What made Marvin Hagler so great?

My impression is it's hard to point out what made Hagler great because he was such a well rounded fighter. What probably stands out most of all is, as someone already said, all the intangibles, especially if you consider 'punch resistance' to be an intangible.
You should see his attributes on the Fight Night Champion game, he literally has no weakness, even to the point that he can lead with either hand.
I also consider it a plus that he stayed at the one weight. It meant he fought EVERYONE. How many guys who move up can truly say they beat all the contenders in the division?
Anyone know what he usually weighed in the ring? I'm guessing less than 165 since he started his career before they bought in next day weigh ins.

 

Great boxer big puncher he had everything. Only criticism I would give him is coasting in certain fights I wished he'd have been more aggressive in.

 

He had a granite chin, incredible work ethic always in tip top shape. Could box as well as slug,took no one for granted. Stayed in and cleaned out his division before he won the title and while he held it. 2 of his losses,very disputed. His one genuine loss to the `Worm` in his backyard and with Hagler sick and not 100 %. He is def top 3 of all time at middle... SRR and RJJ,and maybe Monzon give him issues. But,he is top tier material all the way. Over praised ?? He was the consumate champion defended against everybody and he EARNED his shot ! They ducked him for two years !!

 

Good call, there were times when I felt he could have just stepped on the gas and finished certain fighters...

 

Really ?? Guess you missed his fight with Bad Bennie ...Briscoe split his whole eyebrow open with a well placed butt...

 

Great post SS. Plus Hagler was small for a middle... He was 5,9 at best. Weight was never an issue. He owned the division for years the way TRUE champs are supposed to...

 

Consistency and conditioning was his mantra. Would question calling him small at around 5' 8/9". Greb, Ketchel, Papke, Apostoli, Overlin, Zale, Graziano, Cerdan, LaMotta, Burley, Fullmer, Griffith, Valdez, Vito, Minter etc were around the same height. Tiger, Walker, Garcia and Basilio were shorter, while SRR, Monzon, Taylor, Hearns were taller. Going by the Hearns blow out, in keeping with great fighters of the past, height didn't bother him.

 

One of the all-time great working man's ****-erotic icons

 

Giving us a little personal insight on your latent partiality to shaved heads and beards?

 

:smooch

 

a fighter's fighter, and with supreme talent to go along with it

Hagler and the middleweights of the early 80s always fascinated me. For him to become the explosive fighter when at his best, he had to perceive the opponent as a legitimate threat

and when pushed hard, could end the fight at will (anytime he chose-Hamani, Lee, Scypion, Obel 2, Hamsho 2, Hearns)

you could be right in the middle of a competitive fight with him, and then just like that in the blink of an eye, you're gone

The power in his unleashed right hook was like the hammer of Thor; it was irresistible, something that Monzon & Hopkins didnt have the luxury of possessing

I think I am ahead of everyone else in terms of ranking him first at #1.

i had him ranked first after the Scypion fight becuz I had seen enough instances of perfection and elevated performances of devastation not seen since Foreman-Frazier 1 and not seen again until Hearns - Duran 1

performances like that elevate your status

In his prime, his defense was A+. His offense was A+and there wasnt another fighter before or since who could boast the same

not Ali, whose chin was strong but defense average and whose power was limited

and not Monzon, whose defense was more than adequate but whose offense was less than explosive

the only other middleweight who comes close is prime Ray Robinson. But there's only one instance of him ending a fight suddenly (Fullmer)

otherwise, he had to unleash punches by the dozens to eventually stop his man

BTW, Robinson was WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY better than Ali could ever be

 

Mmmmm...Not so sure about that. I wouldn't say Monzon would be the "obvious" choice to win.

 

Was being "lazy and out of shape" the reason why some fighters moved up in weight to face him and in at least one case beat him? I agree that staying consistently in one weight class and being as dominant as he was deserves merit. Not questioning his greatness. But considering that a few men ascended in weight and fought on his turf, then perhaps moving up to lightheavy to face Spinks would have been a good milestone to reach.

 

Why would he, when more lucrative fights could have been had in his driveway?

 

Hamsho was a mandatory both times, so there's that......

As to baiting me with saying that those guys would have been tougher for Hagler than Roldan, well.................sorry, I've seen a million of you. I'll let someone else pick up that ball and play if they want to. You know as well as anyone that's not true.