If he wasn't burned out, then it didn't burn him out. The sparring partners leniency would not relegate such a contest to mere sparring.
Because they weren't fights. It was often hard sparring it seems, but not like actual fights. But I ask again, what's your point?
My point is that I'll take the confessions of the Leonard camp as to the nature of those activities over the mitigating speculations of someone who wasn't there. Primary evidence > speculation.
Well, he says himself in the book that his sparring partner held himself from knocking him out which he of course hadn't done if it was fought as a real fight (he actually says nothing about having any fights at all before Hagler, just talks about sparring). That's first hand in my book. Anyhow, we all agree that he prepared himself well. So what is really your point? You started by answering this from me: I love how these kind of analysises always conveniently forgets one thing: LEONARD HAD FOUGHT ONLY ONCE IN 5 YEARS, AND NEVER AT MW, BEFORE FACING HAGLER Show me one other example in the history of boxing where a fighter have been out that long before coming back and beating a dominant ATG champion in a higher weight class than he's ever been in before? With this: "He's admitted having several behind closed doors, bona fide 12 rounders and almost getting ko'd in one of them." Were you just putting it out there, or were you saying that the 4,5 years he went with only one fight before even starting to prepare for Hagler didn't do any harm to his ability?
Leonard "fought" Hagler just as much as Duran did. He fought with his back to the ropes in several instances and arguably won a number of exchanges with crisper punching.
This thread question is like "who's buried in Grant's tomb?"..of course, Leonard fought Hagler better...although, to me, he still didn't win. A draw would have been the right decision..and since Hagler didn't have the sense to demand..as champion...a 15 round bout, he deserved no better than a draw for this bout. if it had been for 15, i think he would have edged Leonard.
Duran did better. Why?? Leonard had a habit of fixing fights to his advantage, like last 30 seconds bell, larger ring, 16 ounce gloves, etc. It's like Leonard saw the fatigue coming way before the fight! Hagler got Robbed! Duran fought under conventional rules and got in his face. If Hagler was southpaw from the 1st round on, people are now saying Leonard should never been ahead in the fight.
Leonard fought better fight... because he won good part of it before it started. I am always surprised why Hagler agreed to all his wishes: Leonard wants12 rounds instead of 15 - OK, he gets it (I am not saying 15 rounds would mean automatic Hagler's win, but it is obvious shorter distance is more convenient for someone with long layoff) Leonard wants bigger gloves - again, he gets it. And again it is obvious this is a decision in his favour - it is easier to imagine Leonard gets hurt/TKOd/KOd by Hagler than the other way around. The ring is too small for SRL - no problem, a larger one will be used this time. Did I miss anything?
Yes. Duran gave Hagler a really good fight,but he did n't win ! Any card that had him in the lead after twelve rounds was suspect. Leonard won their fight so the answer to this question is blatantly obvious,imo.
Plus Hagler making it easy for Leonard to win the first few rounds. This is n't taking anything away from Leonard,but Hagler assisted him a bit.
is it even a bad joke? leonard did beat hagler 100%, the hagler fans can talk crap for the next 100 years.. leonard won and both men were past their prime,plus leonard was a natural former welter, leonard was better.. period. duran lost 100% but he did it fine when you think that he was a fat middle - in shape was a natural lw.