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10. Alan Minter (39-9 with 23 KOs)
Minter was arguably the best British middleweight of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and seeing as how Britain consistently produces solid middleweights, that is saying something. He beat the likes of Sugar Ray Seales, a faded Emile Griffith, and twice against Vito Antuofermo. All of that was in the 1970s, however. He opened the 1980s as the champion, and was stopped on cuts by Hagler. After that, he was beaten by Hamsho and Tony Sibson. Holding the title is enough to squeak in at #10.
9. Mustafa Hamsho (44-5-2 with 28 KOs)
The only reason why Hamsho does not rate higher is his failure to win a world title. He beat the undefeated Wilfred Scypion, Alan Minter, the undefeated Bobby Czyz, and Wilfred Benitez in that great fighter's last world class outing. Although he was stopped twice by Marvin Hagler, it must be said that he was a man of rare caliber to meet Hagler twice with both guns blazing. "Undaunted" does not begin to describe spirit like that. Late in his career, he dropped a points loss to Donny Lalonde and was stopped by Graciano Rocchigiani. The main reason Hamsho never captured a belt was that Marvin Hagler had them all during Hamsho's prime.
8. John "The Beast" Mugabi (42-7-1 with 39 KOs)
John Mugabi of Uganda was one of those utterly fearsome characters who had to been seen to be believed. He won all of his first 25 of his fights in devastating knockouts, cleaving a path of destruction through the 154 and 160 lbs ranks like a 5'8" George Foreman. As the unified #1
middleweight contender, he met Marvin Hagler and gave the Marvelous One one of the hardest fights of his career. The fight ultimately took too much out of Mugabi. He won a 154 lbs world title, but was never quite the same fighter again, and failed to ever beat a noteworthy opponent. Still, Mugabi was one fighter who truly lived up to his moniker.
7. Iran "The Blade" Barkley (43-19-1 with 27 KOs)
Barkley was a great overachiever. On the plus side, he knocked out Tommy Hearns and Michael Olajide. On the minus side, he was outpointed by Robert Duran, Sumbu Kalambay, and Michael Nunn. In the 1990s he would go on to win some and lose some, but the tough Barkley could always be counted on to be a dangerous opponent.
6. Ray Leonard (36-3-1 with 25 KOs)
Leonard's time at middleweight represents the second half of his career, when he ceased to really accomplish anything great or decisive. In 1981 he jumped up to 154 and beat Ayub Kalule. However, his "win" over Marvin Hagler was questionable in the extreme. He met Thomas Hearns in a 1989 rematch that was declared a Draw, but should have been a loss for Leonard. He beat Donny Lalonde for a 168 lbs and 175 lbs world title because he insisted that Lalonde make the 168 lbs limit, a full 7 pounds below his usual fight weight.The only untainted win of Leonard's tenure at middleweight was his rubber match with Duran. He pointedly avoided fighting any of the young lions that arose in the latter half of the decade. Given that so much of Leonard's record during this latter half of his career is open to debate, his place on this list is in the bottom half.
5. Sumbu Kalambay (57-6-1 with 33 KOs)
Kalambay is a thoroughly underrated fighter, but he outboxed Herol Graham, Iran Barkley, Steve Collins, and went 1-1 with Mike McCallum. His win over McCallum was the first defeat that fighter had ever suffered. Against this is his shocking upset knockout loss to Michael Nunn in 1989, and an early career loss to Ayub Kalule.
4. Roberto Duran (103-16 with 70 KOs)
Ironically, Duran's legacy at middleweight is is arguably stronger than that of his welterweight period. At 154, he was beaten by Wilfred Benitez and crushed by Thomas Hearns. However, his fight with Marvin Hagler was a classic. Duran lost, but was the first fighter to last the distance with the awesome Hagler in years. Then in 1989, he pulled off his huge upset victory by outpointing Iran Barkley, winning the WBC Middleweight Title in the process.
