Do you hold it against him for being in two minds about his boxing career? Loads on here hold it against him. they say the detached retina was just a way of getting out of a hagler and 2nd hearns fight I dont like. I can understand why he was wary of going on. But the way he came back in 1987 must raise doubts about this opinion
No, I don't hold it against him or make anything or his reasons for not fighting. If he's not fighting, he's not fighting. Judge him when he is in the ring, not when he's not in the ring. I do think it tarnishes the claim that he was the "fighter of the 80s" though. He went 10-1-1 in the entire ten years, and only 4-0-1 after 1982.
This opinion is probably the nr. 1 embaressement for this forum. It's just a very contorted conspiracy theory to lessen the blow that he somehow managed to defeat Hagler. On the other hand, none of the quality posters on this forum try to make out Leonard's retirement as the most elaborate (and unnecessary) duck job in the history of boxing. Those who do has nothing of quality to contribute with in any other discussion either.
I see what you're saying, but who would be more worthy of the title? Probably Tyson, in that case, since he was undefeated at the turn of the decade.
Perhaps Hagler, Spinks, Tyson, Holmes. Or some other fighter than made a string of defences and fought quite often.
I just find it hard to believe him wanting to make a comeback every time Hagler looks slow, lethargic, flat, impotent. If he barely gets a decision win over fat over the hill Duran he make a actual comeback Is this just coincidence? another 3 yrs pass, Leonard is in the audience boasting "I can beat him" then announces comeback? Why didnt Ray boast "I can beat him" after Hagler-Vito 2 or Hagler-Hamsho? He was there doing commentary. He'd done enough Hagler's fights, yet waits 6 yrs to say "I can beat him"? let's not forget the clincher heard during rd 6 of their fight "Sugar Ray said he was counting on the slowness of Hagler. he said he'd lost alot of speed" His phony eye injury is just an excuse for his well timed comebacks
Yes, it's pretty clear that he came back when he realized Hagler was slowing down and beatable. I base this on Leonard's own accounts of these events, and those of people close to him. I think he retired in 1983 because he was worried about his eye and maybe he wanted to live the celebrity life a bit. Not some elaborate case of "ducking the issue". You can't really duck a champion of the above weight class either. He was an ******* to Hagler in '83, but can't really call it a duck.
To some degree, yeah. I think Ray Leonard is a big hypocrite, to a certain extent, and if I was Donald Curry, I go up to California, and whip his ass.