BoxRec

The title speaks for itself. Who is the greatest middleweight boxer of all time, aside from Ray Robinson? Of course some may feel that there were middleweights better than Robinson perhaps so feel free to share thoughts.

I'd name Monzon the best MW ever.

DrDuke wrote: ↑11 Jun 2018, 17:05 I'd name Monzon the best MW ever.

X2

I'm a hagler guy myself of course greb will be mentioned .

I truly believe SRR is a "greatest" but not as a MW.....he was the greatest WW.......with Duran as the greatest LW.


SRR would have a tough time against Monzon, Hagler, Greb.....and you could probably name a few others that he would struggle mightily with. The onion farmer did best him in that weight division. Something that just would likely not happen to the other 3 I just named.

As a middleweight I think, on any given night, everyone these guys could beat SRR, depending at what point in their career's they meet., and of course SRR could just as well beat them all. I would bet on SRR in most every match-up but wouldn't consider any of them sure things. Robinson was greatest in re-matches, but there were times when he could be bullied/out muscled.

Burley (A cagey, annoying fight that SRR wins four out of five times.)
Fitzsimmons (He could hit like a HW at 160)
Greb (He may bully SRR the way Duran bullied Leonard in Montreal)
Graziano (Yes even Gaziano from '46 just might bully and overwhelm SRR; and then probably get kOed next time out.)
Hagler (Good enough counter puncher and maybe too strong for SRR; Robinson would find it difficult fighting a man he couldn't hurt, e.g Hearns-Hagler)
Ketchel (I honestly don't know if these pioneer fighters had the skill set to stay with SRR)
LaMotta (Everyone quickly thinks of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but remember these two went at it for 65 rounds before either fighter could gain dominance over the other; that's what made round 13 of the final fight so special. Fans had been waiting a long time for the issue to be decided.)
Langford (So legendary he is a threat to everyone; who really knows)
Monzon (The guy who would probably beat him every time.)
Papke (Same situation as Ketchel)
Zale (Zale in '42 may have hit hard enough (counter punched) that the smaller Robinson found it impossible to get in on Zale. But unlike Hagler, Robinson may have been able to hurt Zale, maybe.

Anyway my short answer is Carlos Monzon.

Langford was a beast, but I don't think he fought enough as a Middle to belong in the discussion, though he'd be up there if they fought.

Tommy Ryan had a really good run, but was really more of a Welter, and I don't think would do too well H2H against the very best middles.

Ketchel was a beast, but seemed to already be burning himself out, I don't think he would have gotten much further than he did. I think he was just a bit too wild and crude for the very top (though he wasn't a total caveman). Plus he wasn't super dominant like some others, often going through really hard fights with opponents, and picking up a couple losses.

Hagler was brilliant in terms of reign resume, and looking good, certainly ranks highly. Though other top ones beat him, especially with stepping up the weights.

I'd probably put it between Greb and Fitzsimmons, both had a solid run at Middleweight (though Fitz's opponents have been somewhat forgotten), could beat a diverse range of top boxers, and bigger top boxers. Greb had better depth, especially at middleweight, whereas Fitz reached greater heights at heavy, and was more emphatic getting consistant stoppages. Fitz had much better longevity, but Greb fought more often.

Though there's a few others maybe I just don't know enough about.

ya, bob had those great wins over hws who weighed 180 pounds day of the fight

#1- Harry Greb

#2- Stanley Ketchel

#3- Bob Fitzsimmons

#4- Carlos Monzon

#5- Marvin Hagler