Legendary trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas has predicted a fantasy showdown between Roy Jones Jr and Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
Jones and Hagler are unquestionably two of the greatest fighters of all time, having had decorated professional careers between them with the peak of their respective success coming during the 80’s and 90’s.
If there is one man who knows a thing or two about legends of the sport it’s Teddy Atlas, who has been one of boxing’s most prominent figures over the last four decades. His training career began back in the 1980s and he went on to work with fighters such as Michael Moorer, Timothy Bradley and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
He made the transition into sportscasting in 1998 when he linked up with ESPN to work as an analyst. Atlas has also worked as a commentator at various Olympic Games over the course of his career.
Speaking on his Youtube channel THE FIGHT, Atlas shared his thoughts on how he believes a fantasy fight between Jones and Hagler would have played out, had they fought during their respective primes.
“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.”
Hagler reigned as the undisputed middleweight champion for seven years between 1980 and 1987, defeating the likes of John Mugabi, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran during this period.
The American legend announced his retirement from boxing just a short while after he was beaten by Sugar Ray Leonard in the final bout of his exceptional career.
The endlessly watchable Jones Jr made his debut two years later, going 34 fights unbeaten before his first loss to Montell Griffin – a disqualification – which he avenged in an immediate rematch. He became champion at middle, super-middle, light-heavy and heavyweight.
