How much should the Ray Leonard fight effect Hagler's standing?

This is all true to be fair.

 

No Hagler didn't win, this myth needs dispelling, he gave away rounds, fought the wrong fight, didn't adapt to his opponents game. I don't think Hagler was as far from prime as his supporters claim, he just didn't have the ability to adapt to Leonards style.

And BHOPs landed the far far better shots in his fight with Calazage and had Joe missing all night. Hopkins fought defensively but landed the better shots throughout, Calazage barely landed any decent shots, slapping gloves doesnt count

 

I believe that Hagler won. Like said earlier only Ray Leonard could get gifted the wide card he was presented. Hagler did fight the wrong fight, but still shaded it in IMHO. Hagler winning certainly ain't a myth, and if he wasn't fighting the poster boy for 80s US boxing then I have no doubt he would have gotten the nod.

Re Calzaghe Hop, Ol' 'Nard simply didn't win enough rounds. Single shots don't win rounds. The old ****er didn't want to get hurt and fought the kind of fight for which Ricky Hatton would, rightly, be crucified.

Finally regarding the WW (Hop / Hagler) comparison, it should be noted that Hagler faced Duran, Leonard and Hearns. All far greater fighters than Teeto or Oscar. Even Duran, the smallest of Hagler's great challengers, went onto do great things in his bout with Barkley. De La Hoya had proved BEFORE getting into the ring with X that he ain't a 160 fighter and I strongly suspect that Oscar has no 'Barkley' like performance in him at Middle. As for Tito, he is a good (certainly not great) fighter at 160, for which I applaud X for the both the victory, and manner of conquest. But does this compare with the destruction of Hearns? Of course not. Could Tito live with Prime Hearns? No.

 

Which exact mag, i'll have a bo peep if i've got it.

 

Especially Hopkinsesque single shots. :yep

 

None. Hagler was finito.

 

KO magazine March 1985. It say on the cover "Next for Marvelous Marvin Hagler the only fight that really matters"

They say this because Duran-Hagler was not a big fight it was more of a curiosity fight.

 

Realistically, the outcome of this fight immediately reflects Hagler's standing. He lost plain and simple to Leonard who was comebacking and most will agree that Hagler gave away the early rounds.

Logically, this fight shouldn't affect Hagler's standing because Leonard's camp pretty much got what they wanted in terms of the contract. They got the larger ring and the 12 round duration.

Hagler would've won this fight if he had three more rounds to continue attacking Leonard, who had nothing left after the 12th round.

 

Purely to play Devils Advocate...who's to say Leonard wouldn't have paced himself differently if it was a 15 rounder.? He may or may not have been able to but you can't always just stick an extra 3 rounds onto a 12 fight and assume you have the correct result of fight if it were a scheduled 15 rounder.

 

Although Hagler was definately a heavy favorite to crush a former welter returning to the ring after 3 years and a career ending injury, I'm not sure that a single upset should totally ruin a man's legacy. Marvin reigned for a long time and convincingly dismantled numerous contenders and champions. Some will say Hagler was past it, while others will take the layoff route for Leonard. In either case, I believe both men were past their best and the outcome was extremely marginal.

 

I don't think Hagler was actually expected to knock out Leonard. The fight came out pretty much as anticipated. I thought Hagler deserved the nod, but that's the way it goes in Boxing and makes it unique. Everyone can see the same fight and interpet it in so many different ways. No other sport is like that. To be honest the Duran fight did more to tarnish Hagler way more than any reprocussions from the Leonard fight.

 

I agree with your opinion. However, Leonard had nothing left after the 12th round and probably wasn't conditioned to go 15 rounds which is why I say Hagler would have won over 15 rounds.

If Leonard paced himself differently and was prepared for 15 rounds in this fight, Hagler probably wouldn't have lost the opening rounds. Leonard fights at a slower pace in the opening rounds of a 15 round fight against Hagler and probably gets hit a lot more.

 

the fight where calzaghe threw marshmallow punches and flurries and landed maybe 1 effective punch the whole fight...hopkins landed more effective punches!!...with regards to hagler this does tarnish his legacy a little when you consider this was leonards first fight at MW and how inactive leonard was...unfortunately for him it was his career defining fight and his last so thats how he'll be remembered regardless of what he did prior that will always be the last memory of him

 

I agree with this. I also saw no evidence that Hagler looked great in the 12th and Leonard looked gone. They both looked very tired to me. I wouldnt have been able to confidently pick Hagler if it had been a 15 rounder.

As other posters have said Leonard won the first 4 rounds, which means he only needs 2 from the remaining 8 for a draw.