3. Mike "The Bodysnatcher" McCallum (49-5-1 with 36 KOs)
Where Hagler ruled the middleweights from the early to mid 1980s, McCallum took over in the late 1980s. Starting in the early 1980s at 154 lbs, he defeated three good fighters in Ayub Kalule, Julian Jackson, Milton McCrory, and a great one in Donald Curry. Moving up to 160, he was
outboxed by Sumbu Kalambay. However, he bounced back to assert dominance over the division with wins over Herol Graham, Michael Watson, Steve Collins, and finally revenue on Kalambay. Ray Leonard pointedly ducked him. By 1990 McCallum was on the downside of his career, but by then he had been a major force at both 154 and 160 for eight solid years, losing only one major fight along the way.
2. Thomas Hearns (61-5-1 with 48 KOs)
Hearns has a string of accomplishments as a 154, 160, and 168 pound fighter that make him one of the most elite middleweights of the 1980s. At 154, he beat Wilfred Benitez, and stuffed Roberto Duran's tail between his legs in a crushing 2nd Round knockout. At 168, he beat Michael Olajide and drew with Ray Leonard. At 160, he fought one of the greatest bouts of all time with Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and knocked out undefeated prospect James Shuler and Juan Roldan. Against this, he lost by knockout to Iran Barkley. Hearns's only serious competition for the #2 slot is Mike McCallum, and on the balance his accomplishments against truly great fighters outweigh McCallum's record against merely good fighters.
1. Marvelous Marvin Hagler (62-3-2 with 52 KOs)
Marvelous Marvin Hagler ruled the 160 pound division from September 1980 to April 1987, compiling 12 successful defenses along the way. He won most of those defenses by knockout. His 1987 "loss" to Ray Leonard remains controversial and debated to this very day. Hagler defeated half the names on this list: Hearns, Duran, Mugabi, Hamsho, and Minter. He also beat Vito Antuofermo, Tony Sibson, Fulgencio Obelmeijias, and Juan Roldan. Hagler is routinely considered one of the Top 5 best middleweight boxers of all time, and easily comes out as #1 in his own era.
Minter was arguably the best British middleweight of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and seeing as how Britain consistently produces solid middleweights, that is saying something. He beat the likes of Sugar Ray Seales, a faded Emile Griffith, and twice against Vito Antuofermo. All of that was in the 1970s, however. He opened the 1980s as the champion, and was stopped on cuts by Hagler. After that, he was beaten by Hamsho and Tony Sibson. Holding the title is enough to squeak in at #10.
9. Mustafa Hamsho (44-5-2 with 28 KOs)
The only reason why Hamsho does not rate higher is his failure to win a world title. He beat the undefeated Wilfred Scypion, Alan Minter, the undefeated Bobby Czyz, and Wilfred Benitez in that great fighter's last world class outing. Although he was stopped twice by Marvin Hagler, it must be said that he was a man of rare caliber to meet Hagler twice with both guns blazing. "Undaunted" does not begin to describe spirit like that. Late in his career, he dropped a points loss to Donny Lalonde and was stopped by Graciano Rocchigiani. The main reason Hamsho never captured a belt was that Marvin Hagler had them all during Hamsho's prime.
8. John "The Beast" Mugabi (42-7-1 with 39 KOs)
John Mugabi of Uganda was one of those utterly fearsome characters who had to been seen to be believed. He won all of his first 25 of his fights in devastating knockouts, cleaving a path of destruction through the 154 and 160 lbs ranks like a 5'8" George Foreman. As the unified #1
middleweight contender, he met Marvin Hagler and gave the Marvelous One one of the hardest fights of his career. The fight ultimately took too much out of Mugabi. He won a 154 lbs world title, but was never quite the same fighter again, and failed to ever beat a noteworthy opponent. Still, Mugabi was one fighter who truly lived up to his moniker.
7. Iran "The Blade" Barkley (43-19-1 with 27 KOs)
Barkley was a great overachiever. On the plus side, he knocked out Tommy Hearns and Michael Olajide. On the minus side, he was outpointed by Robert Duran, Sumbu Kalambay, and Michael Nunn. In the 1990s he would go on to win some and lose some, but the tough Barkley could always be counted on to be a dangerous opponent.
