Comments Thread For: Marvin Hagler, Terence Crawford, and the importance of knowing when to settle down

[LAchargers373]

Both fights won't be easy. Tzyzu might be trickier because of his patience. Ortiz comes forward and that suits Bud cause he can show off defensive skills and counter.

I think Ortiz will mow both tsyzu and Crawford down. Great great fights tho 154 is the glamour division rn it has a lot of talent hopefully we get the great fights made

[SUBZER0ED]

So, I believe that the dominant long-term champions, in any division or era generally fought the best competition available to them. With some exceptions, I believe that the top level competition in any era (especially from LW-MW) is always excellent. The issue, it seems to me, is that fans (even knowledgeable ones) tend to flippantly disregard and dismiss the contenders they don't know while elevating the ones they did see or read about. In most cases, these great contenders (e.g. the aforementioned Hamsho, Minter, Mugabi) are known principally for there losses. I believe that many of the same criticisms that are leveled by cynical fans at great fighters like GGG can be easily leveled at other greats like Bernard Hopkins, Monzon, etc. I watched every televised fight of BHop from MW up. I didn't say his career was better than Haglers, except that he did certainly make more successful defenses. Like Hagler, his most famous win was against a more famous guy moving up (Tito). Bhop had an amazing career, but even though he was (at one time) the longest reigning MW champion in history, his critics dismissed him as a bum of the month champion. But who did he duck and did these critics ever actually see those MW fights to be able to say that his opposition was softer than Haglers or Monzon's? Of course not. Apart from the FAB 4 (who were all, in fact, smaller guys moving up), what opponent of Hagler's was any better than Hopkins' or GGG's opponents? None of them. GGG beats every fighter Hopkins, Monzon or Hagler ever beat, and I do believe he beats most of them worse because GGG never ****ed around. He beat the best fighers of his era (most by devastating KO), but his tweener critics still find fault and say he also fought nothing but bums. GGG was robbed in the two biggest fights of his career, but the lazy (or obstinate) critic casually ignores that fact. What I've been saying is that the same criticisms, the ones with some foundation and the ones that are pure BS, pretty much apply to all of these great fighters.

Two things that Golovkin's detractors won't admit: 1) Big names weren't chasing him when he was KO'ing everyone and had the highest KO ratio in the sport at the time. and 2) Canelo refused to fight him until GGG was 35 years old and showing signs of slowing down, while he was 27 and prime.

Of note, Benavidez is 27 and Canelo is 34 and showing signs of slowing down. Of course, he doesn't want to fight that young, big, tough kid!

[SUBZER0ED]

That is indeed the mentality. And, when a champion stays in their lane, people also tend to look at any traits that persist amongst their opposition. For example, Monzon particularly, and to a lesser extent Hagler, were both a good size for middle weight. Hence it must follow that any opponent coming up in weight must be smaller and at a disadvantage. This despite how the actual fights look... and again, an example, sure with Naples he looked older and smaller than Monzon... in this particular case there is truth... But Ray Leanard? Thomas Hearns? Did these guys look smaller and frailer than Hagler? Or am I missing something? And if you say (missing something) "a brain cell" its on the cobbles!

No, they weren't smaller. Haters are gonna hate, though. Leonard was pretty equal to Hagler's size and The Hitman had filled out by the time he fought Marvin. Oh, that first round!
Darned site won't allow me to post the video.

[greeneye99]

Not true. I mentioned it a long time ago, shortly after his first accident. But then after he beat Garcia and Ugas, I thought maybe he was ok. And then he had a second accident, that was a head-on collision. I have a buddy who suffered brain trauma from playing football years ago. He was KO'd during practice. He seemed ok, then some 30 years later, he got hit by a bicyclist while on foot patrol as a cop. He had to learn how to speak again. The Drs told him that he must be careful to avoid any head trauma whatsoever for the rest of his life, or he could be severely disabled. Brain damage is cumulative, my friend.

My Point exact!
You mentioned Spence first accident a long time ago
You never mentioned it leading up to the Crawford Fight because You thought he was okay
You had Spence to defeat Crawford
Which didn't happen

[SUBZER0ED]

My Point exact!
You mentioned Spence first accident a long time ago
You never mentioned it leading up to the Crawford Fight because You thought he was okay
You had Spence to defeat Crawford
Which didn't happen

True, but your OP stated that I had Spence winning by KO. I don't believe I did. And as I said, that second accident may well have put Spence's brain damage over the edge. I was a little concerned, but I thought he was good then too, as he downplayed it. Ok, so I assume that you picked Crawford to win. But did you think he'd win like THAT? I mean, damn, Spence looked like a scared deer in headlights, who didn't know whether to zig, zag, or just stand there and get run over.

[BlackRobb]

GGG has no wins vs any HOF talent. Look at his resume. Do you see any wins vs HOF talent? He arguably lost to Jacobs and Derevyanchenko. That is his level. At least Hamsho beat Wilfred Benitez and Bobby Czyz. You bought into the HBO creation. GGG is a long reigning champ over guys like Steve Rolls. You don't understand how weak the talent pool is these days.

Bobby Czyz was nothing more than an NBC Sportsworld fighter ~ nothing special and in the same class as Hard Rock Green and Animal Fletcher.

Benitez was shot by the time Hilton, Moore and Hamsho got to him. In his prime, none of those could hit him in the a** with a handful of sand.

[greeneye99]

True, but your OP stated that I had Spence winning by KO. I don't believe I did. And as I said, that second accident may well have put Spence's brain damage over the edge. I was a little concerned, but I thought he was good then too, as he downplayed it. Ok, so I assume that you picked Crawford to win. But did you think he'd win like THAT? I mean, damn, Spence looked like a scared deer in headlights, who didn't know whether to zig, zag, or just stand there and get run over.

Yea Bro
I'm a huge TC fan & I even won 2x different $100 Bets on this site with my Crawford KO prediction
The other dude didn't pay up & changed his Name Lol
Spence performance wasn't no suprise I knew Crawford speed & power would hurt him

[steeve steel]

I think Ortiz will mow both tsyzu and Crawford down. Great great fights tho 154 is the glamour division rn it has a lot of talent hopefully we get the great fights made

Let's see how he fares against a legit 154 in Bohachuk. Then we'll know more. Nonetheless, saying he will mow down Crawford or Tzyzu is a pretty reckless statement.

[elfag]

Today's writers are an embarrassment, seriously comparing Hagler to Crawford. Hagler fought the murderous row of his ERA, can someone please tell me who Crawford has exactly fought?

beyond switch hitting there isnt much to compare. and crawford cleared out the divisions he was in. well almost he didnt ever get the manny fight.

you can also say hagler always fought smaller men and waited for them to come up. maybe they were ATG but they were also smaller fighters. Crawford moved up in weight repeatedly. If hagler was so great he could go to light heavy, nothing stopping him from doing that

[wrecksracer]

Bobby Czyz was nothing more than an NBC Sportsworld fighter ~ nothing special and in the same class as Hard Rock Green and Animal Fletcher.

Benitez was shot by the time Hilton, Moore and Hamsho got to him. In his prime, none of those could hit him in the a** with a handful of sand.

Former Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight champion Bobby Czyz is in the same class as Hard Rock Green and Animal Fletcher? Where are their legit championships in 2 weight classes? Anyway, GGG would have ducked him and fought Steve Rolls. You really can't defend his poor resume. Even after he got to be a name fighter, he chose to fight weak competition.