If Sugar Ray Leonard challenged Marvin Hagler about the same time Thomas Hearns did. Would the result have been different from thier actual fight?
Hagler UD/late TKO Leonard. I think at that time Hagler would be too sharp and too big for Leonard - who I assume wouldn´t be as ready to carry the higher weight than later on.
I'd give it to Hagler at that stage. I think he may have been a little past peak even then, but not as much. I have a hard time seeing anyone stop Leonard though. Tough chin and huge heart. Hagler UD.
Well i'm sure not going to drag you into extended debate nor get into the deeper intricasies, but i have always been of the opinion Hagler was a far better fighter in rematches. I am more thinking about these two at their best. I used to automatically think Hagler would be too big and strong, but now i think Leonard might ambush him even then, just once. Leonard was never going to be able to back up again vs Hagler, Marvin was his Everest and he knew it. Hagler was also going to come into any rematch much smarter and wiser and once his aim was true his natural size wasn't going to be overcome or fooled. That's my take, and i know yours will obviously be different. The truth is if Leonard won he would have walked, and if Hagler won Leonard would most likely have less room for improvement than him anyway. I probably shouldn't have typed this much.
I think Hagler was declining quickly and Leonard, losing the first fight, would have held out for a rematch knowing this, striking again in '86 or later and scraping a win like he did in real life. At first I thought Hagler might underestimate Leonard, but no, he was itching to get at him except in '85 he still had a good bit of stuff left to catch him.
And there lay the two differing opinions. I'm now of the opinion that just post Hearns Leonard's speed adaptability and boxing ability would have allowed him to ambush Hagler but once. Some will agree, some will disagree. I'm also of the opinion Duran could have only ambushed Leonard once as well. Each to their own.
Hagler UD. I don't think the Leonard of 87 would have been that far removed from this version in 1985, while the 85 Hagler was a suprioer model to the aging warhorse that Leonard outfoxed. Here he still has enough about him to earn the decision- 116-113 ish.
Hagler would have won clearly a decision. He was much more active in the ring and much more deadly (ask the Hitman). Leonard would have done the exact same thing he did in their 87 encouter. Avoid the fight as much as possible and try to steal round eventually with flurries. But Marvin was faster and would not gas this time. Hagler UD Leonard, 8-4 or 9-3.
Leonard wins exactly the same way, he's simply the better boxer and proved it despite only having 1 fight in 5years. If anything wasn't Leonard at the disadvantage? Wasnt being active helping Hagler stay nearer his prime than Leonard? Hagler was only 2 years older and only 32 How about this Leonard would have exposed the same flaws in Haglers game years earlier its just no other of Haglers opponents had the ability to do so
Power puncher what you are saying is ridiculous. In all of Haglers career you are saying that none of his 60 opponents were on the level of glass jawed Ray leonard? I have already discussed this with John THomas that I watched Hagler get outboxed by just his sparring partners the weaver triplets and all three of them outboxed Hagler proving Marvin didnt even belong in the ring at the time, let alone that he was anywhere near his old form. I showed him proof i was there but he told me "even if you were there you didnt know what you were looking at" but if you have the book, all you have to do is turn to page 148 of This content is protected and they will tell you the same thing I saw. Power Puncher, what does that tell you if all your sparring partners who arent even pros, can make a ****** of a world champion in the ring? Besides that, why would leonard after attending the Mugabi fight all of a sudden proclaim after 6 years of doing commentary for Hagler's fights at ringside, suddenly proclaim "I can beat him!"? Why didnt he make that announcement in the years before?