Could Bernard Hopkins beat Marvin Hagler?

[StarshipTrooper]

To London and Poet, I don't belive Hopkins and Hagler would have competed in the same class under the same rules. We will have to disagree on that one.

Really? I'd love to hear your reasons why. It's possible I may be missing something here but I was never under the impression that Hopkins weight fluctuated that dramatically from weigh-in to fight time when he was in his prime (unlike the usual suspects eg. Arturo Gatti).

Poet

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My thoughts when I compare fighters from before-after is that only a few ones would be at their current weight class. Example I doubt Mayweather would have made 130 for long if at all, Hopkins would not have made 160 forever. Most of these fighters would have been 1 weight class away from the ones they fought at, so I believe Hagler would have been at 154 pounds.

Gatti, Corrales, Cotto would have been 2 weight classes away.

Look at the average height of fighters from a given weight class. It is different from the 70s to the 90s.

Finally to Manchine. Hopkins might have been able to make 154 until a shorthile ago, I wonder if there would be any price to pay in terms of stamina. And by the same token, Hagler who made 157 on fight night all into the 80s, might have been able to compete at 147 these days.

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Hagler was short but he was stocky, he never came in looking like he could lose a few pounds, he was always ripped and muscular..I really can't see him dropping 154..

He was weighin at 157 on fight night, to be honest I can imagine him making 147 early in his career. But maybe you are right.

[j.razor]

B-Hop can get that W, Hagler is not slick & will be lookin 4 a fight while B-Hop will make him fight his fight...B-Hop wins ud.

[JAB5239]

** Poppy has shown up a few lbs below 160 as well, indicating he, like Marv, in a pinch could make 154 limits.

Poppy is taller, but he does not have a bigger frame than Marv. The gist of this thread born out of the masterclass Poppy pulled on an obvious off night Pavlik. May be up there with what ol Arch used to make routine back in his day, but also Poppy needed his best ever performance to beat Kelly

This begs the question, what the hay has Poppy been smokin' the rest of his career? The only other performance against a top, in shape fighter coming close is Tito who was obviously a smaller fighter moving up.

Not a Poppy fan, too whiny and dirty tricks for me, but I'm willing to give him his due as tough, savvy, talented, disciplined class of the middles of his era. Hagler fought in a tougher era and had the more storied career, yet Poppy did something Marv never did which is hang around long enough to reinvent himself.

Marv shouldn't be downgraded for not doing that, but it is a feather in Poppy career, which to this point had been less than Marv regardless of modern day statistical anomolies of more alphabet title fights.

Who was it laughing about any fight involving Marv being an easy fight? That's it, but I guess in a hypothetical matchup, we'd have to say the same about Poppy.

One factor that works for Marv is he has the better chin. I've seen Poppy hurt and down, though he recovers well. Marv also has more power against a more numerous cast of better competition than Poppy has shown.

It's be a great fight, part technical, part brawling, a whole lotta adjusting tactics to see who breaks who down. I favor Marv. His only real weakness was an insecurity over his boxing prowess where he tended to give away rounds trying to prove he could beat a top boxer by boxing. Seeing that Poppy ain't a pure boxer type, that wouldn't be a factor in this fight.

Hagler wins. Much more dangerous, durable, and consistent fighter.

Nice post!!

[Boxing Purist]

Hagler was a tomato can champion. Once he foguht someone good that could handle middlewieght(even then the guy wasn't his won size!) he lost and was a bitter sore loser ever since. b-Hop would have beat his ass down in the 90's if Marvellous didn't retire so soon. I think RJJ and Toney would have too. hagler was flat footed. They would stick and move just like Sugar ray and school him.

[Boxing Purist]

B-Hop can get that W, Hagler is not slick & will be lookin 4 a fight while B-Hop will make him fight his fight...B-Hop wins ud.

Spot on son.

[JAB5239]

Hagler was a tomato can champion. Once he foguht someone good that could handle middlewieght(even then the guy wasn't his won size!) he lost and was a bitter sore loser ever since. b-Hop would have beat his ass down in the 90's if Marvellous didn't retire so soon. I think RJJ and Toney would have too. hagler was flat footed. They would stick and move just like Sugar ray and school him.

Only 7 posts and your credibility is already shot. Damn shame.

[StarshipTrooper]

Only 7 posts and your credibility is already shot. Damn shame.

Doesn't take long for some of them. Actually I think that's an alt (as I usually do when I see only a handful of posts and the person's being an obnoxious troll). This dude ressurected the noisome Marciano-Is-A-Bum thread so conclusions are pretty easy to draw.

Poet

[TheGreatA]

Hagler was a tomato can champion. Once he foguht someone good that could handle middlewieght(even then the guy wasn't his won size!) he lost and was a bitter sore loser ever since. b-Hop would have beat his ass down in the 90's if Marvellous didn't retire so soon. I think RJJ and Toney would have too. hagler was flat footed. They would stick and move just like Sugar ray and school him.

I agree Hagler was flat-footed as seen in this fight (especially at 6:40 when he plants his feet and swings wildly with no technique):