I remember watching this fight -- prime-time ABC live undercard to Leonard-Benitez (from Las Vegas, with part of the card from New Orleans). Halger was hyped up as the best fighter in the world not to hold a belt, a guy who had been ducked and denied for so long finally getting his big shot. And he looked, on the whole fairly average. Other than being able to effectively switch hit, what everyone was so excited about was far from obvious. I scored that fight that night, ironically, a draw. Antoufermo gave Marvin a lot of problems, and definitely the bout was fought more on his terms. Many at the time cried about about the decision, including Hagler, IIRC. I didn't get what their beef was. It was certainly close enough to have gone either way in my eyes. I've seen it since (but didn't score it), and didn't change my mind. What do those who have seen it think -- about Hagler's performance, and about the scoring?
I scored it for Marvin pretty clearly, still do. But I really admire Vito's performance; he really exceeded expectations and this was perhaps his career highlight.
I thought Hagler clearly won that fight but Vito gave a good showing of himself. Hagler/Antuofermo II was way different with Hagler dishing out punishment for the short 3 rounds it lasted.
I had the fight dead even going into the last round and I scored the last round slightly for Hagler, so with an 8-7 scorecard I didn't have an issue with a draw. Scartissue
12-3 to Hagler - perhaps four rounds to the mosquito if I'm being generous.I'm quite partial to giving credit to decisive,clean punches rather than mindless bum rushes - which is all Antuofermo ever had to offer.Besides the Hart and first Hamsho fight,probably the best showcase of the abilities of Marvis as an actual boxer. Antuofermo seems to have been a well connected fighter.Minter also soundly outboxed him and one judge somehow managed to give that to Antuofermo - not to mention the gift decision he got over Bennie Briscoe a few years earlier.
I don't think there's any question that Hagler won that fight but the guy could have fought a lot better, especially after being ducked that long.
ESB did a story on this fight last year. They scored it 9-5-1 for Hagler. http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=24001&more=1
