Prime McClellan vs 87 Hagler

McClleland was never the seasoned fighter Hagler was. I think Marvin stops him in 8.

 

If McClellan couldn`t knock you out he couldn`t win because he was too easy to hit so Hagler would outpoint him because of his chin savvy, it would be like the Mugabi fight.

 

The Marvellous One gradually breaks down G-Man and stops him late, Gerald has his moments early and hurts Marvin once or twice with that big right hand but MH weathers the storm and takes control.

 

i think Hagler would laugh at McC's looping lazerfast clubs. He'd say "u gonna hit me yet?". And then the end would not be far. Hagler says "Sit!" and McC aint getting up.

 

concur ^.

 

McClellan would have been the biggest puncher Hagler ever fought, a huge, rangy monster of a 160 pounder. I doubt Gerald could have made 160 in the days of same day weigh-in. Hagler's record at the weight is all-time level, so he'd be favourite, but McClellan would have been a live underdog.

 

GMAC was explosive early and if Hagler could survive Hearns early so would
he with GMAC. Hagler batters a game but outclassed GMAC. Hagler stops
a exhausted GMAC in 8 rds.

 

McClellan never through a harder punch than the punch Hearns knocked Schuler out with! Tommy was more rangy than Mac.

 

87 hagler though well over the hill handles mclellan fairly easily...he counters him similar to the sibson fight...it isnt anywhere near the mugabi obstacle in 86...marvin by 9th round stoppage..

 

Surprised so many are pegging Marvin for the stoppage....I don't see it being likely at all, and that's coming from someone who usually plays devil's advocate on McClellan.

 

Sorry Jamal. I can't see that, at all. GMan was a much bigger and better fighter than Sibbo and Hagler had slipped a fair bit from 83. In 87, he contrived to lose to a welterweight who had had one fight in five years and in GMan he was fighting an opponent who, depending on the weigh-in rules, could weigh up to 10lbs more than him. A bigger, harder hitting Hearns with a better chin albeit less skilled. And Marvin, as a champion, fought men moving up in weight in many of his bigger fights - Duran, Hearns, Mugabi, Leonard. He was not used to being the smaller man.

GMan has a hellacious hook to the body and, while Hagler's chin was concrete, we don't know how he would have fared against McLellan's body attack. Gerald took Julian Jackson's best shot so Marvin is going to have to go into the later stages to get him out of there. I don't doubt the 1983 version of the Marvellous One could do that but in 1987...? Not so sure.

 

I pick Hagler to be patient, weather the storm, and break down the G-Man in a decision win. No way he stops McClellan. He has all time power and chin.

 

Well Eddie just to fuel the debate it could be pointed out 1987 hagler was only 1 year away from dealing with a prime unbeaten powerpuncher in mugabi and only 2 years removed from dealing with a hearns who was imo a far faster skilled and yes harder hitter than mclellan. Tommy had a blistering body attack himself.

Playing devils advocate here its entirely possible hagler was just rusty and complacent rather than physically shot vs leonard...maybe leonards speed made hagler in those conditions look slower?

Either way I think your underestimating 1987 srl.he was a pretty good middleweight.

McClellan also may be overrated as a puncher....he kept scoring those pure one punch-unconscious knockouts on his reel....but most were very poor foes...julian jackson were his best wins and very impressive stoppages too....but that aside.... mugabis knockout reel is more impressive imo...jackson too (graham,norris,cardamone when he was shot)...im digressing here but hearns i have no doubt was a bigger puncher than McClellan at 160 and up.. and he had more ways of delivering ...fighting higher calibre guys he often used his skills not power but tommys resume here past his peak is still v significant...one punch massacres of shuler/duran/roldan/maynard and the ping pong"ing of the brutally tough dennis andries to the canvas 6 times...

Mclellan was a very exciting and brave fighter but heis overrrated...size wise that is overrated too...he came in at 165 for benn..

But what we can agree on is say..srl hadnt reared his mindgaming face in late 1986...hearns had been injured..and bertha hagler had got her divorce...facing a need for paydays..what if marvin had had to sign a new two year deal with arum for six fights...hagler may have ended up having to fight kalambay,tate,mccallum,olajide,nunn and hearns....i think if hungry 87 hagler may do better than some expect

 

Also Hagler fought some lesser known viscous punchers in R.Roldan , T.Sibson, and B.Briscoe and walked through them like a hot knife through butter. Mccleans skill set fell right into what Hagler did best against, him being an aggressive power puncher . Haglers's Achilles heel were fighters that were capable of boxing smartly from the outside like, B.Watts W.Monroe early in his career, and Leonard and to a lesser extent Duran later. Even Hagler of 87 beats Mcclean. Now M.Nunn that's another story and probably would've beaten Hagler by unanimous dec.