Why does Hagler get a pass for never moving up in weight?

[SugarRoyJones]

Almost all the great fighters outside of the heavyweight division have moved up the scale to test themselves at one point or another. I know the excuse will be he was waiting on Leonard and Hearns to come up to 16olbs to make big money fights, that's fine, but they weren't gonna test him physically.

He could've fought Spinks, Qawi, Saad Muhammad. Mustafa Muhammad, or any of the top rated lightheavys of his time, but he just feasted on the 160lbs division and never challenged himself. Guys who move up multiple weight classes and eventually lose to naturally bigger men as a result get criticized harshly, but shouldn't they be given credit for testing their physical limits? Hagler as great as he was didn't risk himself.

Roy Jones couldv'e starved himself and feasted on the middleweight division for over 20 years, but he went above and beyond and eventually annihilated a solid heavyweight. Even Hopkins is testing himself now at higher weights.

Roy Jones(154-Heavyweight), Leonard(147-168), Hearns,(147-190) Pacquiao,(106-147) Mayweather(130-154) Hopkins(175-160-175) James Toney(160-heavyweight) Sugar Ray Robinson(147-175) Duran(135-168) MARVIN HAGLER (160)

Fans need to give more credit to the men who beat naturally bigger fighters.

[~Riley~]

Maybe he was fighting bigger fighters at 160 when he was younger and then naturally grew into the division? That's why he's one of the best middleweights of all time. He ran that division.

[kenso]

i dont think there is anything wrong with campaigning in a single division your entire career, just as long as you aren't ducking the guys within it. TBH, some of the "ducking" by fighters IS when they move up in weight to avoid the dangerous opponents within their weight class.

tim bradley may be a current example.

[infamous larryx]

since when was ruling one division bad???since when do you HAVE to move up??

[jrosales13]

I seriously doubt Roy could of stayed at MW and feasted himself for over 20 years against MWs. He would of outgrown the division and weakened himself.

Anyways Willie Pep never moved up, Carlos Monzon never moved up. Doesn't mean they get a passed or takes away from their ATG's.

Even Aaron Pryor didn't move up until he was completely done.

[SugarRoyJones]

i dont think there is anything wrong with campaigning in a single division your entire career, just as long as you aren't ducking the guys within it. TBH, some of the "ducking" by fighters IS when they move up in weight to avoid the dangerous opponents within their weight class.

tim bradley may be a current example.

Alexander/Khan/Maidana/Ortiz can all move their asses up to 147lbs too. The division has more name recognition and it just makes since. They all have big frames and can carry the extra 7lbs easily.

[ИATAS]

I don't know why peopel think everyone needs to move up in weight. If he was naturally at his best at 160, which clearly he was, why in the hell would you want to move up in weight if he was such a dominating force at 160? That's a lot of guys downfall.

also, hagler wasn't tall like some of those other guys like hearns and SRL that could add pounds with little effect. hagler probably would have struggled if he put on 15 pounds with his body frame.

[Toney616]

Almost all the great fighters outside of the heavyweight division have moved up the scale to test themselves at one point or another. I know the excuse will be he was waiting on Leonard and Hearns to come up to 16olbs to make big money fights, that's fine, but they weren't gonna test him physically.

He could've fought Spinks, Qawi, Saad Muhammad. Mustafa Muhammad, or any of the top rated lightheavys of his time, but he just feasted on the 160lbs division and never challenged himself. Guys who move up multiple weight classes and eventually lose to naturally bigger men as a result get criticized harshly, but shouldn't they be given credit for testing their physical limits? Hagler as great as he was didn't risk himself.

Roy Jones couldv'e starved himself and feasted on the middleweight division for over 20 years, but he went above and beyond and eventually annihilated a solid heavyweight. Even Hopkins is testing himself now at higher weights.

Roy Jones(154-Heavyweight), Leonard(147-168), Hearns,(147-190) Pacquiao,(106-147) Mayweather(130-154) Hopkins(175-160-175) James Toney(160-heavyweight) Sugar Ray Robinson(147-175) Duran(135-168) MARVIN HAGLER (160)

Fans need to give more credit to the men who beat naturally bigger fighters.

Both Spinks and Qawi called him out, but he wasnt interested in moving up.
He also called out Duran, Benitez, Leonard and Hearns

He shouldnt get a pass imo, but he was a great fighter so maybe thats why he gets a pass

Hopkins isnt exactly testing himself, his basically fighting smaller fighters at a higher weight

[SugarRoyJones]

since when was ruling one division bad???since when do you HAVE to move up??

Not saying it's bad, but am I wrong for saying it should be a blemish on your legacy if you never do it?

[ИATAS]

also I think it's MORE impressive to dominate one division, clean house, get all the belts, then say win one belt at one weight class, then jump up to the next weight class, win a belt, them leave again. The latter you don't fight all the top guys inthat division, you fight one or two champs and that's it. Whereas people like hagler and bernard hopkins, they fought EVERYONE in the division and dominated them all. Taht's impressive.