My all time middleweight rankings. 3 parts.

You are correct M in your high opinion of GGG. His doubters on ESB are not impressed with what he is as a fighter today because
of valid criticism of his middleweight opponents today, compared to other era's of top middleweights. On that I post this hypothesize ! Perchance a Marvin Hagler were born say 25 years ago and fought all of the amateur and pro fighters that GGG fought and whipped in impressive fashion ? Would these critics
have said the same things of Hagler, that he has been beating a bunch of stiffs of a poor MW era, and therefore deserves not to be ranked with the Haglers, Zale's, Robinson's of the modern era
????...I personally have been accused of "nostalgiac" and sentimental choices by picking many oldtime fighters I had seen in the past. I try hard to be objective about my choices based on what I perceive and such is the case of GGG, who would do very nicely with any MW of my youth irregardless of the mediocrity of
his middleweight opposition today.With all GGG's opponents who he "moidered" to use a phrase, what would a Hagler have done better in GGG's place ?. Hmmm.....

 

If that senario played out then Hagler would be held in the same light as GGG is now because he wouldn't be the great Marvin Hagler of the 70s and 80s. He would be the Marvin Hagler of the 21st century. The former would have never taken place and boxing history would be changed because "The War" wouldn't have taken place and many other great fights.

 

Big fan of Golovkin, but he does not have 15 title defenses. In fact, it's a slap in the face of legends and the sport to count those "regular" defenses as legitimate. The only ones that should count are the ones he has made since he became the real WBA titlist, when Geale gave it up late in 2012. I count 10, still a very good number, though a bit marred by the way boxing is.

 

well, hagler has the #1 ko % ever of all UNIFIED middleweight champions. once ggg unifies, he'll pass hagler in that one respect. so, unified middleweight championship IS a worthy goal for golovkin. then he can fight ward, quick as a bee to honey.

 

If Golovkin is on anyone's list then you DKSAB. The only legit fight he has had is Lemieux who is a basic puncher with know real boxing skills. For Christs sake HE GOT BEAT BY A FVCKING JAB!

My list in not particular order would include
Hagler
Leonard
Greb
Robinson
Monzon
Griffith
Benvenuti
Tiger
Giardello
Lamotta

 

OK, with your reasoning, BUT why have I never heard the need for any other middleweight of the past to need to go fight a larger division fighter [such as Ward] to bolster his standings as a top middleweight champion ? Why in the name of fairness
does only a decent chap as GGG who terrorizes his division,
not get credit for his obvious skills, but not get credit that any past MW champion would have. ? Smacks to me of blatant bias...
P.S. One other thing. How good Marvin Hagler, was I could never envision a Vito Antuofermo prone to cuts lasting 15 rounds with
the murderous punching machine that is Genady Golovkin today ...

 

Nothing wrong with Tiger and Giardello being up for consideration,both make a lot more sense than Cerdan ,Golovkin, and Jones. Tiger and Giardello's body of work p*sses all over Cerdan's,Golovkin's and Jones at 160lbs.

 

The Middleweight division was/is too great to put together just a top 10. I think Fullmer deserves a mention. Being in the Top 20 of one of the strongest divisions in boxing history is a hell of an achievement in itself.

 

Yes, Griffith, Benvenuti, Tiger and Giardello...easily.

 

Fullmer is persistently underrated.

 

Amen:deal

 

Splitting hairs really. The trouble with the middleweight division is there are far more than ten fighters who deserve a top ten ranking!

 

Emile Griffith for one, beats Martinez, Cotto, Pavlik, Alvarez and Taylor, just for starters.....and if Duran was able to trouble Hagler,...the bigger, stronger ring mechanic Griffith would have done so as well.