Hagler v Leonard 1982

Oh, it's Edward now, is it? Only my mum calls me that when I've been naughty. "Edward Ezzard, come in now!" A halcyon memory from my youth.

Speaking of youth, did you see Bob Willis died? There's a memory. That loon running in to bowl. Never seen such intensity from a sportsman before or since. And the terror of Australia back in the day. Very sad.

 

Why should he have challenged Hagler after the Hearns fight? Hagler had been middleweight champ for a year and was establishing himself while Ray was fighting really tough opposition at welter. Ray deserved a couple of gimmes and then of course he got the eye injury in early 82. It was never going to happen then, nor should it have.

And he'd been retired 18 months when Hagler fought Duran, Was it a serious proposition at that time? After the Howard fight? Why would he look crap against a journeyman welter then challenge a P4P no 1 at middle? It would have looked bad on Marvin if he had accepted Ray's challenge at that point.

And as for Hagler being shot mentally because he said so. So what? Loads of fighters talk about having had enough but carry on and produce some of their best wins, Perhaps Hagler was simply in a bad mood that night - he could be moody, after all - or maybe he was manipulating the manipulator and kidding him? Who knows? We certainly don't. That's what we're finding difficult to comprehend. You're putting a lot of basis for gauging Hagler's mental state on a conversation in a toilet one night.

And as I have said, Ray might have expected Marvin's motivation to pick up with the prospect of a mega money superfight against the opponent he had always wanted, It's a risky strategy for Ray to think that Hagler couldnt get himself going again with that to look forward to.

What we're saying is that the evidence for Hagler's decline - the poor showing v Mugabi and Marvin's talk of being fed up - was not compelling enough for most to think it would offset Ray's inactivity and tip the balance towards Ray. Hindsight tells us Ray got it right but at the time it was a hell of a risk, as reflected in the proportion of experts who didn't think he'd win.

 

Yeah Bob sadly passed away. I'll never forget his 8-43 in that unwinnable Test. He was a lion hearted performer.

 

I think we got our wires crossed because I was referring to Hagler Hearns, not Hearns Leonard as in your 1st paragraph here. Leonard never had to challenge Hagler at any time in his career but he's the one that teased everyone about the fight. You want to give Lenny the benefit of the doubt feel free. But the facts are he chose to challenge Hagler when he did, not before. He challenged Hagler when Hagler looked old and slow for a couple of years starting at the Roldan fight when even Larry Merchant said he was starting his descent. He challenged Hagler after he gauged Hagler's state of mind after inviting him to the opening of his restaurant. If he wasn't gauging Hagler then why would he invite him there in the 1st place? Despite what actually happened, if you want to continue to disagree with what I wrote, feel free. We are just going to have to agree to disagree.

 

Fair enough, Clinton. Like JohnThomas, I usually agree with you so it won't hurt to have the odd view that differs. All the best.

 

Cheers man. I always enjoy reading your posts. You always have something significant and intelligent to say. As far as disagreeing is concerned, that always makes good debates.