The Philly Middleweights

Long ago, the most avoided MW (maybe in history) was Marvin Hagler. Hugo Corro refused to fight him, or anyone else for that matter, so these Philly MW's fought each other. A bald terminator from, Newark, NJ came out and in the end, beat them all.

We all know how great Hagler was. But what about Cyclone Hart, Sugar Ray Seales, Bennie Briscoe, Willie "The Worm" Monroe or even Eugene Watts? I doubt very seriously that Nunn, Toney, Hopkins or even Roy Jones for that matter, could've dominated these men to the extent that Hagler did. How would they have changed history? One of these men would probably command millions (With the exception of Watts) in challenging Sergio Martinez. That's ashame when you figure the little money they made during their day.

Anyone remember these guys? If so, what do you think? How do they fare against the Middleweight Champs who followed Hagler.

Hart,to me was on the level of say...Mustafa Hamsho. He would beat most contenders, but not the true champs of the division. However, from a toughness factor, he beats most of these guys, Pavlik included. As for Briscoe, Monroe & Watts, they would crush most of these guys.

Ray Seales wasn't a Philly guy. He was a west coast guy.

My family moved to Philly in 1976 and we had Bad Bennie, The Worm and Boogaloo all in the rankings. Heck even the second tier guys in Philly around 160 like Cyclone Hart and Billy Douglas were tough, tough men.

Cyclone was a straight bomber. He either got you or you got him. A threat to everyone after Hagler. My guess is the real craftsman like Nunn and Toney and Hopkins cruise.

Bennie Briscoe was kind of a Hagler with just a little bit less talent. A BIG puncher and a tough guy, he just didn't move quite as well. I think Benny beats every middle champ since Hagler. The bob and weave would have driven them crazy.

Billy Douglas was a straight hard-ass but he's not as talented as those kinds of guys. They'd all know they'd been in a fight, but he can't beat them is my guess.

Willie Monroe was tall and looooong. A tremendous fighter. On his best night he is no worse than a pick'em with any of those guys. Slick, slick, slick.

Boogaloo Watts won an all-Philly tourney and again would have been a handful. But I don't know that he had that ONE thing that gets him by Toney and Nunne.

Long-time Philly Promoter once said all these guys beat BHOP handily. I dunno about that, but it was one formidable bunch.

P.S. Michael Nunn was a TREMENDOUS middleweight. So was James Toney til he decided he want to try to single handedly make Burger King an international success. Those two on their best nights are a handful for any 160 who ever walked.

philly before that era also had several good fighters in the welter division as well as the middle division..thoses fighters popularized the saying...the philadelphia left hook..giardello was one who made philly and then later cherry hill nj right across the bridge as his home town..i think welter charley scott was another and frazier..although joe was from s carolina he addopted philly..great fight town.

dmar5143 wrote:philly before that era also had several good fighters in the welter division as well as the middle division..thoses fighters popularized the saying...the philadelphia left hook..giardello was one who made philly and then later cherry hill nj right across the bridge as his home town..i think welter charley scott was another and frazier..although joe was from s carolina he addopted philly..great fight town.

From kinda 1970 or so through the early 1980's therea re all the middles we mentioned plus guys like Saad Muhammad, Tyrone Everett, Jerome Artis, Richie Kates, Jeff Chandler, Choo Choo Brown, Frank Fletcher, Youngblood Williams, Curtis Parker, Caveman Lee and Kevin Howard. Made for some good nights at the Blue Horizon.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

dmar5143 wrote:philly before that era also had several good fighters in the welter division as well as the middle division..thoses fighters popularized the saying...the philadelphia left hook..giardello was one who made philly and then later cherry hill nj right across the bridge as his home town..i think welter charley scott was another and frazier..although joe was from s carolina he addopted philly..great fight town.

From kinda 1970 or so through the early 1980's therea re all the middles we mentioned plus guys like Saad Muhammad, Tyrone Everett, Jerome Artis, Richie Kates, Jeff Chandler, Choo Choo Brown, Frank Fletcher, Youngblood Williams, Curtis Parker, Caveman Lee and Kevin Howard. Made for some good nights at the Blue Horizon.

The Blue Horizon was thee coolest (and dangerous) place to see a fight!!!