This content is protected Tremendous youtube video exploring my...and i know one of the classic forums favourite "what if"s"........namely what if marvin hagler had never fought Ray Leonard never got that payday,and had carried on fighting 1987-1993 How would an older Hagler have handled the talent influx those years bought? The video is very polished highly presentable. I enjoyed it I hoped you do too. Its good fun although its obvious to me Hagler probably woulda just fought Curry and Hearns instead and retired in mid 1987 regardless. The credible video host makes clear Marvin had nothing left to prove to anyone and kind of hints that Hagler had beaten every type of opponent already. Still dreaming of Hagler fights against Nunn,McCallum,Toney,Hopkins, as well as Kalambay, Graham,Benn,Johnson,Mclellan is always fun
He loses against Nunn or McCallum or Kalambay or Graham or Toney. 1 of them at least. Maybe 2 or even 4 of them. That's most probably the best MW era
In most MW threads Hagler is seen as one of the best MW ever, top 2/3 and rightly so. How is he losing to Graham, Toney, Kalambay, Nunn etc ? His reign in the early/mid 80’s was during an equally tough era, he just made it look easy. He was that good.
Ive always felt the mw scene 1980-1986 until hearns and mugabi stepped up was pretty weak.in other words marvin presided over a weak division. I just feel hamsho,obel,sibson,lee,scypion,antuofermo.....none of these guys was as strong as the mid 70s crop. Its very hard to imagine hagler having to " start over as it were as a 33 yr old or 35 yr old in 1987....meeting a sudden avalanche of fresh new challenges...and 2 older fighters suddenly blossoming......its astonishing how quickly by summer 1987 the mw scene had an utterly fresh new landscape.... The early mid 80s hyped guys were really werent that good ( frank Fletcher ,curtis parker,hard rock green ,don lee) were all being beaten by the new crop.. Its impossible to imagine a marvin who had wiped out a division for a decade from 1978 to early 1987 and even in the absence of a ray leonard payday having paydays with Curry and Hearns out there not retiring after one last fight in early 87. Lets say in an alternative universe ...neither the Curry ,hearns rematch or srl fights happen and mugabi was beaten on the initial autumn 1985 date early...and thereby hagler remained fresh and considered to be still at his peak as ....and wanted to carry on for as long as possible...than this is how i see it panning out.. January 1986- Herol Graham Hagler stops him in 9...its competitive for 8 cagey quietish rounds which shocks the american audience in itself...hagler hurts graham in the 9th and floors him twice before its stopped July 1986 - Michael Olajide Ko magazine predicts a new era starting for the michael jackson of boxing but hagler makes him beat it after 5 rounds. Dec 1986- Iran Barkley The blade is a top contender after beating james kinchen but is swept away in 6 punishing rounds...Haglers slashing straight punches take the win... April 1987- Frank Tate Olympic Gold medalist Tate boxes defensively and is stopped in 9 in a routine defence. So far i think my results are entirely realistic.. August 1987 -Sumbu Kalambay 15 rounds and a split decision....sumbu utilises fast feet and hands and after 12 is ahead slightly...hagler roars back to barrowly edge it but its clear for the fast time Hagler is ageing. March 1988- mike mccallum Respected undefeated light middle titlist Mccallum steps up in a hbo ppv mini superfight...the fight goes 15 and hagler wins another close fight .mccallum is sour and claims he won but consensus is hagler won. There is now much press talk Hagler is ageing and should consider retirement...following his divorce to bertha hagler...marvin needs to fight on and declares he aims to be more active in order to pay off his bills...he uncharacteristically has a dispute with the petronellis and brings in eddie futch alongside them. August 1988 Reggie Johnson A non title tune up vs 18-1-1 Johnson... hagler wins a routine 10 round decision 98-92. December 1988 Nigel Benn 20-0 unknown brit kayo artist nigel benn is considered undeserving of a shot by the american magazines and they are proved right as hw is slaughtered in 5 rounds....hagler looks good. May 1988 -Michael Nunn Hagler loses his title on a very controversial 12 rounder where nunns speed and flurries catch the eye...hagler comes on late but loses 114-113.Many people think hagler won. Dec 1989 -Steve Collins Hagler wins a 10 round tune up over former stable mate and usba champ collins. June 1990- Michael Nunn Hagler loses on points in another close one and retires as an atg top 3 MW
May 1991 After defeating michael nunn...james toney calls hagler a bum and asks him to quit "making italian movies no one is watching" and fight him "unless you dont got the balls no more". October 1991..Hagler still feeling the effects of his costly divorce ponders returning with nunn beaten again by toney and taken off the scene.......to be contd...
Jan and march 1992 hagler wins 2 tuneups over a lowly foe and lamar parks. In the meanwhile toney has defeated mccallum and julian jackson in defences Summer 1992 -James Toney Hagler loses over 12 rounds and retires at 38.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler is one of the great middleweight champions to have ever lived but a great fighter knows his own limitations, so continuing to fight after his loss to Sugar Ray Leonard would absolutely make no sense at all. At the time of his loss to Leonard, he was starting to show signs of slippage, especially after his war against John The Beast Mugabi. Had he continued, his legacy would have been further tarnished at the hands of a Sumbu Kalambay, Michael Nunn, or even a Mike McCallum. Our bodies were not made for long term punishment for decades. Not to mention what a loss does to a fighter psychologically, creating self doubt. If Marvelous had stopped Ray Leonard, he may have continued possibly breaking Carlos Monzon's record of 14 successful title defenses but the ringside officials tallied their scores for Sugar Ray Leonard, something Hagler and many fans have to live with. Money is not everything sometimes, especially when you already have it, greed can lead to consequences sometimes.
On point @Richard M Murrieta . People gloss over how hard it is for an elite athlete to retire on "time". It's awesome to remember Hagler as an amazing fighter, rather than remembering a shot fighter who eventually looked like a "bum" fighter. Boxing should have conferences helping fighters understand how to manage their money like other sports (NBA,NFL).
