime (young Hagler would own green young Hopkins).

Firstly, to contradict some posters, no way is Hopkins getting knocked out. When was he ever hurt in a fight? He fought big punchers like Jones and Trinidad and was never seriously wobbled.

Second, Hopkins is a great technician, and certainly no worse than Hagler in this regard. Hagler could be cagey against skilled boxers, look at Duran where Marvin didn't take the fight to him, or Leonard where the same happened. Hopkins is like a MW version of Duran for technical ability and toughness. If it comes to a battle of wits, lots of countering and feints, defence playing an important part, I'd say Hopkins actually has the slight edge in those skills.

Hagler won a lot of fights by being a tough SOB as well as a skilled boxer. But Bernard is just as tough and just as skilled, and the prime version (e.g. B-hop of the Trinidad fight) is even more experienced than Marvin. This is going to come down to fight plan and experience, and I think Bernard is the better ring general than Hagler, who could sometimes follow poor fight strategy and failed to adjust mid-fight (e.g. Duran, Leonard). So I could see Hopkins eking out a close split decision win here and scoring a bit of an "upset".

Quite frankly this could be something like the first Toney McCallum fight i.e. two very skilled, granite-chinned technicians in a fight that is impossible to score or tell who won.

 

Far too much emphasis is being put on Hagler's signature fights, which don't show how good he was. Why is the Duran bout even slightly relevant? You may as well say "Hagler knocks Hopkins out because he did the same against Hearns".

Hagler's best wins, aren't nessecarily his signature wins. He beat some very good middleweights and, realistically, the Duran fight shouldn't be considered relevant.

Anyway...

Hagler UD12.

 

Hopkins is my fav fighter ,But ima have to go with Hagler on this one

 

I disagree, the Duran fight is significant if the idea is thrown around that Hagler would KO Hopkins easily, as some posters suggested. Duran was one tough SOB; but Hopkins was as tough, only three to four natural weight classes bigger. The Hearns fight is irrelevant here, Hearns for all his greatness was vulnerable to being KO'd and Hopkins is not at all. Also, Hearns followed the worst possible gameplan against Hagler, Hopkins wouldn't.

 

Would be an awesome fight in IMO, although ugly with lots of hugs and dances. I'd go with Hagler by close decision.