Greatest Middleweight of all time dream bout : Marvin Hagler Vs Sugar Ray Robinson Who wins ?

Question

For the answerers who are harping on about the Leonard fight, one fight doesnt make a career, every fighter can have an off night, i mean Robinson got beat by Lamotta who we all know is not in the same class as him.

Lots of great answers and yet again too hard to pick one, so i will have to leave it to the vote. I probably liked Brent's the best as Hagler got to win in that scenario but great answers from all the usual suspects Santana, Smitty, Bluedevil aka Toughguy, Pancho, Keith and C J Caparas. Thanks.

Also good answers from jdp, Nypokerplayer and Paulie i couldnt remember all the names first time round. Thanks.

Answer 1

Frank ~

Hagler was too slow to keep up with Robinson. Ray Leonard was fast and Hagler had problems with him, and the fact that Robinson went downstairs with the left hook more than practically any middleweight in history would make Marvin even slower.

Marvin wouldn't be able intimidate Robinson, if Sugar Ray wasn't intimidated by Jake Lamotta then Marvin wouldn't come close. Marvin's southpaw stance wouldn't bother Robinson either. Ray Robinson had a large entourage that followed him everywhere and in his entourage was a amateur fight by the name of Willie Soutfield who was a southpaw and by Robinson's trainer observations "Could crack and was super fast" and Robinson always sparred with him for every fight.

Sugar Ray in his prime would be just way too much for a Hagler in his prime. It is my opinion, that Ray wouldn't be able to stop Marvin who had a cast-iron chin, but he would hurt him often upstairs and downstairs throughout the bout. Ray would win a 15 round unanimous decision.

Thanks for the question Frank.

Answer 2

I feel (as do countless others) that Sugar Ray Robinson had the greatest pure boxing skills of any fighter ever- a fight fan's dream. He had good power, great hand speed, great footwork and a tremendous heart and will to win. Marvin Hagler was a very polished fighter and fought like old school fighters. He had an iron jaw and tremendous boxing skills and threw devastating punches. I rank both Robinson and Hagler in the top 3 middleweights of all time (with Monzon), so this would be a great fight. I would say vintage Robinson would be about 1951 and vintage Hagler about 1980 to 1984. Sugar Ray would have the agvantage in height over Hagler - 5 foot 11 to 5 foot 9.

Hagler would be the aggressor early on but Robinson would answer with fast combinations. About the 7th-9th round Robinson would start controlling the fight with his fast jabs and dazzling footwork. Hagler would come on strong winning some late rounds but Robinson would win the last one or two rounds for a split decision victory, with the boxing world clamouring for a rematch.

Answer 3

This is an instant classic! These guys are, from what most people i've talked to, the two best Middleweights in history and it would be a great fight. Robinson's speed, skills, and power against Hagler's chin, tenacity, southpaw style, and heart. What a match up! I see this fight as a see-saw battle with Sugar taking the early lead with his speed and crisp punching and keeping a determined Hagler off balance with good footwork, but Marvin coming on in the middle rounds with a good right jab and some terrific left crosses and him switching back and forth from southpaw to orthodox and getting Ray on the ropes and banging the body. The great chins of both men would allow them to land some major punches and keep fighting without either man going down. After a dead even fight after 10 rounds, Robinson would get his second wind and use his speed and legs down the stretch and outscore Marvin from the outside and Marvin would rally very late in the fight but would come up on the short end of a 15 round split decision for the Sugar Man in an all time great fight!

Answer 4

Good question sir! In my opinion Robinson, Hagler, and Monzon were the greatest middleweights in boxing history. Robinson was also probably the greatest welterweight of all time too. Had any of these three ever fought each other in their primes it would have made for some really great fights that could have went either way. In my opinion Robinson fought in an era of truly great middleweights fighting such men as Fullmer, Turpin, Basillio, LaMotta, Graziano among others. He in my opinion was the ultimate boxer with great speed, footwork, power and ring generalship. Marvin Hagler was a fiercely determined fighter with good speed and power, not to mention an iron jaw which Robinson also had as well! I believe this would have been a very even contest with Robinson taking the early rounds with his speed but very close rounds. I see Hagler landing really hard shots about middle ways through this fight with Robinson fighting back fiercely. In the championship rounds I see this fight going back and forth in momentum with Robinson probably landing a few more punches than Hagler. In the end of a tremendous fight I have Robinson the winner by split decision with a rematch being demanded by the boxing public.

Answer 5

If Ray Robinson got by LaMotta, he would have got past Hagler, but it would have been a war. Robinson's mobility would have given Hagler the same problems that Ray Leonard gave Hagler, but Robinson's power was better then Leonard's so the fight wouldn't have ended in controversy. Were Leonard ran for 2:30 and flurried the last 30 seconds of each round, Ray Robinson would have circled, and punished Hagler continuously as he bore in. Styles make fights, and as good as Marvin was, Robinson, more so than any other had the style to make Marvin look ordinary. As strange as it sounds with two such legendary punchers, footwork would have been the deciding factor.

Robinson by lopsided decision.

Answer 6

Robinson was at his prime when he was a welterweight and thats when he was untouchable but he was stil Ray Robinson when he fought at middle weight and no matter who's in the ring with him it would be a tough fight. I see the fight between Hagler and Robinson being similar to the Lamotta Robinson fights, but even tougher for Robinson. I think we would all agree that Jake LaMotta had a better chin than Robinson and Robinson was able to KO him so i think Robinson would be capable of KO'ing or at least stopping Hagler.

Answer 7

I beg to differ with some of the other answerers. What is key and needs to be pointed out is that Robinson was just past his peak when he took the Middleweight title from LaMotta in '51. Would Hagler at his peak as middleweight champion lose to Randy Turpin, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fullmer and Paul Pender? Many who frequent this forum answered my questions I posed matching both Monzon and Hagler against the fighters mentioned above. All who answered picked none of these fighters to beat Carlos or Marvin. I guess styles make fights but I don't see Robinson walking over Hagler. If a true welter like Basilio could stand in there toe to toe with Robinson and win their first fight in a gut check type fight, I see Hagler being able to do the same and land harder punches against Robinson. Basilio rocked Robinson against the ropes in their first fight and Hagler would do the same. Hagler by a split decision. Robinson is the greatest pound for pound fighter ever and the greatest welterweight ever but he wasn't the best middleweight ever simply for the fact that he was past his prime when he campaigned in that division.

Answer 8

Another great question for Mr. Frank D. I think that this is an even match-up. Both men battled with equally great opposition in their primes and they both have tremendous generalship in the ring. Hagler will have an advantage in chin and power. Robinson will have an advantage in speed, stamina, and defense.
In the early rounds, Robinson will build an early lead, probably sweeping the first two to three rounds. Hagler will start slow. He will be effective by the middle rounds. I see Sugar Ray's lead being trimmed by the later rounds. hagler will control the fight there. Both men will be tired. I see Sugar Ray holding on to his lead by the by the time the final bell rings. Ultimately, it will be the great Sugar Ray Robinson via a rather close unanimous decision.

Answer 9

I'll go with Sugar Ray on this one, maybe there would be a rematch or 2 or 5 like LaMotta... and Hagler would win 1 or 2 of those.

Answer 10

At middleweight Robinson replaced into beatable. i'd easily provide Hagler an aspect right here. in the journey that they fought 3 circumstances Hagler may win one or maybe even 2. Robinson replaced into up in years at this weight. it is a really exciting and close not straightforward fought conflict. fantastic ever yet in my view Hagler is the more beneficial useful all round middleweight.