I know people would be tempted to say Hagler because toney stopped Nunn, but IMO, Toney hit harder than Hagler AND Nunn underestimated Toney and came in overconfident. Nunn would have beaten Hagler in a 9-6 type decision over 15 rounds or a 7-5 over 12.
I like Hagler to break him down. Nunn wouldn't have the southpaw advantage and his power wouldn't phase Marvin. Nunn leads on points after 6 but it's all Hagler after that.
this match up has been brought up many times. hagler's the greater fighter and would've stopped nunn late.
Hagler stalks Nunn early and catches up to him in the middle rounds. Hagler by ko in 7. Nunn wouldn't have anything to hold of Hagler.
Bingo. Hagler's southpaw stance and good counter jab help him here....as do his good head movement/parrying skills and ability to apply intelligent pressure. Nunn certainly does well - especially early - having his moments and likely leading after the first 4-6 rounds; but I think Hagler takes over and "closes the noose" in the later rounds. Peace.
WHo did Nunn ever beat even remotely close to being as good and relentless as Marvin Hagler?? Nunn was a good quick boxer with great physical advantages, but he benefited greatly because he was in between great eras in the middleweight division. Nunn's best career victories were against Tate and Kalambay. Barkley was the closest thing he faced to Hagler in terms of strength and toughness, and Iran almost won the thing. And let's face it, Hagler was lightyears better than iran Barkley. No contest... A prime Hagler hunts down and chops down the very best Michael Nunn imo.
Hagler stops him late. Nunn's speed and mobility win lead him on the cards after a few rounds but Marvin will break him down eventually.
Hagler aint beating shit. Exciting fighter, good boxer, nice bald head and goatee but Nunn's speed, size, agility would be more than Hagler could handle.
Why? Prime Hagler wasn't a devastating puncher. If Hagler moved up to Cruiserweight and heavyweight and was still hurting, dropping and stopping fighters like Toney was..then you would have a point. But as it is i see nothing to suggest that he hit HARDER than toney. Hagler looked mean with his bald head and goatee, like i said before, but that doesn't mean he was some Tyson in there.
We're talking about both of them at middleweight, not when Toney ate his way up to cruiserweight and heavyweight. :nono:
I think sly is trying to insinuate that James Toney is better than Marvin Hagler at middleweight. We are talking middleweight aren't we? James Toney was a much better fighter ABOVE middleweight. He never was a legitimate Middleweight.. At Middleweight.....Hagler would have eaten Toney up and stopped him late. At a higher weight than 160,....James would have probably stopped Marvin. But Michael Nunn would have been eaten up by Marvin Hagler imo.
Hagler couldnt even stop blown up, old ass Duran. Theres no way in holy hell he's stopping Toney! Say what you want about James, but the fact is he's one of the toughest SOB's to ever step in the ring and always had a rock for a jaw. Hagler would beat James by close decision, but Toney would certainly give him a helluva fight throughout.
Agreed. I would certainly favor Hagler over Toney, but that's one of my favorite MM's regardless of outcome. Everything from the press conference to each round in the fight would be entertaining. Switch hitting boxer-puncher with loads of stamina against tough as nails and highly skilled counter puncher.
Xactly! I tend to agree that Hagler would have won a razor thin decision against Toney (Split, IMO) but there's no way he's stopping Toney...hell I don't think he'd even hurt Toney in the fight.
Yep, would be one for the ages. Very evenly matched fight. Same size, both extremely tough, confident, with much to say.
Toney has never been taken to the body by anyone. Nobody ever really tried to shoot to James's body, except McCallum, and he had some success even though he was past his prime. Hagler woulda hit that body like James never had done before.....and imo would stop Toney at middleweight. James Toney at middleweight was drained.
I agree with this post. :bears: But seriously...don't think Hagler stops Toney at Middleweight...the attack to the body is a good point, but remember Toney's right hand is his biggest weapon and that keeps Marvin wary and calculating... I think Hagler beats Toney on points in a very entertaining fight. Toney drags Hagler into a close-quarters battle...and that actually ends up being his mistake. Peace.
I think in my mind peak Hagler would stop Nunn in like 12 rounds. Nunn would lead early due to slap avalanching, but then Hagler would start walking through Nunn's offense midway and would take over
I'm positive that in 07 I felt Nunn would do better against Hagler than I feel he would do now. I used to be fanatical about Nunn, but I've come down to Earth. Granted, even in my Nunn fan boy days, I never actually picked him to beat Hagler like Sly's dumbass. My opinion now? If we're talking the Hagler from the Minter fight, I think Nunn would be in the fight for maybe 4-5 rounds. After that, it's a Hagler beatdown. Nunn gets knocked out somewhere between 9 and 11.
