How would Hagler's career play out ? Would his reign be longer or someone else would have defeated Hagler ?
Hagler was more or less set to retire, after the Mugabi fight. He had to be heavily coaxed into the Leonard fight (the offer of $10M helped). The only other bout I can think of, which he might have gotten up for, perhaps, is a Hearns rematch. However, I think it more likely that he would have announced his retirement.
Hagler was a warrior, obsessed with boxing. I think he would have continued to fight and could have held the title quite awhile longer. Aside from SRL, I don't see anyone else coming along to beat him.
He had been declining since the Roldan fight, slower legs & defensive reflexes, but made up for it with some of his other many strengths. The Mugabi fight showed a lot of his great attributes while also showing the slower legs & defensive reflexes. His jab was killing Mugabi, he showed his great chin, endurance, in-fighting. He outboxed Mugabi from the outside (despite what Leonard said, who probably was seeing what he wanted to see) with that piston jab and then outfought him in the trenches. He was certainly slowing down, and I would certainly pick Nunn to beat Hagler in 1988.
he would huh? after Mugabi, he seemed to be more like someone obsessed with going out to pasture maybe you're thinking of Hagler from further back Nunn, Tate wouldve both had him for lunch. Hearns too
