I was watching the post fight on youtube and someone made an interesting comment "Hagler was an outstanding champion. But the bottom line was, while he had the physical strength to take Leonard's punches, he lacked the mental strength to take the fear of humiliation. He was one of those guys who simply couldn't bear to think of himself made fun of, made to look like an idiot. Maybe there's always a time when the thing you fear most comes to face you down. " I can understand that after holding a hard earned title for 7 yrs and to have it taken away in such a way must be pretty galling. I think Hagler was furious- whether he was a sore loser or not is open to debate. I think the 11th rd was critical and if Hagler had won that then no question, he should have got the decision but he blew it.
I don't think Leonard humiliated him - not at all. I've watched that fight sooo many times over the years, and I think Leonard certainly pissed him off, but he didn't get humiliated. I had that fight 7-5 for Hagler and was certain that he won.
i don't think leonard humiliated hagler either. but hagler looked terrible, old and slow in that fight...at least compared to what he used to be.
Leonard humiliated Hagler a time or two outside the ring, (most notably with his retirement announcement) but certainly never inside it. Someone who believes otherwise is talking out of their ass.
Me too (when it happened - don't think I've watched it since though to see if time would change my mind any).
This might be a reach but I think Hagler thought/thinks that Leonard humiliated him. Here is an ATG Middleweight who had felt disrespected in the past and then an ATG welterweight comes out of a 3 year retirement to beat him. Hagler's pride took such a huge hit from that. That should never happen in Hagler's mind and the fight was close enough to disgust him just that much more. In the fight, he didn't get humiliated at all.
Of course it humiliated him to lose to a man that fought in such a calculated, pusillanimous fashion. Despite the fact that he lost to a top 10 GOAT, to lose w/o suffering physically crippling damage must have been well nigh incomprehensible to such a warrior. Does that diminish him in your eyes? Are you very young?
dlh copied leanord stratergy when he fought hopkins. basically stay away for 2.45 of a round and then shoe shine with 15 secs left. leonard got away with it, dlh did not.
I remember the thudding body shot and ODH rolling in pain on the ground. Hagler should have brought the 'Destruct & Destroy" attitude into the ring at the first and not tried to outbox SRL in the first 3-4 rounds. Those give away rounds cost him the fight.