BEST I FACED: MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER

The reason Hagler was so bitter, is because he got his first title shot when he was 46-2-1. Many champions retire without even getting close to that many fights, I'd be bitter too. Alphabet titles must've really hated him. Hagler was also robbed in that title fight against Vito Antuofermo, which got called a draw (even though the fight wasn't even CLOSE, definitely a W for Hagler)

He also probably considered for a lot of his career a high risk, no reward fighter, meaning the champ who faces him has a high risk of losing and no reward/recognition for beating someone considered an unknown/bum.

So in combination with him being bitter at boxing, he finally starts getting the recognition he deserves and BAM! Robbed against Leonard. I'd be mad.

 

He had a heck of a career. I understand his bitterness, but at the same time all the legends he fought which people remember him fighting were moving up in weight. So he had the advantage there. And a retired rusty champion beat him. I love Marvin Hagler, but coming out right handed and not seeming urgent at times hurt him. He has himself or his corner to blame.

 

In general, the people who say "that" are those who either don't know much about or just disregard the rest of Hagler's career; don't acknowledge Hagler's ring wear by 1987 and also tend towards the thinking that Leonard earned the decision against Hagler with ease.

Generally considered a Top-5 ATG Middleweight, one of the deepest divisions in boxing history. Hagler is often seen as a Top-3 listing...

...if the hotly disputed decision loss against Leonard has "tainted" Hagler's legacy then I'm not seeing a huge impact on how people look at him, historically.

 

I think the Leonard fight impacts on Hagler's legacy a bit, even though I had him winning that.
If he'd had KO'd Leonard brutally in 5 or 6 rounds and retired on that, they'd be less reason to put, say, Carlos Monzon above him, for example.
But as things stand, I'd be inclined to rank Monzon above him.

 

I know he was motivated largely by money and legacy, but I always saw the Leonard bout as a lose/lose for Hagler; either he beat a blown-up welterweight who hadn't fought in years, or lost to a blown up welterweight who hadn't fought in years ... the payday skewed his camp's perspective, though. Ring size, gloves, 12 round distance - they caved to every demand. As champ, he should have been dictating terms, not accepting them.

 

It does hurt him no matter what, and Leonard never looked great in his comeback fights after Hagler. He looked the best against Duran, but he really only moved and didn't fight in that fight and had the speed advantage, and he was still cut up in that fight. And Lalonde knocked him down ,and Hearns should have won the rematch.

 

The usual ex fighters agenda, praising the fighters they defeated,
discrediting the ones that beat them.
It's called disingenuous, sour grapes, etc.

 

Has there been a fighter that was straight up honest?
What is wrong with anything Marvelous said though?

 

Money did the talking for Marvin. Shame. He still won the fight though.

 

Marvin sort of blew it in that fight. He saying he won and all that is fine, but he sure let it get close for a guy who was upset he got a bad decision. Coming out right handed gave Ray the first two rounds I think, and also the momentum. He landed a few good punches on Marvin which changed the fight. Once Marvin switched back Ray always was controlling the fight and had confidence.

 

If, after this many years, he still remains bitter over the whole Leonard thing then it speaks poorly of him. You had a great career, you're rich, you live well now. Get the %$@# over it.

 

I've watched that fight too many times. I still dont see what Ray did other than move and move. Most of his punches landed on Marvin's gloves and arms.

 

Ray flagged badly and started to get out scored during the middle rounds, all that movement wore his legs out.

 

That`s a little harsh because he did score more than Hagle in the first four rounds but not by much and then he ran like hell, still scoring here and there but Hagler out scored him with volume over all thre`s a punch count vid that proves that and to a certain extent backs up what you`re saying, Ray did use a lot of excessive movement.

 

Yeah, it's kind of sad to see. I hope he's happy with his life overall though.