The 'lost' middleweight generation (1987-1994)

Nunn was seen as the successor to Leonard, but started training bad and lost focus resulting in him being knocked out by Toney who became the main man after beating McCallum in a rematch after their first fight was scored a draw, McCallum was dodged by Eubank while he was WBO champ and Mike was the WBA champ, after he destroyed Watson in far better style than Eubank defeated WAatson in their two clashes (the rematch resulting in Watson`s brain injury). Roy Jones defeated Toney in `94 resulting in him becoming the main man, but he move up to super middle. While Hearns was middle champ he should have fought McCallum but was on the slide so would have been beaten, he moved up and fought Kitchen in a dreadful performance which made sure Ray Leonard fought him again because he thought he was shot. Barkley was defeated by Nunn in a split decision in `89 then destroyed by Nigel Benn in a round later that year and before that he was beaten by Duran. Roberto was too old at this point to take over from Ray Leonard as the main man at middle and went on to meet Ray at super middle in a dreadful fight where he was easily out pointed. Jackson was ducked by Eubank while they were both champs, Eubank said after Jackson knocked out Graham that he had no intention of fight ing 'the hawk' at all. Mclellan became one of the p4p best fighters in te world after beating Jackson in `93 but moved up to fight Benn at super middle and was beaten and left brain damadged ending his career. Kalambay was knocked out in a round by Nunn in `88 or `89. Kalambay also lost his title to McCallum in a rematchafter beating the body snatcher in their first bout. Reggie Johnson was beaten by Toney by split decision before he became champ. John David Jackson was knocked out by Castro. CAastro had already been beaten by Norris and Jones before he became a champ. Tate was beaten by Nunn in `88. Doug DeWitt was destroyed by Benn losing the WBO title to Eubank who gave this title up after beating Waatson, then moved up to rematch Watson for Tommy`s vacated super middle title. Pyat was stopped by Steve Collins while he was world champ, Collins gave up this title and moved up to fight Eubank, beating him twice on points. Hopkins eventually simply became better than all of them and for my money eventually became better than Ray was vs Hagler, so there`s your answer in short hand.

 

Nobody dominated the division post Hagler because of the depth of talent - All the top guys in that era were capable of beating each other (and often did). For example I think a lot of fans believe that Mike McCallum was the best MW post Hagler - He beat Curry, Jackson, Watson, Collins, Graham and had two very close fights with Toney but also lost to the unknown at the time Sumbu Kalambay - Kalambay got flattened in 1 round by Nunn who then lost to Toney.
There are of course other factors that prevented a dominant champ such as networks and promoters blocking big fights from happening - McCallum-Hearns, Toney vs Benn, Eubank etc. etc.

The depth of the division was unreal during that period and no I don't believe for a second that Bernard Hopkins was the best MW, he became champion just as the names in your list either were getting old or moving up in weight. The MW division that Hopkins inherited in 1995 was a bit of a wasteland really only coming alive once Trinidad moved up.

 

This was not a lost generation at all. Very good fighters some great fighters very competitive many of who will have reigned supreme today!

 

So many good middles from that era... a guy as difficult and skilled as Reggie Johnson got lost in the mix.

Lamar Parks was another who could have added to that depth but checked out.

 

One thing it does do as a result-----appreciate the work Hagler put in. If you didn't appreciate it before, you should in hindsight.

He cleaned up on that division for a long time. No if'/and's/or but's. Fought anyone anytime anywhere.

The follow up guys were definitely not cut from the same cloth of anyone anytime and anywhere.

 

To me this could be the most stacked period ever in any division. I can't see anyone dominating it.

They all brought so many different aspects to the table. You hade huge punchers, expert counterpunchers, tricky slickters, athletic freaks, tough brawlers - the whole spectrum. It's more or less impossible imo to be as good against any style to beat all of these guys.

 

BS. What fight did for example McCallum ever back away from? Kalambay? They showed themselves willing to test themselves against the best, but as another poster said, they wre being thwarted by the organizations.

Hagler's last two and a half years as champ wasn't all that. He only fought one challenger who had actually done something at MW before. But even that guy had mostly fought below 160.

 

My memory of it was that we had some top fighters here in the UK, Eubanks,Benn, etc but they didnt take on the best from the USA , apart from Benn/ Gerald Mac. Some of the best fights weren't made ? I may be wrong?