Interesting read of Hagler vs Loenard & Bobfather

[mking]

Hagler Vs. Leonard Vs. Reality


Latest `Fight Of The Century` Taking Shape As The Fraud Of The Century


November 06, 1986|By George Puscas, Knight-Ridder Newspapers.
With obvious pride, promoter Bob Arum stepped before microphones and cameras Monday in New York to announce that arrangements had been completed for the ``fight of the century.``
Arum, a lawyer and former Internal Revenue Service agent, is smarter than that.
What he has in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] is the boxing hoax of the ages: Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, April 6 in Las Vegas.


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It`s the best fighter in the world against a guy who was knocked down in his last fight five years ago and retired because he couldn`t, or wouldn`t, take it anymore.
Hagler will be paid $12 million for 12 rounds, or less, and Leonard will get $11 million. All of it is guaranteed [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] with promise of more.
No one, no event, in the long history of [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] ever has produced such income. Hagler-Leonard, Arum says, could gross an unworldly $100 million.
Such is the appeal of a major fight. But it`s strange, because this doesn`t figure to be much of a fight at all.
We have yet to find a knowledgeable boxing man who gives Leonard, the former welterweight champion, any sort of chance against Hagler, the destructive middleweight champion.
Early odds in Las Vegas list Hagler as a 4-to-1 favorite, but this is merely an invitation to bettors. The odds will swing heavily upward in Hagler`s favor.
The problem with this fight is that it should have been scheduled five days earlier, on April Fools` Day.
For if ever there were an awful joke in championship sports, it`s Leonard vs. Hagler for the World Boxing Council middleweight title.
Two of the sport`s governing bodies have refused to sanction the fight. Normally more accommodating, the World Boxing Association insisted that the fight must be scheduled for 15 rounds, its standard. The International Boxing Federation nixed it because its rules bar fighters who have had eye retina damage (Leonard).
Still, there was no stopping Arum--or, in fact, Leonard. Arum might be the moneybags of this operation, but the original promoter, the man with the idea, was Leonard.
Last March, shortly after Hagler had knocked out John Mugabi in Las Vegas, Leonard announced he would like to return to boxing for just one more fight--against Hagler

[m8te]

what about it interests you?

[Longhhorn71]

The article pretty much pointed out the sham the real fight turned out to be.

[PityTheFool]

I don't get it.
The article looks like an epic fail to me.

[des3995]

Originally Posted by PityTheFool

I don't get it.
The article looks like an epic fail to me.

He's saying the fix was in ptf.

[daprofessor]

i NEVER thought hagler/leonard was on the level. hagler acted in ways that were very uncharacteristic of himself. he held back and pulled punches through out the fight. leonard did his normal bullshit. i believe hagler was duped into taking it easy on leonard so that a rematch would be warranted.....and a 2nd huge payday would be sure to come. none of that was in writing....so when leonard opted out of the rematch...hagler retired in disgust with himself for allowing such a thing....and leonard for tricking him. leonard himself has bragged about winning fights during the negotiations....aka....contractual stipulations and mind games. leonard is not the great they make him out to be. that 'no mas' fight was more bullshit.

[Ali_]

Originally Posted by mking

Hagler Vs. Leonard Vs. Reality


Latest `Fight Of The Century` Taking Shape As The Fraud Of The Century


November 06, 1986|By George Puscas, Knight-Ridder Newspapers.
With obvious pride, promoter Bob Arum stepped before microphones and cameras Monday in New York to announce that arrangements had been completed for the ``fight of the century.``
Arum, a lawyer and former Internal Revenue Service agent, is smarter than that.
What he has in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] is the boxing hoax of the ages: Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, April 6 in Las Vegas.


