Benny Leonard & Marvin Hagler Vids

Couple more Wylie vids here:

Benny Leonard

https://youtu.be/nK082ViSpoU

Marvin Hagler

https://youtu.be/4LnjWeATZ5s

Thanks for sharing, Haz. I think Leonard, along with Tunney, did a lot to break new ground in boxing from a technical perspective at that time. One of the very first boxers whose style, or at least the basis of it, looks transferable in to any era.

I don't think he was quite as smooth and advanced as Tunney, but I think he has the better career record and achievements and I give him a higher rank because of that. Still has a solid claim to being the greatest Lightweight of the lot and to be inside the top ten fighters of all time across all weights, for me.

Difficult to pick a fault with Hagler in a physical or technical sense - great fighter who could do a bit of everything. His problems tended to be mental or strategic and he was sometimes guilty of over-thinking things and trying to be too smart for his own good. But when he was single-minded and focussed on just doing what he did best, like he was against Minter, Sibson and Hearns, he was obviously fantastic and arguably the most awe-inspiring of all Middleweight champions.

I'd never noticed that move he pulls in the vid. Obviously I was aware he switched stances (it was Gil Clancy's favourite topic when commentating) but that was a really clever move.

There's a vid out there which shows the likes of Golovkin and Pirog using a similar strategy to rapidly close the distance on opponents.

Some of these vids are a bit OTT (most of it is common sense). But occasionally, they open your eyes a bit.

Chris is right Marv's problems were mental...........First of all I think as an all-round fighter he was one of the most accomplished there has ever been......Problem was he was only ever good at everything and not great............

The US commentators regarded him as an ugly duckling.... a fiercesome fighter that was kind of a rough streetfighting type. His skills were undersold without question !!.. and I think it bothered him that he wasn't seen as gifted as the other three .. Leonard, Hearns and Duran..

Which unfortunately because he wasn't as good as he thought.. cost him against the streetwise Leonard and Duran............

Fancy going orthodox against Leonard.............

Only time he got it right was against Tommy............But he was never going to outbox him...So he had limited options...

Certainly made sure Tommy wasn't ever going to get it right..

Hearns win over Shuler was a better win than Hagler achieved in 7 years.........After all as Haz often points out regarding Mayweather-Hatton being null and avoid and a crap victory at welter !!..........Hearns had never campaigned at middle..

Apart from a decent Simmo..........Not much else in 7 years to crow about..

But that's okay because...... "We like Marvin.."

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Chris is right Marv's problems were mental...........First of all I think as an all-round fighter he was one of the most accomplished there has ever been......Problem was he was only ever good at everything and not great............

The US commentators regarded him as an ugly duckling.... a fiercesome fighter that was kind of a rough streetfighting type.  His skills were undersold without question !!.. and I think it bothered him that he wasn't seen as gifted as the other three .. Leonard, Hearns and Duran..

Which unfortunately because he wasn't as good as he thought.. cost him against the streetwise Leonard and Duran............

Fancy going orthodox against Leonard.............  

Only time he got it right was against Tommy............But he was never going to outbox him...So he had limited options...

Certainly made sure Tommy wasn't ever going to get it right..

Hearns win over Shuler was a better win than Hagler achieved in 7 years.........After all as Haz often points out regarding Mayweather-Hatton being null and avoid and a crap victory at welter !!..........Hearns had never campaigned at middle..

Apart from a decent Simmo..........Not much else in 7 years to crow about..

But that's okay because...... "We like Marvin.."

Hearns proved he was a world class middleweight after facing Hagler.

Hatton proved he was a far less effective fighter as a welterweight, both before, during and after the Floyd fight.

You can't even split hairs correctly lad! Give it up.