Other Than Hagler....

On top of that, he didn't get his 1st title shot until approximately his 50th fight. That's just ridiculous.

 

That's true, especially considering the time period. This would not have been uncommon in the 30s and 40s, but being the 70s it was pretty bad. Of course, this was also an era in which top-ranking Earnie Shavers was fortunate to get two title shots. But yeah, I think hard roads to championship fights are a non-issue anymore. So many fighters in the last few decades can get a shot after just ten fights anymore.

 

Hagler got two also: he fought to a draw in his first try.

I think if you look at it, Sugar Ray Leonard more than earned his shot and took some fights he certainly didn’t have to take on his way to the welterweight title: Andy ‘Hawk’ Price was a fight he took risking the Benitez shot that was already secured, for instance.

He beat contenders Randy Shields, Floyd Mayweather Sr., Pete Ranzany, a good (but not sure if he was ranked) middleweight in Marcos Geraldo and Tony Chiaverini was ranked at junior middle. Today you’d get a shot winning even one of those (Geraldo excepted) probably.

 

Ezzard Charles.

 

Good shout. Not to mention Mando Muniz too, though admittedly he was at the end of his career. Leonard's handlers did a good job of introducing new looks from different kinds of opponents in order to give him the seasoning he needed. Daniel Gonzalez was another useful scalp.

 

And Adolfo Viruet.

 

I believe Greb and Johnny Dundee are the only boxers, who went through more than 200 pro fights before finally winning a world title!

 

Charlie Burley and Wills didn't even get there - how tough is that.

 

Archie Moore
Jose Napoles
Joey Giardello
Joe Brown
keep well.

 

Archie Moore had a tough path to the title.

 

Langford probably had the worst.

 

To this day I don't understand why Hagler was kept away from a shot at the belt so long.

 

Hagler was avoided dating back to 77. He was screaming at Valdez for a shot (Hagler was ring #1 contender) and then screaming at Corro. He's one of those guys no-one much wanted to fight particularly if they had something to lose.

 

Coming from a modern fan, damn near the while top 20 from then look like the kind of guy who would be avoided if you had something to lose.

That's why it confuses me how Hagler was avoided, since the ones getting the shots weren't weaklings themselves.