Who do you think was the better boxer Hagler or Whittaker

Whitaker, though it pains me to write it.

 

So when you think of better boxer, the two attributes that come to mind are Footwork and positioning?

 

I understand your point, but how do you reconcile that with... many other boxer also started at age 9 and didn't turn out nearly as good as Whitaker. So there has to be something said for "natural talent" to one degree or another.

 

Whitaker the more skillful, defensive wise, Hagler was great in other departments. Both had great chins but edge for Marv. Hagler more power, Pernell faster.
A question if I may, I'd PW was a fully fledged middle weight, around the same age as Hagler, who takes it?

 

Not as a total package, but their other attributes are very close to call, with one slightly better than the other at certain things. So this decided it for me. Besides, it is a major part anyway.

 

Are they though? Speed and reflexes would decisively be Whitaker's. I would say the same for defense. I would venture to say ring IQ is also decisively in favor of Whitaker. Even the ones you list for Hagler as being better and tipping the scales... are they really. Footwork also involves movement from a defensive point of view and offensive. Whitaker fought off his backfoot clearly better than Hagler, which again is footwork. Sure pernell got caught off balance for the occasional flash KD, but again, that isn't the only aspect of footwork, and the categories I listed as decisively in Whitaker's column I think are more so than Hagler over Whitaker in footwork. Just my view, and Hagler is great, maybe he was the better boxer even if I wouldn't say he is.

 

Better boxer I would have to say....idk. apples and oranges. Both top 20 atgs imo

 

how would you know LOL! You didn’t get to see him live in Philly like some of us did! You can’t learn this from a YouTube video...how can you claim to know this!

JK

 

Well I'm British, and my dad was around at the time. He's met Sibson. I learn from my elders!

 

Whitaker by a margin.

 

True, and I understand the point you're making, but even when comparing elites against elites, it's fairly obvious some have more natural talent than others. For example, people might say JCC was the better overall fighter with a better resume than RJJ, but it's fairly obvious to me that RJJ had more natural talent. While Whitaker might not be quite that level of uber natural as Roy, I'd still reckon him to have more natural talent than JCC and some other ATG fighters. Again, I do get your point though, and what you're trying to say about comparing great fighters.