http://articles.chicagotribune.com/images/pixel.gif

It`s the best fighter in the world against a guy who was knocked down in his last fight five years ago and retired because he couldn`t, or wouldn`t, take it anymore.
Hagler will be paid $12 million for 12 rounds, or less, and Leonard will get $11 million. All of it is guaranteed [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] with promise of more.
No one, no event, in the long history of [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] ever has produced such income. Hagler-Leonard, Arum says, could gross an unworldly $100 million.
Such is the appeal of a major fight. But it`s strange, because this doesn`t figure to be much of a fight at all.
We have yet to find a knowledgeable boxing man who gives Leonard, the former welterweight champion, any sort of chance against Hagler, the destructive middleweight champion.
Early odds in Las Vegas list Hagler as a 4-to-1 favorite, but this is merely an invitation to bettors. The odds will swing heavily upward in Hagler`s favor.
The problem with this fight is that it should have been scheduled five days earlier, on April Fools` Day.
For if ever there were an awful joke in championship sports, it`s Leonard vs. Hagler for the World Boxing Council middleweight title.
Two of the sport`s governing bodies have refused to sanction the fight. Normally more accommodating, the World Boxing Association insisted that the fight must be scheduled for 15 rounds, its standard. The International Boxing Federation nixed it because its rules bar fighters who have had eye retina damage (Leonard).
Still, there was no stopping Arum--or, in fact, Leonard. Arum might be the moneybags of this operation, but the original promoter, the man with the idea, was Leonard.
Last March, shortly after Hagler had knocked out John Mugabi in Las Vegas, Leonard announced he would like to return to boxing for just one more fight--against Hagler

I would have loved to see the look on the face of the guy who wrote this article the night of the fight.
He wasn't the only one who thought that Leonard couldn't do it.
Guess who was wrong?!
I don't know what they expected. If Leonard said he could do it, what did they think, he was just being arrogant?

Originally Posted by daprofessor

i NEVER thought hagler/leonard was on the level. hagler acted in ways that were very uncharacteristic of himself. he held back and pulled punches through out the fight. leonard did his normal bullshit. i believe hagler was duped into taking it easy on leonard so that a rematch would be warranted.....and a 2nd huge payday would be sure to come. none of that was in writing....so when leonard opted out of the rematch...hagler retired in disgust with himself for allowing such a thing....and leonard for tricking him. leonard himself has bragged about winning fights during the negotiations....aka....contractual stipulations and mind games. leonard is not the great they make him out to be. that 'no mas' fight was more bullshit.

You are salty. Haha ha ha ha.

Hagler fought the Leonard match ALOT like he fought Mugabi, what are you going on about? Leonard himself was behind the match, not Arum.
What type of man would sit ringside of Hagler vs Mugabi and say 'I can beat this guy! I can take him!"
Let alone after being retired from the sport, not having fought a professional fight in years.
This fight proved Leonard was the Great that everyone thought he was and you're just salty about it.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[PityTheFool]

Originally Posted by des3995

He's saying the fix was in ptf.

I thought that was the whole tone of the article mate,but there's not nearly enough to make me buy it.More so the implication that Hagler was in on it.
If it's in reference to what's happening nowadays,I see the point of the implication,but I won't buy that the fighters were in on it,which I thought was what the article was (partly) implying.
If it's all about the current relevance,then yes,I see why some would draw similarities.
But again,the article fails for me.

[Bogotazo]

The way I see it, that article proves exactly why Leonard has the legacy he has. He turned what critics like this one deemed a farce into a spectacle of boxing to be debated and remembered for ages.

[daprofessor]

Originally Posted by Ali_

You are salty. Haha ha ha ha.

