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Hagler would pressure Jones, stick to him, and corner him. Add to that Hagler's physical strength, chin, stamina, wealth of experience against all kinds of monsters, and his superior skill and it spells "bad night for Roy". The skill factor should not be overlooked. Hagler confused Duran with his switching so smoothly in and out of the southpaw position - and Duran was light years ahead of Roy in terms of both experience and skill. I did a post on another board acknowledging that Duran is a defensive master and yet Hagler was connecting very often because he was both highly skilled and confusing.
Eddie Futch gave Montell Griffin an effective strategy for Jones because Futch saw what everyone else was too dazzled to see - technical weaknesses. Griffin pressured him, stuck to his chest, and tried to pin him with hooks on the inside. Watch any of Roy's fights and when he is cornered and the opponent (usually just that - an opponent) is close and on him, he looked utterly bewildered.. stretching his neck, turning his head, even closing his eyes. This is where Hagler would be. And Hagler is far stronger than Griffin and Hopkins.
I see Jones leaping in to potshot Hagler and Hagler timing him with an overhand and then sliding right in and working his ribs, bulling him into the corner, and preventing escape. All night.
I can hear all the kids on here now saying:
'Roy would be too fast for Hagler.' (yawn)
'Hagler has trouble with guys with speed and could box.' (like who?)
'Just watch the Leonard fight!' (ah..)
Please, the 1987 Hagler was not the sharp, counter-hitting Hagler of '77/'78 or the sharp, all-around machine who trounced Minter and Sibson.
I say this..
Roy was out-feinted and out-boxed by Montell Griffin.
Roy was given great trouble by southpaws Harding and Tarver.
Basically skilled fighters who applied SKILLED pressure gave Jones a lot of trouble.
Ofcourse Hagler did not have the blazing speed of Jones. He had a legion of other advantages that include in no particular order:
1. Far more experience with a far greater variety of opponents and a far higher caliber of opponents and far more experience in dealing with real challengers and adversity.
2. Technical superiority which suggests to me that it would be Hagler, not Jones who would be varying the attack and applying multi-dimensional strategies in the ring. He was far more well-rounded. Leonard was, by contrast, a master technician AND strategist. Which is the actual primary reason he did so well against Hagler. Leonard's athleticism was what it should be for the truly great fighter - a supplement to sound technique.
3. Both fighters exchange multiple blows throughout the bout. Whose chin holds up? There is only one answer here, friends.
This is not to say that Jones doesn't pose problems for Hagler. Jones would for any middleweight who ever lived. The assertion generally made with a Hagler and Jones fantasy fight that if they 'boxed' Hagler would not have fun is confusing. Hagler was a master boxer in his prime. For the purposes of the argument, say that Jones's athleticism, speed and rythym and timing allows him to out-box Hagler from the outside. Hagler can switch positions and try again, he can work his way inside and fire up the ribs, he can make it a slugfest. Any of those strategies are possible and any of them can completely change the advantage. Now, let's say that Hagler is able to force his way inside and neutralize Jones' outside rythym boxing prowess. Then what? What answers does Jones have left for Hagler? Clinching?? Jones will have to do better than that.
Hagler UD, stoppage or KO, any way you slice it.
Eddie Futch gave Montell Griffin an effective strategy for Jones because Futch saw what everyone else was too dazzled to see - technical weaknesses. Griffin pressured him, stuck to his chest, and tried to pin him with hooks on the inside. Watch any of Roy's fights and when he is cornered and the opponent (usually just that - an opponent) is close and on him, he looked utterly bewildered.. stretching his neck, turning his head, even closing his eyes. This is where Hagler would be. And Hagler is far stronger than Griffin and Hopkins.
I see Jones leaping in to potshot Hagler and Hagler timing him with an overhand and then sliding right in and working his ribs, bulling him into the corner, and preventing escape. All night.
I can hear all the kids on here now saying:
'Roy would be too fast for Hagler.' (yawn)
'Hagler has trouble with guys with speed and could box.' (like who?)
'Just watch the Leonard fight!' (ah..)
Please, the 1987 Hagler was not the sharp, counter-hitting Hagler of '77/'78 or the sharp, all-around machine who trounced Minter and Sibson.
I say this..
Roy was out-feinted and out-boxed by Montell Griffin.
Roy was given great trouble by southpaws Harding and Tarver.
Basically skilled fighters who applied SKILLED pressure gave Jones a lot of trouble.
Ofcourse Hagler did not have the blazing speed of Jones. He had a legion of other advantages that include in no particular order:
1. Far more experience with a far greater variety of opponents and a far higher caliber of opponents and far more experience in dealing with real challengers and adversity.
2. Technical superiority which suggests to me that it would be Hagler, not Jones who would be varying the attack and applying multi-dimensional strategies in the ring. He was far more well-rounded. Leonard was, by contrast, a master technician AND strategist. Which is the actual primary reason he did so well against Hagler. Leonard's athleticism was what it should be for the truly great fighter - a supplement to sound technique.
3. Both fighters exchange multiple blows throughout the bout. Whose chin holds up? There is only one answer here, friends.
This is not to say that Jones doesn't pose problems for Hagler. Jones would for any middleweight who ever lived. The assertion generally made with a Hagler and Jones fantasy fight that if they 'boxed' Hagler would not have fun is confusing. Hagler was a master boxer in his prime. For the purposes of the argument, say that Jones's athleticism, speed and rythym and timing allows him to out-box Hagler from the outside. Hagler can switch positions and try again, he can work his way inside and fire up the ribs, he can make it a slugfest. Any of those strategies are possible and any of them can completely change the advantage. Now, let's say that Hagler is able to force his way inside and neutralize Jones' outside rythym boxing prowess. Then what? What answers does Jones have left for Hagler? Clinching?? Jones will have to do better than that.
Hagler UD, stoppage or KO, any way you slice it.
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