Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Marvelous Marvin Hagler stand as two of boxing's greatest champions. Their careers, though separated by decades, left an indelible mark on the sport.
Hagler's reign as the undisputed middleweight champion lasted an impressive seven years, from 1980 to 1987. He faced and defeated some of the toughest opponents of his era, including John Mugabi, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns.
Mayweather's career saw him capture world titles across five weight classes. He took down big names like Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Canelo Alvarez before retiring in 2017 with a perfect 50-0 record. Since then, he's kept busy with exhibition matches against Logan Paul, Tenshin Nasukawa, and Aaron Chalmers.
The 1980s saw the rise of the 'Four Kings' - Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns. These fighters defined an era with their intense rivalries and memorable bouts. Leonard, in particular, made history when he came out of a three-year retirement to beat Hagler by split decision for the WBC middleweight title.
In a recent chat with Box Hub TV, Leonard shared his thoughts on how Mayweather would fare against the legends of his era.
"Mayweather can compete with the four of us in our era, but a bit more fire would come his way. Could he beat me? No. Could he beat Tommy? I don't think so. Could he beat Hagler? No. Could he beat Duran? No."
Leonard's words carry weight, given his firsthand experience with these boxing greats. He believes that while Mayweather could hang with the Four Kings, he wouldn't come out on top against any of them.
Mayweather's post-retirement exhibitions show he's still got the moves that made him famous. But Leonard's opinion raises interesting questions about how different eras of boxing stack up against each other. It's a debate that will keep fight fans talking for years to come.
