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

[Hitman932]

Some fighters are better suited to moving up than others.

Guys who are classic boxers will always be more successful when moving up than someone like Hagler who basically made every fight a war of attrition and a battle of wills.

His style wasn't conducive to jumping to 175, and 168 didn't exist for much of his career.

If anything Hagler should be applauded for only fighting in a weight division where he was giving his very best effort every single time he was in the ring.

What isn't being said in this thread is that often fighters move up in weight because they grow lazy about diet and training and don't really want to put forth the effort to make weight. Usually when they move up they take a hand picked opponent and not the very best the next division has to offer.

Hagler just wasn't that kind of fighter. His discipline and focus are legendary by any standard.

[Thread Stealer]

Some fighters are better suited to moving up than others.

Guys who are classic boxers will always be more successful when moving up than someone like Hagler who basically made every fight a war of attrition and a battle of wills.

His style wasn't conducive to jumping to 175, and 168 didn't exist for much of his career.

If anything Hagler should be applauded for only fighting in a weight division where he was giving his very best effort every single time he was in the ring.

What isn't being said in this thread is that often fighters move up in weight because they grow lazy about diet and training and don't really want to put forth the effort to make weight. Usually when they move up they take a hand picked opponent and not the very best the next division has to offer.

Hagler just wasn't that kind of fighter. His discipline and focus are legendary by any standard.

How many fights did he make a "war of attrition" or a "battle of wills"? Out of his 12 successful title defenses, the only fights had fit this description are his last two.

He was more of a "classical boxer" in most of his fights than a guy who went into "wars of attrition". He'd outbox his opponents behind the jab, break them down, and stop them. Or if he'd hurt them, he'd jump on them. But he was first and foremost a boxer for the great majority of his career.

[young_rascal]

I don't understand how any of you can say that staying in one division your whole career and fighting (often naturally lighter fighters) isn't less impressive than moving up in weight and fighting bigger people, all other things equal. That's just not a credible argument.

There are other ways to defend Hagler's greatness.

[-Huey-]

Just because he's from back then, it seems that in order to be called an ATG you must be from way back then or else you are not ATG material. That's the idiotic way of thinking around here by some ****s in this forum.

[RimmyDelicious]

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS.

Both Mike Spinks and Dwight Quai wanted Marvin, and Marvin never budged. He made his bones and his legacy at 160, but it needs to be accounted for that he never challenged himself against bigger men.

[RimmyDelicious]

And BTW, Quai and Spinks both wax Marvin.

[Spray_resistant]

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS.

Both Mike Spinks and Dwight Quai wanted Marvin, and Marvin never budged. He made his bones and his legacy at 160, but it needs to be accounted for that he never challenged himself against bigger men.

Why should anyone?

The weight classes are there for fighters of that particular size to fight in.

He was the best MW of his time, so what if he didn't want to move up?

It is absolutely asking too much of fighters to go out of where they physically belong against fighters who they are at a disadvantage against.

[Calilloyd]

How many fights did he make a "war of attrition" or a "battle of wills"? Out of his 12 successful title defenses, the only fights had fit this description are his last two.

He was more of a "classical boxer" in most of his fights than a guy who went into "wars of attrition". He'd outbox his opponents behind the jab, break them down, and stop them. Or if he'd hurt them, he'd jump on them. But he was first and foremost a boxer for the great majority of his career.

Very true and well said. Hagler's first fight with Mustafa Hamsho was a boxing clinic from Hagler. That's just one example.

[Calilloyd]

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS.

Both Mike Spinks and Dwight Quai wanted Marvin, and Marvin never budged. He made his bones and his legacy at 160, but it needs to be accounted for that he never challenged himself against bigger men.

For me it's a non issue. Carlos Monzon was a bigger Middleweight than Hagler. But I don't hold against him that he never moved up and fought Bob Foster. And like Hagler, some of his biggest wins were against fighter's that moved up. Doesn't change his legacy as far as I'm concerned.

[Real King Kong]

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

schooling tarver was an example of this?