By Frank Lotierzo
In the last Quarter-century (1980-2005), there have only been two dominant middleweight champions. Marvin Hagler ruled the 160 pound division from 1980-87 and Bernard Hopkins has ruled it since 1995 and he's not through yet. Historically, the middleweight division is boxing's glamor division because of its deep and rich tradition of great fighters. Hagler and Hopkins are the last two links in the chain of middleweight greatness dating back to Bob Fitzsimmons in the early 1890s.
Career Capsule
These two greats missed fighting in the Olympics, but were both overshadowed by Olympic Gold Medalists during their career. Hagler won 54 amateur fights and turned pro shortly after winning the 1973 National AAU middleweight title. Hopkins was a reported 95-4 as an amateur, but missed his chance at the Olympic Trials due to being incarcerated for 56 months for strong-arm robbery. Without Olympic stardom, "The Marvelous One" and "The Executioner" started their career fighting for small purses in nondescript venues as they climbed the middleweight ranks.
Marvin Hagler turned pro at a time when the middleweight division was loaded with outstanding fighters. He went undefeated in his first 26 fights before losing 2 of his next 3, dropping a 10 round decision to top Philly contenders Bobby "Boogalo" Watts and Willie "The Worm" Monroe. Before he would win the title, Hagler stopped Watts and Monroe in rematches.
Six years after turning pro, Hagler fought middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo to a 15 round disputed draw. Ten months later he knocked out Antuofermo's successor, Alan Minter, in three rounds to win the undisputed middleweight championship. Over the next five years Hagler defended the title against the best of the best turning back the challenges of Mustafa Hamsho twice, former champ Vito Antuofermo, Tony Sibson, Wilford Sypion, Juan Roldan and three time champ Roberto Duran.
On Tax-day 1985, Hagler destroyed the once beaten knockout artist and two time champ Thomas Hearns in three brutal rounds. In his next defense he met undefeated John "The Beast" Mugabi. Hagler proved to be too much for "The Beast" and stopped him in the 11th round of what turned out to be his last successful title defense. In 12 title defenses as champion, Roberto Duran was the only fighter Hagler didn't stop.
From 1980 through 1987, Hagler was overshadowed by former Welterweight and Jr. middleweight Champion Sugar Ray Leonard, the superstar fighter of his era. Leonard retired in November of 1982, suffering a detached retina. After fighting once in five years, Leonard came out of retirement to challenge Hagler. On April 6th 1987, Hagler, unbeaten in 11 years, fought his bitter rival Sugar Ray Leonard. In what was a thrilling and exciting fight, Sugar Ray Leonard won a controversial 12 round split decision over Hagler to claim his third title. Hagler retired after the fight saying he was defeated by the politics of boxing not Leonard.
Bernard Hopkins brilliant career got off to less than a hall-of-fame start. Hopkins made his pro-debut in October of 1988, fighting as a light heavyweight he lost a four round decision. After losing his first fight, Hopkins rededicated himself and got in tremendous shape. He won his next 22 bouts and challenged for the IBF middleweight title.
On May 22, 1993, Hopkins lost a 12 round unanimous decision to undefeated and highly regarded Roy Jones for the vacant IBF middleweight title. A year and a half later he was held to a disputed draw by Segundo Mercado in their bout for the IBF middleweight title vacated by Jones. Four months later Hopkins stopped Mercado in the seventh round of their rematch to win the title on April 29, 1995.
Over the next six years Hopkins made 12 successful title defenses. In April of 2001 he won the WBC title from Keith Holmes. In his next fight Hopkins fought undefeated WBA champ Felix Trinidad to unify the middleweight title. On September 29, 2001, Hopkins took the three time champ apart and stopped him in the 12th round to become the undisputed middleweight champion.
From 1999 through 2004, Hopkins accomplishments were overshadowed by superstar Oscar De La Hoya, the Sugar Ray Leonard of his generation. On September 18th 2004, Hopkins fought De La Hoya who held the lightly regarded WBO title. Like Hagler before fighting Leonard, Hopkins hadn't lost a fight in 11 years. In the biggest fight of his career, Hopkins was calculating and didn't push the fight during the first five rounds. Starting in round six he took control and stopped De La Hoya in the ninth with a left hook to the body to make the 19th defense of his title.
