Fight of the Week #12: Leonard v. Hagler

Quick question bud. Why do you believe you used to view this fight as a clear SRL win, but now you came out even? Has your criteria changed since then? Were you predisposed to already believe SRL swept the first 4 rounds (something I never bought into), and then watched the fight to fit that narrative? I believe you were genuinely surprised you came out with it as a draw... and I've been pleasantly surprised so many came out with Hagler winning. I used to be in the clear minority there... now it's much closer. That's the point of these threads, to view fights with a fresh set of eyes and to prompt discussions on the specifics of certain rounds. So it's another example of why these threads are done. I'll try and score this again tonight

 

This is what really surprised me. Not more than 3 years ago... the poll would be the opposite imo

 

Please do KuRupt and score it objectively which I know you will!! ha .. Who knows it might change for you as well over the years? But what it has done for me , there is no question, I have forgotten things and also missed some things with a lot of these fights I haven't seen in so many years

 

With fights and judging it is hard to not be swayed by a favorite fighter or style. I am also sure the bigger fighters know all the judges everywhere and say hello, so that would affect the scoring if not a close round. Totally fair judging might not be possible.

 

Exactly, a few fights actually surprised me when I rewatched them... Like, what the f was I looking at before LOL.

 

I rewatched round 10 and 11.

Round 10 was close and I could see a case for either, but I had Leonard barely edging it.

Round 11 is more interesting to me. Leonard was showboating and the announcing crew was babbling on with bull**** about Hagler being tired and Leonard having "tamed" Hagler. There's a sequence around the start of the last minute of the 11th round where Leonard tries to tie Hagler up but Hagler keeps his left arm free. He then drills Leonard in the face with about 5 or 6 unanswered left hooks while Leonard hangs onto his right arm. You see his head bounce back each time. They then become untangled and Hagler misses a two piece to Leonard's head but follows up with two decent body shots...while the announcing crew praises Leonard for making Hagler miss the two punches. Thats 7-8 unanswered punches and, to me, that sequence was enough for Hagler to edge the round. Biased announcing in that round.

Edit: After Hagler gets the two body punches in, Leonard throws a flashy hook at Hagler's body and then to his head...Hagler blocks both punches...commentator: "Beautiful move by Leonard."

 

YES NoNeck !! I saw the same thing too. Look at my card. I specifically mention it in my notes for the 11th.

 

I trust myself, but I think a more proper judgement is done when you don't have the commentary. And in that fight who Sugar Ray Leonard was and how well he was doing played a big factor. I myself was amazed he was even there in the 7th round, so that probably colored my judgement on the rounds. Although I scored it pretty much the same as 1987 with a few rounds going one way or the other.

 

Here's my scorecard:

1 SRL
2 SRL
3 SRL
4 SRL
5 Hagler
6 SRL
7 Hagler
8 Hagler
9 Hagler
10 Hagler (v close)
11 SRL (v close, difficult to score. Hagler - methodical, Leonard fighting in spurts with more eye catching flurries)
12 Hagler

114-114

Last time I scored this 115-113 Leonard. This time I gave Hagler 5 of the final 6 rounds although plenty were close. No one should be shouting robbery about this fight, although the 118-110 scorecard was patently ridiculous.

If I had to make a call one way or the other after scoring it a draw this time, I'd still favour Leonard. He fought the smarter fight and while Hagler upped his workrate over the second half as Leonard began to tire, there was something almost plodding in Hagler's methodical attack, like he lacked the fire of previous fights. Leonard threw his punches with greater purpose so while Marvin might have been picking up points through being busy, his work was not as eye catching as Leonard's amd not just because of Sugar Ray's flashy combinations either. Even though I scored 5-1 to Hagler from rounds 7 to 12, Leonard's 5-1 in rounds over the first half was clearer. Still, a draw is what I scored it.

It was actually a far better fight than I remember. The action ramped up nicely in the second half after Leonard generally controlled the first half.

 

Apologies - updated my post as I was having some phone issues as I wrote it and posted it prematurely.

Have given additional thoughts on the scoring and my overall impression of the fight.

 

I agree with your assessment by and large, and the only round I believe we have different is rd 3 of which I am in the minority.

Who’s 5-1 is clearer is difficult to say for me? But I did think Hagler’s 5 & 7-9 and Leonard’s 4 & 6 were the clearest most convincing ones of the fight.

 

good scoring Philly

1) even
2) leonard
3) even
4) leonard t
5) hagler
6) leonard
7) even
8) hagler
9) hagler
10) hagler
11) hagler
12) leonard

close but no cigar for leonard