Was Hagler s loss To Leonard More About Marvin Declining,Or Ray's Tactics?

During that whole fight I kept waiting for Hagler to Go! , but he seemed off , he looked like a 5 speed sports car who never got out of 3rd gear. I've said it before, the Mugabi win took a lot out of Hagler and his corner knew it. When Leonard challenged Hagler it was some time before Marvins camp replied, before he'd have jumped but now they stopped and considered how he'd do. He could have made a zillion dollars in a rematch but passed it by, and probably for good reason.

 

When people discuss a fight a lot of time they talk about why a fighter didn't do what he should have done. Maybe sometimes his opponent had something to do with it.

 

Marvin declining. Hard to believe how slow he was. No, really hard to believe.. like it was fixed or something.

 

I think Hagler's lack of enthusiasm and confidence in himself because of his worries about aging before the fight caused him to be hesitant at the beginning of the fight. So, he frittered away the early rounds. Even so, the judging on the bout could have gone either way.

 

I still can recall those Hagler sparring stories with the Weaver triplets handling him.

 

1. Hagler was no longer the same beast
2. His greed made him give concessions that helped Leonard
3. Hagler still edged the fight IMO
4. And yes, I do hate Leonard even more so than I hate Ali....but I still am objective

 

1. Leonard was not the same fighter either he was coming off a 3 year lay off and fighting at Hagler's best weight hence it evens out.

2. Haglers last fight 2 fights against Mugabi, Hearns, were 12 round fights. So I don't see an issue with the Leonard fight also being a 12 round fight, infact 15 round fights were on their way out and the last 15 round fight was fought in 1987 the same year Leonard fought Hagler.

3. I scored it draw regardless its still a close debatable fight and certainly no robbery. And Hagler only has himself to blame by fighting orthodox for first the 3 or 4 rounds giving those rounds away.

4. You can dislike who you like it's up to you but if you're pointing out that Hagler was past his prime. Then also point out Leonard was past his prime also and coming off a 3 year lay off.

That would be being objective.

 

To be clear, its not nor is it being presented as evidence of waiting Halger out but Leonard did make the pertinent comment that while he was coming back from years of inactivity he was also spared of punishment in the interim - and we know Hagler soaked his fair of punishment during Ray’s time out of the ring.

 

Just imo, I think because Hagler saw come-backing Ray as such an easy mark, he believed he could indulge in “out boxing” for Ray several rounds before lowering the boom - trying for the most consummate of victories.

Certainly, that was folly on Hagler’s part. Coming out balls to the wall would’ve perhaps been the best strategy - but still speculative as far as assuming 100% success if he had done so.

Certainly, if he failed at that alternate approach, he would’ve been even more gassed than he actually was in the later rounds.

I think Marv had to know he no longer had the stamina of old but also found out during the fight that he was even worse off than even he knew when he tried to step on the gas only to find out the machine failing to respond even as well as it did do in his last fight before Ray.

 

Yeah but how often have we seen guys come back post-prime years after long layoffs and their ‘freshness’ is more than offset by inability to pull the trigger and loss of reflex so they get hit more?

Ray had been bingeing cocaine and was hardly living the spartan life. But he cleaned up his act and got in shape and willed himsel to being a ‘younger’ fighter.

If it worked like that, we’d see a lot more successful comebacks after years down.

And Ray did it with no tuneups out of his own weight division against an ATG middle.

 

Hate is such a strong word and really a wasteful emotion, especially when reserved for a boxer who you do not know personally. and who has done you no wrong.

I don’t think you literally hate Ray but he does have you miffed for some or multiple reasons.

Free yourself from all that negativity and you will be a much happier person.

I always wanted to speak righteously from a pulpit…and by god, it felt good.

Yours truly

Brother Lee Love!!

 

Sure, but that was Ray’s own applied wisdom on the matter and in the face of Hagler I believe his comment had merit.

It certainly wasn’t to suggest that the negative impacts of years of inactivity weren’t also weighed (more heavily) into the equation rather, the sparing of punishment otherwise could or might duly considered as a partial offset of same.

 

Preach, Brother Andre.

This content is protected

 

Spot on and very creepy at the same time.

And here’s my actual and true inspiration and at least he was only having a lend: -

This content is protected

 

A bit of both Ray fought the right kind of fight, but I'm sure if Marvin looked a lot better against Mugabi, he probably wouldn't have wanted the fight in the first place. Ray got him at the right time.