I think that this victory gave him what he always wanted to have, recognition. He was not the same mentally after it, not as hungry as he was in the early 80s.
I thought so also. Hagler seemed to get the gift he always wanted when he signed to fight fellow legend Hearns. Against Duran he knew Duran was not the marquee guy Hearns or Leonard were at the time. He fought ok but like his usual defenses and just cautious. I don't think he felt Duran was much of a challenge to his title in 1983, but with Hearns everything was awakened in Hagler. With Hearns he decided to go for broke and the first fight in 1982 was cancelled and Hearns called him a midget so everything spelled putting his all out since he didn't think he would have another chance for his legacy. And he did great. He used his dislike for Hearns to get motivated and put 200 percent into this fight. During the post fight with Al Bernstein he said I think I put out my all for this fight. And he did. I think he put out so much and then was hit with those Hearns right hands so hard that as a top fighter he was diminished big that night. He sacrificed one great fight and win and intensity which he never really had again. Then somehow he had his nose broken in sparring for Mugabi later in the year and couldn't spar and the Mugabi fight was postponed, and he was inactive for a year. Marvin never had broken noses in sparring. I think his motivation went down after Hearns and he was probably getting hit cleaner-something changed. Anyway, he struggles with Mugabi and looked soft at the prefight. Then Leonard miraculously wants to fight him by announcing on the Maryland sports news program that he will fight Marvin. Marvin at first doesn't know what he wants to do, which shows his motivation was gone a little since he always wanted the Ray fight. Once he beat Hearns and Ray never came out of retirement I think beating Hearns took away his motivation to fight Ray a little. Anyway, he decides to fight Ray in only his second fight since Hearns and comes in under weight and looks flat. And losses. Basically I think Marvin lost his motivation big time after Hearns. I think putting his all in that fight and still getting hit with hammering punches took a little out of him. He won the fight but in the end he was diminished. It is clear now.
