By Robert “Big Moe” Elmore: I respect and love the old school fighters. They have paved the way for many fighters today. When old school fighters give their opinion on today’s fighters and the state of boxing, I don’t let the emotional bug bite me. I dig through the comments and try to see what angle they are coming from; be it jealousy, envy, or simply trying to stay in the spotlight or simply making an observation.
Mentioning Floyd Mayweather Jr will do just that. Marvin Hagler questioned Floyd’s legacy if he didn’t fight Amir Khan or Manny Pacquiao. Hagler couldn’t be more wrong. Floyd’s legacy is cemented and he is a first round ballot hall of famer. He is 21-0 10 KO’S in championship fights, five division world champion, a resume that includes hall of famers, such Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Genearo Hernandez, and Juan Manuel Marquez and the list goes on and on. Now I don’t know if Hagler has been paying attention to Khan and Pacquiao lately, but Floyd facing them now is more like icing on the cake in cementing his legacy.
Manny was knocked cold by Marquez while Khan has been knocked out by Garcia and struggled against a C plus b level fighter in Julio Diaz. Pacquiao’s stock has fallen as evident by his 475,000 pay per view sales against Brandon Rios. Khan wanted no part in a rematch in his knockout lost to Breidis Prescot and has yet to stage a rematch against Danny Garica whom he lost to via 4th round KO.. At least Floyd gave a rematch to the man who some said he lost to; Jose Luis Castillio.
Floyd left no doubt who was the better man as dominated the second bout. The knock on Floyd has been he hasn’t faced anyone lately in their prime; mainly Cotto and Mosley. Well, let’s get something straight. Floyd is nowhere in his prime either. The last 4 opponents he’s faced have been younger than him. This will be five when one includes WBA champion Marcos Maidana. It’s just that Floyd just light years ahead of these fighters. He is very disciplined in his training regimen and there is no chaos in his camp. So how is not fighting either of these two fighters hurting Floyd’s legacy?
Hagler’s comments don’t come as a shock though. I have watched several post fight interviews on youtube and mentions that his opponent “came to take his title”. After the Leonard fight, he said no such thing. Most of Hagler’s opponents did not have the movement of Leonard so Hagler was able to tee off on them a little more. Leonard did not stand toe to toe with Hagler. Leonard boxed and moved thus frustrating Haglar.
According to Legendary Nights, Leonard stated that Hagler would tell him to “stand still and fight”. The words “stand still” stick out to me. I don’t take anything away from Hagler accomplishments, but he came up the way he based on decisions he made. For example, he by passed the Olympic’s and turned pro because he wanted to make money right away. Sometime in his career, he had a chance to leave the Petronelli’s Brother (Goody and Pat) and sign with another promoter that could have given him a title shot quicker.
Who knows what could have happened had Hagler went to the Olympics. Fighters like Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, and Roy Jones Jr. benefited greatly from being an Olympian. Floyd’s legacy will only be questioned by those who hate him to no end. No matter how anybody tries to bend it shape it or cut it, Floyd is the best in this era.
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