And why is it hard to understand that in both fights that madara lost, hashirama wasnt alone! He had mito to prevent madara from regaining control over kurama, and in this chapter i see tobirama with signs of battle + couple of senju.
Further more in their last fight if madara used swords special ability from the start he would have killed hashirama, cuz u cant catch it with wooden hands, and where were flash bijudamas, or continious bijudamas?
So u see to me madara clearly had all it takes to kill hashi. It didnt happen so in this manga but its no sign of his inferiority!