Hagler fought the Leonard match ALOT like he fought Mugabi, what are you going on about? Leonard himself was behind the match, not Arum.
What type of man would sit ringside of Hagler vs Mugabi and say 'I can beat this guy! I can take him!"
Let alone after being retired from the sport, not having fought a professional fight in years.
This fight proved Leonard was the Great that everyone thought he was and you're just salty about it.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

not at all. i just call it like i see it.

watch legendary nights. leonard incriminates himself. i used to be a big fan of leonard until i realized how he operated. real men fight on even terms. he knew hagler wanted the big payday...and he knew he could compromise hagler in negotiations. throw in some of arums seasoning....leonards bullshit....haglers compromise....and u have the perfect recipe for a bullshit upset. watch that fight again...i really don't think leonard won it to be honest. and the 'no mas' fight....leonards brother is the one who went to panama and saw duran was partying hard over his win. dundee himself said he knew duran had a habit of puttin on big weight after big fights because duran had trained in dundees gym for years....their strategy was to make the rematch as soon as possible so that he'd kill himself to make weight. they had no intention of beating him in the ring. they were banking on duran gaining weight from celebrating. they didn't want the best duran in the ring....because leonard knew he couldn't beat the best duran. that's why he waited 9 yrs before the rubber match.

[Big George]

Originally Posted by daprofessor

i NEVER thought hagler/leonard was on the level. hagler acted in ways that were very uncharacteristic of himself. he held back and pulled punches through out the fight. leonard did his normal bullshit. i believe hagler was duped into taking it easy on leonard so that a rematch would be warranted.....and a 2nd huge payday would be sure to come. none of that was in writing....so when leonard opted out of the rematch...hagler retired in disgust with himself for allowing such a thing....and leonard for tricking him. leonard himself has bragged about winning fights during the negotiations....aka....contractual stipulations and mind games. leonard is not the great they make him out to be. that 'no mas' fight was more bullshit.

Oh Bullshit! They were both 10 years past their primes and Hagler still can't believe he didn't get the win. This is Mayweather vs Pacquaio in 2017!

[PityTheFool]

Originally Posted by daprofessor

not at all. i just call it like i see it.

watch legendary nights. leonard incriminates himself. i used to be a big fan of leonard until i realized how he operated. real men fight on even terms. he knew hagler wanted the big payday...and he knew he could compromise hagler in negotiations. throw in some of arums seasoning....leonards bullshit....haglers compromise....and u have the perfect recipe for a bullshit upset. watch that fight again...i really don't think leonard won it to be honest. and the 'no mas' fight....leonards brother is the one who went to panama and saw duran was partying hard over his win. dundee himself said he knew duran had a habit of puttin on big weight after big fights because duran had trained in dundees gym for years....their strategy was to make the rematch as soon as possible so that he'd kill himself to make weight. they had no intention of beating him in the ring. they were banking on duran gaining weight from celebrating. they didn't want the best duran in the ring....because leonard knew he couldn't beat the best duran. that's why he waited 9 yrs before the rubber match.

It's a huge misconception.And Leonard is partly responsible because he likes to sell it this way.But Duran's manager wanted the rematch just as quick as Leonard because he thought the game was up already.Eleta was desperate for the quick rematch because he thought Duran would be finished in a year.
Ray can't complain.He likes it this way.But it's not as clear cut as some believe.Eleta played a huge part in that rematch happening so quickly.

[timagen]

Originally Posted by daprofessor

i NEVER thought hagler/leonard was on the level. hagler acted in ways that were very uncharacteristic of himself. he held back and pulled punches through out the fight. leonard did his normal bullshit. i believe hagler was duped into taking it easy on leonard so that a rematch would be warranted.....and a 2nd huge payday would be sure to come. none of that was in writing....so when leonard opted out of the rematch...hagler retired in disgust with himself for allowing such a thing....and leonard for tricking him. leonard himself has bragged about winning fights during the negotiations....aka....contractual stipulations and mind games. leonard is not the great they make him out to be. that 'no mas' fight was more bullshit.

Well stated! Although paragraphs would make it easier to read. Especially if you have been drinking and have blurred vision.