6. Ray Leonard (36-3-1 with 25 KOs)
Leonard's time at middleweight represents the second half of his career, when he ceased to really accomplish anything great or decisive. In 1981 he jumped up to 154 and beat Ayub Kalule. However, his "win" over Marvin Hagler was questionable in the extreme. He met Thomas Hearns in a 1989 rematch that was declared a Draw, but should have been a loss for Leonard. He beat Donny Lalonde for a 168 lbs and 175 lbs world title because he insisted that Lalonde make the 168 lbs limit, a full 7 pounds below his usual fight weight.The only untainted win of Leonard's tenure at middleweight was his rubber match with Duran. He pointedly avoided fighting any of the young lions that arose in the latter half of the decade. Given that so much of Leonard's record during this latter half of his career is open to debate, his place on this list is in the bottom half.
5. Sumbu Kalambay (57-6-1 with 33 KOs)
Kalambay is a thoroughly underrated fighter, but he outboxed Herol Graham, Iran Barkley, Steve Collins, and went 1-1 with Mike McCallum. His win over McCallum was the first defeat that fighter had ever suffered. Against this is his shocking upset knockout loss to Michael Nunn in 1989, and an early career loss to Ayub Kalule.
4. Roberto Duran (103-16 with 70 KOs)
Ironically, Duran's legacy at middleweight is is arguably stronger than that of his welterweight period. At 154, he was beaten by Wilfred Benitez and crushed by Thomas Hearns. However, his fight with Marvin Hagler was a classic. Duran lost, but was the first fighter to last the distance with the awesome Hagler in years. Then in 1989, he pulled off his huge upset victory by outpointing Iran Barkley, winning the WBC Middleweight Title in the process.
3. Mike "The Bodysnatcher" McCallum (49-5-1 with 36 KOs)
Where Hagler ruled the middleweights from the early to mid 1980s, McCallum took over in the late 1980s. Starting in the early 1980s at 154 lbs, he defeated three good fighters in Ayub Kalule, Julian Jackson, Milton McCrory, and a great one in Donald Curry. Moving up to 160, he was
outboxed by Sumbu Kalambay. However, he bounced back to assert dominance over the division with wins over Herol Graham, Michael Watson, Steve Collins, and finally revenue on Kalambay. Ray Leonard pointedly ducked him. By 1990 McCallum was on the downside of his career, but by then he had been a major force at both 154 and 160 for eight solid years, losing only one major fight along the way.
2. Thomas Hearns (61-5-1 with 48 KOs)
Hearns has a string of accomplishments as a 154, 160, and 168 pound fighter that make him one of the most elite middleweights of the 1980s. At 154, he beat Wilfred Benitez, and stuffed Roberto Duran's tail between his legs in a crushing 2nd Round knockout. At 168, he beat Michael Olajide and drew with Ray Leonard. At 160, he fought one of the greatest bouts of all time with Marvelous Marvin Hagler, and knocked out undefeated prospect James Shuler and Juan Roldan. Against this, he lost by knockout to Iran Barkley. Hearns's only serious competition for the #2 slot is Mike McCallum, and on the balance his accomplishments against truly great fighters outweigh McCallum's record against merely good fighters.
1. Marvelous Marvin Hagler (62-3-2 with 52 KOs)
Marvelous Marvin Hagler ruled the 160 pound division from September 1980 to April 1987, compiling 12 successful defenses along the way. He won most of those defenses by knockout. His 1987 "loss" to Ray Leonard remains controversial and debated to this very day. Hagler defeated half the names on this list: Hearns, Duran, Mugabi, Hamsho, and Minter. He also beat Vito Antuofermo, Tony Sibson, Fulgencio Obelmeijias, and Juan Roldan. Hagler is routinely considered one of the Top 5 best middleweight boxers of all time, and easily comes out as #1 in his own era.
he really is an idiot
Oops, we've already dispelled that stupidity.
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