Roy Jones Jr and Marvin Hagler, two boxing greats, have gotten the fantasy matchup treatment from legendary trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas. Atlas predicts how a fight between these titans might have played out in their prime.
Atlas, who started his career in the 1980s, has trained champions like Michael Moorer, Timothy Bradley, and Oleksandr Gvozdyk. In 1998, he moved to sportscasting with ESPN as an analyst and has since commentated at various Olympic Games.
Jones Jr burst onto the scene two years after Hagler's retirement. He went unbeaten in his first 34 fights before losing to Montell Griffin by disqualification - a loss he quickly avenged in a rematch. Throughout his career, Jones Jr captured titles at middleweight, super-middleweight, light-heavyweight, and even heavyweight.
Hagler, on the other hand, dominated the middleweight division for seven years from 1980 to 1987. He beat some of the best, including John Mugabi, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran. Hagler retired shortly after losing his final bout to Sugar Ray Leonard.
Both fighters saw their peak success in the 80s and 90s and are considered among the greatest of all time. But who would win in a head-to-head matchup?
Atlas shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel 'THE FIGHT'. He believes Hagler would come out on top.
"I'm gonna say that Hagler catches Roy Jones with a right hook from the southpaw position, the athletic, tremendous Roy Jones, catches him going back somewhere around the seventh [or] eighth round, and stops Roy Jones."
Atlas sees Hagler landing a right hook from the southpaw stance in the seventh or eighth round, resulting in a knockout victory over Jones Jr.
While we'll never know for sure how this fantasy fight would have played out, Atlas's prediction gives fans plenty to debate. Both Hagler and Jones Jr left an indelible mark on boxing, and matchups like this keep their legacies alive in the sport's collective imagination.
