Why did Sugar Ray Leonard have so few fights?

SRL accomplished a lot and had a deep resume, He made a ton of money and had an active out of the ring life.
His wins over Benetez - Hearns and Duran and even in the first fight when Duran was at his best condition, Leonard battled well.
Leonard was a great welterweight, the greatest being SRR but SRL is up there top 10 despite the short compact career next to SRR and others

 

Regarding "horrible" record, that's silly. You'd be hard pressed to find a boxer at any point in history who accomplished so much in so few rounds.

Should be noted; He never really wanted to be a professional prizefighter, so despite accomplishing so much, he was always one foot in/one foot out.

 

This was the first time they saw each other after their fight ..... Oct '87.. A post fight interview with both of them at the Hearns Roldan fight ... make of it what you will ...

time stamp 43:35

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thanks Bat.

It's just as I thought, Marvin wanted the fight while Leonard turned it down right there on camera, thus settling the debate.

I cant understand why Leonard was so reluctant to take a rematch while on camera.

Maybe his ego cant stand the possibility of a loss in a rematch

He was as reluctant in taking it as he was five years earlier but surely he would be compensated well enough even if he faced the possibility of a KO loss

I did note him saying that his comeback involved that one fight only yet here he was months later, in the ring with Lalonde

I remain skeptical of him

Whatever Ray did, Floyd did better.

 

You did good this time RR .. I got to give credit where credit is due .. 8 pages and they took the bait ...
I know, most here dont ... btw, Terry Norris says hello

 

AND TIME STAMP at the 46-second mark, after Leonard gets in his face and says he beat Marvin fair and square, and Marvin was a poor sport, Marvin said, "IF this man (Leonard) still had my belt, we could go at it one more time."

And Leonard says, "This time I'll make more money. You knock out Hearns. I'll take care of Frank Tate (so they both have belts). And then we'll get together."

And Hagler says you beat them and then we'll fight.

Leonard again says he wants more money. Hagler says no way.

Leonard fought Hearns again. Leonard fought Duran again. Leonard won a light heavyweight title.

And Marvin didn't fight anyone again. He didn't do anything.


Marvin doesn't call him out at all. He wouldn't even give his lawyer (according to his lawyer) the okay to negotiate with Leonard until the following May (1988). And as soon as his lawyer started negotiating, Hagler announced his retirement.

 

Well, 13 months later ... in November 1988. This exchange took place in October 1987.

 

ya I know ,, I'm not trying to support his point ... just wanted to show the first time they saw each other after the fight.
And we know how it works in front the cameras .. behind the scenes you need a million things to all fall into place
and usually the window of opportunity closes ... as it did here

 

I know. Thanks for posting this. It goes right along the timeline of the interviews.

Hagler wanted all his belts back. And he was mad he lost to Leonard because he thought he'd win easy. And the belts were all scattered (because the WBA and IBF didn't sanction his fight with Leonard).

Hearns has just won the WBC belt and wants to fight Hagler. Hagler kind of brushes Hearns off and Marvin says maybe he'll come back.

Hagler and Leonard get face to face, and as soon as Leonard starts saying Marvin was a poor sport and he beat Hagler fair and square, and Leonard wants more money for the rematch ... Hagler begins to retreat and says you beat all those guys and maybe we'll fight.

Leonard's like you win the WBC and I'll win the IBF in tuneups, and we'll unify, and Hagler's like No.

Hagler just wanted to gripe but he didn't want to actually do anything but ***** about it.

Hagler never figured out how to play the game.

Marvin could've had the rematch. (Marvin's own lawyer confirms when negotiations began.) But when it started to become a reality he bowed out.

 

It is true ... but not his fault because these 2 fighters are as opposite as it EVER gets .. One was more popular than God ,, the other needed Robert Kennedy and US govt to get involved so he could get his first title shot ....... and you were just weren't going to pull one over on Mike Trainer

 

Hagler wanted it and Leonard didn't. Case closed.

 

Are you saying Camacho was that much faster than Leonard at WW? Leonard was blazing fast at the weight.

 

Watch the actual clip to the end.

Hagler said he wanted it IF Leonard had the WBC belt.

Then Hagler said he wanted it IF Leonard WON ALL THE BELTS BACK first.

Then Hagler backed down when Leonard said I won, and Leonard taunted him to his face for not knocking him out and telling Hagler he showed bad sportsmanship, and after Leonard said he wanted more money than Hagler for the rematch.

Leonard was working the promotion. "You fight Hearns. I'll fight Tate. I beat you. You're a bad sport. I want more money than you for the rematch."

Even Tim Ryan was trying to help Hagler by telling Leonard "Marvin wants to fight you." Because Marvin didn't say that to Leonard. But Marvin was lost.

It was like trying to do an Improv show with someone who always responds with the word NO.

Trainer and Hagler's attorney began negotiating, and Hagler retired.

Leonard fought the Hearns again. Leonard fought the Duran who beat Barkley. Leonard fought Light Heavyweight titleholder Lalonde.

Hagler fought nobody after that.

 

He was talking **** in order to get under Leonard's skin after already making it clear that he wanted the fight. Not gonna explain this any further. Ask Rooster for clarification.