Did Hagler Duck Anyone

I was kind of scared that Caveman's real name was Donald.

 

One sided ?? That was an F’N war albeit a short one.

 

It was competitive for about 90 seconds, until hagler landed the left hand that took Tommy's legs.

 

You are one of the most impartial and honest posters in here, always staying true to the facts (whether opposed or not) so i will link your post to clear the whole Benitez - Hagler fairytale up (before it gains momentum and becomes revisionist history) knowing you will take it forward in years to come. Lets include @Bokaj as he is cut from the same cloth.

So you will notice that after one of the best wins (Duran) of his career Benitez suddenly became completely inactive when he should have been springboarding forward.

This is because there was a contractual tug of war going on as Arum was trying to woo Benitez' father who was then trying to regain control of the fighter from Jimmy Jacobs. This tug of war led to Benitez career completely stalling and saw him going into the Hearns fight on 10 months of inactivity. So the Benitez camp was never going to be throwing contracts at Hagler during this time period. Case closed.

Don King actually promised that the winner of Hearns - Benitez would be the mandatory challenger for Marvin Hagler, saying the winner fighting Hagler was imminent. This didn't come off as early as proposed due to Hearns camp taking their time not Hagler. If Benitez beat Hearns he could have had his way fighting Marvin. Of course he also had the chance to get to Hagler via Hamsho but the immediate topic is post Duran.

Remember too that Hagler and Hearns were signed to fight May 24 1982 and then Hearns hurt his right hand which put it back to July 12. It was cancelled before that date. So for almost the entire first half of 1982 Hagler was actually lined up to fight Hearns or in negotiations.

Furthermore the biggest player, SRL, was still in the mix and had poleaxed Bruce Finch a month after Benitez - Duran. Hagler, Hearns and Benitez were all lusting after Ray and he was everyone's first preference as an opponent for obvious reasons. So the waters were extremely muddied.

Hagler also fractured a rib in training in June 82 which kept him out of the ring until Obel in October, the WBA sweetheart who had actually been made a mandatory again.

So the whole Hagler ducked Benitez story is just that, a story.

 

not sure but doubtful,

but in cases of Protection, Avoidance and down right Sidestepping, it more often than not wouldn't be the fighters, but rather the scum sucking Managers, Promoters, Boards and Backers who say who gets to play or Not!

I believe most Top Fighters & Champions would happily face anyone, Most, but perhaps not all.

I think Hagler feared no one.

 

Michael Spinks did call Hagler out in 1983, after Hagler beat Duran. Obviously I won't call it a duck due to weight difference, but it can probably be called a challange He did not take?

 

Goddamn Wilfredo Benitez. We would have got another legendary fight if he didn't slack around in that Hamsho fight like he usually did from time to time

 

Thanks! Good break down.

Also on a principal level, I think this whole idea of ducking fighters who haven't even competed in the division in question is quite far fetched.

 

A good point mate.

 

When a challenge comes from a lower division champions gobble them up, since they tend to be big names and bring good money.

 

And size often works against them as well.

 

He ducked no one .. he was also not interested in moving up to super middle or light heavy no matter how big the money or how much he wanted a super fight ... he was smart ..

 

Now that would have been a duck.

 

With respect I don’t think he ducked Graham. When Herol became WBA WBC number 1 he wasn’t mandatory. It’s worth looking at the timeline.

 

Also with respect, but how anyone things Hagler-Benitez might have come out is immaterial. Everyone thought Tyson would beat Buster Douglas … does that mean they shouldn’t have fought?

Instead of taking what you’re saying would have been a one-sided fight vs. Wilfred (after Duran), Hagler instead fought Caveman Lee and Fully Obel (a guy he had already beaten in a title fight). Those fights were not competitive and they also weren’t fights anyone would have cared to see.

He could have negotiated with Wilfred and put together a fight as soon as Mickey Goodwin pulled out and instead Marvin subbed in Lee. Neither were close to world-class. Neither, frankly, deserved title shot consideration.