The greatest Middleweight fight?

[Crease]

Marvin Hagler vs Carlos Monzon

If it came down to the Greatest Middleweight EVER and Sugar Ray Robinson was not available. And this was the decider!

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Hagler, though I think Greb is the greatest Middleweight ever.

[beaujack]

Hagler, though I think Greb is the greatest Middleweight ever.

Probably the bout in 1925 when the prime Mickey Walker met the fading immortal Harry Greb in a great 15 round bout which Greb won going away. Pretty good win for a one eyed Harry Greb who would be dead one year later....

[evrenb]

I go for Hagler...great fighter, great era and in great fights...

[BoxBuzz]

Damn....now I have to rethink this or risk agreeing with the DuceMeister.


However, there is another skill/attribute that Carlos has, and that is his remarkable accuracy when things get heated up.

I'd call this one for Monzon by Decision in either 12 or 15 configuration. Neither man is going away early. Monzon is just going to be a bit much for Marvin.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I think Hagler's southpaw style is a problem and he out-jabs Carlos.

[raylawpc]

Monzon's highly accurate and hard right hand is the perfect solution to Hagler's southpaw stance.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Maybe, it would swiftly get countered by Marvin's left hand. Obviously a close fight, it's just difficult for me to find any clear advantages for Carlos.

[BoxBuzz]

Hagler's highly accurate and hard right hand is the perfect solution to Hagler's southpaw stance.

Assuming Monzon is meant in the first reference to Hagler....we agree.


Speaking of agreeing I see Monzon's lack of civility as helpful as well. Hagler is on the record as "not wanting to offend." And that's a quote.....and Il Duce is welcome to borrow it since I see we agree.

That fact that this was said in a Right Guard commercial is of no consequence and likely irrelevant....right Ducer?

[raylawpc]

Maybe, it would swiftly get countered by Marvin's left hand. Obviously a close fight, it's just difficult for me to find any clear advantages for Carlos.

Yes, it would be a very tough fight for both. But I think Carlos' style is the perfect anecdote to Marin's southpaw style. For me, it is hard to see any clear advantages for Marvin. Used properly, Carlos' right hand is a formidable problem for Marvin. Carlos is also bigger and arguably stronger than Hagler. But it would be a very tough fight.

[raylawpc]

Hagler's highly accurate and hard right hand is the perfect solution to Hagler's southpaw stance.

Assuming Monzon is meant in the first reference to Hagler....we agree.


Speaking of agreeing I see Monzon's lack of civility as helpful as well. Hagler is on the record as "not wanting to offend." And that's a quote.....and Il Duce is welcome to borrow it since I see we agree.

That fact that this was said in a Right Guard commercial is of no consequence and likely irrelevant....right Ducer?

Oooops. Yes, I meant Monzon, and I've edited accordingly.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Maybe, it would swiftly get countered by Marvin's left hand. Obviously a close fight, it's just difficult for me to find any clear advantages for Carlos.

Yes, it would be a very tough fight for both. But I think Carlos' style is the perfect anecdote to Marin's southpaw style. For me, it is hard to see any clear advantages for Marvin. Used properly, Carlos' right hand is a formidable problem for Marvin. Carlos is also bigger and arguably stronger than Hagler. But it would be a very tough fight.

I think Marvin has a definitive speed advantage of hand and foot. They're pretty even everywhere else to me. Monzon probably is bigger and longer, I doubt he's any stronger.

[BoxBuzz]

I see another area of inequality, and that is in ring intelligence/ring generalship.

Monzon was never caught up in a Duran/Leanard quagmire. Two fights that I felt Hagler did not fight smartly. If rumor is true, you can add the first Monroe fight to that list. You will not find a fight where Monzon was not fighting smart.

This is not to say that Hagler was compromised in that area....he was great in the category as well, but not Monzon's equal.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Griffith gave him the same kind of problems. It's hard to question the ring IQ of a man who was one of the greatest rematch fighters in history.

[Ambling Alp II]

Going with Monzon by decision, something like 10-5 or 9-6. Hagler would whine about it, and years later people would say it was controversial.

[Seamus]

I'll take the Hagler who beat Hearns and Sibson over any version of Monzon.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I'll take the Hagler who beat Hearns and Sibson over any version of Monzon.

You're a wise man, and Marvin was greater before that.

[Ezzard]

Not sure that Marvin was a physically strong fighter. He was no slouch, obviously. But Vito, Briscoe, Finnegan and even chubby Roberto handled him in the clinches.

Marvin definitely has the speed advantage but then so did almost everyone when they fought Monzon.

It just comes down to who you prefer.

I like Carlos for the reasons stated above.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Hamsho bullied everyone, and marvin tossed him around like a rag doll. Briscoe definitely pushed him back, I didn't see that from anyone else you mentioned. Vito handled Marvin nowhere, that was a blow out.

[Ezzard]

One thing that would help Marvin was that he had a big reach. I think it was about even with Carlos.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

That surprises me.

[raylawpc]

According to BoxRec, Monzon had a 76" reach and Hagler had a 75" reach.

[BoxBuzz]

I'll take the Hagler who beat Hearns and Sibson over any version of Monzon.

You're a wise man, and Marvin was greater before that.

I would say Seamus is an "agreeable" sort.....and that Marvin was greater before that.

[man]

some things are just too close to call.

[Ambling Alp II]

Lets not forget those phenomenal performances against Brisco, Geraldo, Antuofermo, and Duran.