The Fab Four - Rank Them

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Duran
4. Hearns

 

In terms of the weightclasses that you have named:

I would put Hearns as number one. IMO He is potentially the best junior middleweight that ever lived.

Then I'd put Duran as number two. IMO one of the top 3 lightweights.

Leonard as number three. IMO one of the top 5 welterweights.

Last but not least Hagler at number four. IMO one of the top 10 middleweights.

 

Hagler over Duran. Based on what exactly? Duran has a similar long reign as Hagler, just over 7 years, and he also moved up and fought naturally bigger fighters. If you look at Hagler's biggest wins, Duran, Hearns, and Mugabi, they were fighters moving up in weight. Duran would have been an ATG had he retired after reigning as lightweight champion. And Duran came back after setbacks, Hagler walked away from the sport after Leonard beat him. When taking everything into consideration, not close.

Duran by a country mile.

 

Leonard was definitely hurt in that first fight, albeit Hearns was too. But it was definitely a very poor stoppage. Even though Hearns was hurt, Leonard was too tired to get Hearns out of there. As soon as SRL wobbled Hearns in the 14th, the first thing he did was motion to the referree to stop the fight. He then started throwing a few punches which weren't really landing and signaled for the referree's help again. Hearn's messed up by not tying Leonard up, but it wasn't like Hearns couldn't defend himself.

 

i think its going to be a while before we have an era like that again.
i cant put them in any order because they were all fabulous boxers.
my personal favourite though was hagler!!!!!!

 

1. Hearns
2. Duran
3. Hagler
4. Leonard

 

Overall:

1. Leonard
2. Duran
3. Hagler
4. Hearns

 

Agreeing with all of that! Leonard is certainly the hardest one to grade for exactly the reasons that you raised above.

 

Great post and totally agree, although I think boxing history will generally see Hagler and Leonard swapping places.

 

All-time P4P:

#1. Roberto Duran
#2. Ray Leonard
#3. Marvin Hagler
#4. Thomas Hearns


Hearns would be somewhere around #45 (maybe a few spots higher) on my all-time list. Hagler around #30. Leonard's in the top 15, and Duran just makes it in my top 5.

 

Nope, I don't buy it.

Hearns looked like he was dancing in the ring for the last two rounds, and he wasn't throwing anything back. Even in the event the referee lets it go on, he either gets stopped soon after or he loses on the scorecards from going down to often. Hearns was finished, and discrediting this win is more proof that Leonard will forever be condemned for being the best of his era. He won this fight outright, by stoppage, and Hearns if he wanted to win should have stopped dancing on wobbly legs.

 

Leonard's got to be No. 1 - he won the tournament final.
Hagler no. 2.
Hearns no. 3
Duran no. 4 The reason Duran is last is 'No Mas' - a badge of shame that permanently taints his legacy.

 

In a p4p sense, this could be correct tho its very close between Leonard & Duran.

The head to head looks like this tho....

1. Leonard
2. Hagler
3. Hearns
4. Duran

Leonard makes the top 2 in a p4p AND head to head sense so Leonard was the man of the fab 4 IMO.

:thumbsup