Hopkins is probably less than a year away from retiring. As of this writing he's made a record setting 20 consecutive defenses of his middleweight title and has held it longer than any other champion in the history of the division.
Tale of the Championship Tape
Hopkins Hagler
Record 46-2-1 (32) 62-3-2 (52)
Knockout Percentage .653 .776
Record in Title Bouts 20-1-1 (13) 13-1-1 (12)
Opp W/L Defended Against 619-49-13 .908% 465-30-9 .922%
Successful Title Defenses 20 12
Title Duration 122-months 78-months
Style
Marvin Hagler and Bernard Hopkins both fought with the attitude they had something to prove every time they entered the ring. Their mind set was that of a title challenger more so than a defending champion. Being overshadowed by Leonard and De La Hoya made them think they didn't have the luxury of not looking good. This is why they approached each fight thinking they had to win and look impressive.
These were two of the best conditioned fighters of their era and both possessed a concrete chin and were never stopped. Fighting as a counter-puncher is something else they shared. Hagler fought out of a southpaw stance. Hopkins was a conventional right-handed fighter. Hagler was bothered by speed more than Hopkins and wasn't as fluid. Marvin was either pressing the action or laying back to counter. Hopkins was more fluid and his transition from offense to defense was less pronounced.
Hopkins was harder to hit than Hagler, who was susceptible to right leads. To get a good shot on Hopkins, it had to be during an exchange with him as he was trying to score. Hagler is viewed as a fighter who could adjust to his opponents fighting style. However, he was troubled by fighters who made him force the fight and never really adjusted. He also wasn't effective cutting off the ring and tended to follow instead of taking away his opponents escape route. Hopkins was much more versatile and better at finding his opponents weakness during the fight. Without question Hopkins was most effective when he drew his opponents into him, but if he had to fight as the aggressor he was more than capable.
Hagler hit a little harder, but Hopkins was smarter. Despite Hagler having more power, Hopkins had a better two handed attack. Hagler's money punch was his right hand whether jabbing or hooking with it. His left hand when fighting southpaw was more of a setup punch to get him in position to land his right hook. Hopkins could throw a mix of hooks, crosses and uppercuts effectively with both hands. Another style trait shared by Hagler and Hopkins is both fought at a measured pace, but were willing to get rough and fight in the trenches if forced by their opponent.
Who Would've Won
Marvin Hagler was ranked the fourth greatest middleweight in history by Ring Magazine in the November 2004 Special Issue. Bernard Hopkins is still actively defending his title. If Hopkins is judged like other past greats when he retires, on his ability and overall career body of work, he has to be regarded as one of the top ten middleweight champs in history.
Since Hagler and Hopkins are not one punch knockout artists and both showed throughout their career that they took a great punch, it's doubtful a fight between them would end in a knockout. Because of Hagler's strength and durability, I doubt Hopkins would go to war with him unless he's forced to. Hopkins would try to fight Hagler like he fought Felix Trinidad, by stepping back and countering him utilizing his quicker hands and feet.
In the other corner, Hagler may be somewhat challenged by Hopkins size. Knowing Hopkins can be effective fighting outside, Hagler would try and jump on him in the manner he did Thomas Hearns, hoping to turn the bout into a street fight. The key for Hopkins is, can he bring Hagler to him in the same way that Sugar Ray Leonard did, or will Hagler overwhelm him like he did Hearns?
In a fight that would see both fighters having patches of success, I think Hagler's advantage in strength would probably be the deciding factor, tilting the fight in his favor. I see Hagler setting the tempo early building a lead with Hopkins coming on in rounds six through twelve, but the strain of out boxing Hagler during the middle rounds tire him, allowing Hagler to win the last two or three rounds. I would give the edge to Hagler and see him getting a close and noncontroversial decision.