[des3995]

Originally Posted by PityTheFool

I thought that was the whole tone of the article mate,but there's not nearly enough to make me buy it.More so the implication that Hagler was in on it.
If it's in reference to what's happening nowadays,I see the point of the implication,but I won't buy that the fighters were in on it,which I thought was what the article was (partly) implying.
If it's all about the current relevance,then yes,I see why some would draw similarities.
But again,the article fails for me.

Agreed on all fronts.

[Ali_]

Originally Posted by daprofessor

not at all. i just call it like i see it.

watch legendary nights. leonard incriminates himself. i used to be a big fan of leonard until i realized how he operated. real men fight on even terms. he knew hagler wanted the big payday...and he knew he could compromise hagler in negotiations. throw in some of arums seasoning....leonards bullshit....haglers compromise....and u have the perfect recipe for a bullshit upset. watch that fight again...i really don't think leonard won it to be honest. and the 'no mas' fight....leonards brother is the one who went to panama and saw duran was partying hard over his win. dundee himself said he knew duran had a habit of puttin on big weight after big fights because duran had trained in dundees gym for years....their strategy was to make the rematch as soon as possible so that he'd kill himself to make weight. they had no intention of beating him in the ring. they were banking on duran gaining weight from celebrating. they didn't want the best duran in the ring....because leonard knew he couldn't beat the best duran. that's why he waited 9 yrs before the rubber match.

You know what, all that contractual stuff can stay right where it belongs.
Outside of the ring. Leonard beat Hagler coming out of retirement. I don't know what you mean by Leonards 'bullshit' or Hagler's 'compromise' or how you want to tie that into Hagler getting beat. In the ring Leonard showed he was the better fighter that night and Hagler isn't any less of a champion for losing in a great fight.

As far as 'No Mas' is concerned, again, out of the ring hi-jinks to explain why Duran gave up. "It was this" "It was that" It was an ass whooping, that's what it was. One Duran couldn't mentally handle.

they had no intention of beating him in the ring

As if, the first fight wasn't some type of blow out. Leonard knew when he lost that he could actually beat Duran. Which is exactly what he did.

they didn't want the best duran in the ring....because leonard knew he couldn't beat the best duran.

Such a stupid statement.

Duran was 72-1 coming into New Orleans fight...From 1978-80 Duran had 10 fights. Jan-78, April-78, Sept-78, Dec-78, April-79, June-79, Sept-79, Jan-80, Feb-80, the first against Sugar was June -80, the second was November. Throughout all of this time, Duran has no habit of gaining 50+ lbs and then losing it (?) but suddenly after beating Ray he gains 50 lbs(or w/e 'big weight' is supposed to be) knowing he has a rematch coming up? Duran celebrates his win against Sugar, and now suddenly he is weakened just a handful of months later? How does a fighter with such a silly achilles heel get to be an ATG? Oh that's right, cause it didn't exist, that's how. Roberto Duran was a professional prize-fighter who was in the habit of gaining so much weight after a 'big' victory that he was crippled a few months later.

It was this, it was that, it was an ass-whooping, Duran was full of himself after he got the decision the first fight, the rematch wasn't sprung upon him in a fatten belly state, it was a four months later. Four months later. Four months.

How can anyone diminish the legacy of Angelo Dundee and Sugar with such a ridiculous logic?
~Angelo and Sugar "Okay, dont worry about it Sugar..its alright, cause in June Duran is gonna put on 50 lbs down in Panama like he always does....so let me tell you what we're gonna do....."

A professional fighter doesn't suddenly lose his conditioning with a fight looming on the horizon all of four/five months later.
Only a retarded delusional ding bat would believe a ass-crack story like that.

Duran was at his nastiest after the first fight against Sugar, he wouldn't even shake his hand after the bout and had been insulting him viciously in the build up. Duran was full of himself.
To turn around and have his ass handed to him by someone whom he had such little regard for as a fighter...."My Stomache hurts! My Legs Hurt! No Mas! This guy is a clown! I'm not boxing him, he's a clown!"
"No Mas. No Mas."
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