I've been watching Hagler v Leonard for the first time in a while. It's probably still a controversial decision after all this time. How did you see it? Did Leonard do enough? Was Hagler robbed? I m a Hagler fan, I think he did enough personally but it was damn close.
"Newsday polled 25 ringside journalists and asked them who they thought won the fight; 12 said Hagler, 10 said Leonard, and 3 called it a draw." If it's that close, no bad close decision is possible. 12-10-3 can translate itself happily into any decision at all from true draw to UD either way. I've drawn a line under this one personally and it's staying that way. Leonard got it on the night, Hagler could have got it on any other night and could have got it in the rematch, but anyone who talks like it was clear one way or the other, fighter, judge, or fan, has misunderstood this fight IMHO.
Leonard, narrowly. A deeply embarrassing result for Hagler, & he knows it. It always gnawed away at him thereafter. Leonard settled once & for all who the superior fighter was just by getting close enough for the result to be debated.
Hagler robbed himself. He was always bitter about this fight, but he can only blame himself: He started too slow, wasted rounds, he procastinated, he left Leonard to get away with all his flashy moves and antics. I remember my old man yelling at the TV, mad at Hagler for wasting rounds. At the end, Leonard proved to be the superior fighter, because boxing is also a mental game and Leonard run circles around a clueless Hagler.
Watching the fight today I was puzzled myself at Marvin s opening, he was letting him build an early lead. Who knows what goes on in a fighter mind, after years of mind games?!
Sugar Ray Leonard won this fight. Remember, it is the judges who score fights. Regardless of whether he outfoxed Hagler or not, Leonard did impress the judges.
A fight this close could have gone either way and did. This is what I wrote last time I scored: Marvin Hagler v Sugar Ray Leonard Round 1: 10-9 Leonard Round 2: 10-9 Leonard Round 3: 10-10 Even Round 4: 10-9 Leonard Round 5: 10-9 Hagler Round 6: 10-9 Leonard Round 7: 10-9 Hagler Round 8: 10-9 Hagler Round 9: 10-10 Even Round 10: 10-9 Hagler Round 11: 10-10 Even Round 12: 10-9 Hagler Total: 116-115 Hagler (actual scores: 115-113 Hagler, 115-113 Leonard and a baffling 118-110 for Leonard for a split win) I found this once again to be a good fight, but also a chess match and a study on round-stealing. Not saying anything is wrong with that because its up to the judge to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Hagler was steady, but whenever he gave Leonard just that little bit of space, he gave Leonard license to kill with one of his eye-catching flurries. Most of the time not even a flurry, but it would grab the audience. Even from 30 years ago I remember that bolo-turned body shot from Leonard and laughed then when the crowd went wild. I recall then saying, "It was a low-blow and they're cheering!" Anyways, I did feel Leonard put in a remarkable performance, but felt Hagler took it with solid, steady work. A good close fight.
Leonard by an eyelash, although it was so close I would not argue if someone went the other way. I still don’t know what Hagler was thinking that night, how this warrior screwed the pooch so badly.
Leonard deserves praise for what he was able to do. However, always thought Hagler took it but never understood why he made some of those choices and fought the way he did at points. He allowed Leonard to build up points. Think Hagler also made a mistake in agreeing to the ring size and 12 rounds.
I have Hagler by two points. I was rather unimpressed by Leonard's showing, he didn't land much more than arm punches through the majority of the fight. Hagler got tricked a couple of times but never hurt. Hagler landed far more damaging blows, was the constant aggressor. Leonard was obviously hurt more than a few times. Makes me think of the Holmes-Spinks fights. I have a hard time awarding a fight to someone who slaps and runs and never mounts a significantly effective offense.