Would Hagler have been able to win the last three rounds and pull off a decision? Would he have been able to knock Leonard out? Leonard looked exhausted after the fight. Hagler seemed like he still had a lot left in the tank
You’re messing with the space-time continuum: if it was scheduled for 15 they would have trained differently and fought differently.
True. Let's say everything was the same leading up to the 12 round fight that is in this 15 round fight, yes I think Hagler would've won. Now, if boxing had no rounds and only ended when a fighter couldn't continue, Hagler would be undefeated...
I am not sure. Even against Hearns he was exhausted in round 3. With Duran he was tentative to pour it on until the end. He was not as sure of himself as people think. I think 3 more rounds the way Ray looked would have been hard to go that distance, but Ray had heart and he did well against Hagler's style.
I wouldn't say exhausted, tired yes but that fight was fought at a crazy pace. Hagler was the type of dude to keep on operating even if he was tired, too. Sometimes he just set the pace too slow, and in the case of Leonard he should've tried to brawl him like he did Hearns.
Leonard commented on the HBO version Hagler is really arm weary now at the end of round 2, and when you see him in round 3. He was missing against and exhausted Hearns. Had Hearns been able to move and box Hagler would have had a hard time getting to him as his face swelled. Brawl Hagler? I don't know. I think Hagler would have stopped Ray if Ray did that. Hearns and Mugabi couldn't put him down, I don't think Ray could have.
And part of Hagler being exhausted in round 3 was that it was Hearns punching him and not Leonard. If Ray fought him like that, Hagler would have been in ok shape. Hagler knew with Hearns he had to keep going and going or Hearns would get the range. Hagler reach was longer than Ray's. Ray was so much faster.
At that stage Hagler wasn't fast at all. In fact he was looking slow as early as the Roldan fight. But watch the prime version like against Sibson. He was fast- not lightning speed- but fast close to his prime.
