How powerful was Hagler's straight left hand?

Duan said it was nothing, basically.

"I turned my head to be careful of his right because it's his most dangerous hand. His left is dead. The hand he most relied on was his right," Duran said.

Duran is Duran tho.

 

I'd reckon so. He threw a hard jab with it when in an orthodox stance and his left hook off the same platform was decent. From memory he hit Ray with a very hard left uppercut, his best punch of the bout perhaps.

 

Dundee said that he and SRL noticed that Hagler was right handed while they were in training for the fight. Their plan was to move to their right, Hagler's left, regardless of whether Hagler was in a conventional or southpaw stance because they didn't feel like Hagler had much in the left.

 

Yeah, I remember that one. It ripped Leonard’s head up and really shook him up, his legs went a bit I think. Maybe it was in round 6? I was rooting for Ray, primarily because he was the underdog but I remember thinking perhaps the tide was turning when Marv landed that shot on a tiring Leonard - but Ray hung tough.

 

Round 5 i think and i reckon i have it mixed up with a right uppercut.

 

Yep, a right and it was round 5. I was close, not a fight I rewatch much - just looked at that round again though, pretty good round -Marvin looked more determined to overrun Ray but Leonard pulled out some very sweet punches himself, very clean with some oomph.

 

People who say all Leonard did was shoeshine have never watched the fight.

 

When he was younger he threw that punch straight as an arrow- it was a sharp punch, if not a devastating one. As he got older it looped more.

 

Exactly.

And shoeshine can mean different things to different people - some interpretations include some substance in the punches.

Even when the punches are initially pure flash, they can distract and serve as set up to more meaty shots.

Just imo, a perfect example was in round 12.

Exhausted Ray trapped on the ropes. He began with a 101 shoe shine flurry, enough to bedazzle (not hurt) Hags but that set up Ray to follow up with clean, solid, on point punches, which then also allowed Leonard the opportunity to move off the ropes.

 

We should all shoeshine like this - there’d be no leather left on our shoes. Note Marv’s smile after one particular on point combo - the concealing, disingenuous smile lasts about 1-2 seconds :-

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might only 1 of those punches landed? that might be what Hagler was smiling about. the 3rd punch of the 4 did land it well so could be Hagler was impressed by that & acknowledge it. looks like the other 3 punch did not land. 2 of them miss complete without a doubts. the 2nd punch might be glance blow & be kind to Ray we call it a score punch.
so with efforts of benefit of doubt we can say this combo was 50% success rate to be kind to Ray.
is 25% or 50% then. 2 or 3 punches miss out of 4 is not particular " on point. " combo.

this is why people call it the Ray Leonard performance the " smoke & the mirrors ' . people seeing punches landing that do factually miss?
? people seeing things that is not there. I think some do. just a guess.

 

Why would it loop more? You’ve mentioned he did it you think as a defensive manoeuvre to take his head off line from John M if I remember properly.