If you haven't seen LEGENDARY NIGHTS, here you go

The man in my avatar was a tosser for **** fighting, don't want y'all to think i'm implemeting double standards :good

 

What was wrong with his attitude?

He was no angel, but vile? c'mon, Flea. Actually by all accounts Ray was and is a true gent (off the gear). Wouldn't put him in the same category as Lamotta.

 

Don't worry, I don't hold him in that regard 'Nob' and 'scum' are totally different ends of the spectrum.

I'm not too big a fan of 'cocky' types. I prefer either 'humble' or 'quiet and menacing' :good

Again, I'd like to stress: Ray Leonard is one of the best fighters I've ever had the privelaged of watching. I just imagine if I was watching then I wouldn't be rooting for him.

 

:good:good

 

Thing is, as a small kid Leonard was a hero of mine. In a book I had it made Duran tk be some kind of filthy Spanish bandit, and how he'd upset Rays wife

Funnily enough, the Panamanian became my favorite of The Fab Four. I like bravado when it's along the lines of 'I'll ****ing kill you' rather than...actually I think I've just figured out why I don't like Ray.

He was so cool. Famous, loved and sucessful. Everything I'm not. I guess because he embraced it as well, it irks me.

Maybe I'll bring this up with my psychologist next time I'm in ;-)

 

Duran is probably my least favourite of the Fab 4... :huh

Not that I don't like him.

 

Back to Leonard/Hagler. It's interesting because people always go on about how Marvin wasn't prime, but you could make a case that Leonard was more past his prime.

 

He'd always stayed in shape though Slip, with 'hard sparring' matches and playing a lot of Tennis. His eye had taken years to sort out, but he was hardly Ali-post exile.

Hagler had slipped, a little. But had rarely looked like losing, even if the likes of Mugabi and Roldan had forced him into wars.

I would say over 15, a few years before, with him being a little bit more sharp, as much as Leonards tactics would frustrate him and still win rounds, I think he'd be able to push it a little bit harder.

But Leonard did it. Regardless of what style he employed, he was supposed to get destroyed in that fight, and he didn't, far from it.

 

115-113 Leonard, every time I watch it. I feel privildged to be getting into boxing when an ATGs like Leonard, Hagler, Duran, Hearns, Arguello were plying thier trade.

 

:bbb

 

He stayed in shape, but no amount of tennis is gonna help in a 5 year lay-off. Leonard was more passed it than Hagler IMO, not to mention he was the such smaller fighter. Now, granted Marvin wasn't the fighter of the early 80's but he was at least active and was p4p interchangable with Chavez as the best fighter in the whole sport.

 

Ray was the 3/1 dog and that was after coming in from 5/1.

 

Says it all really.

 

I remember the "tennis" argument as well Slip, it didn't convince me at the time either. Playing tennis doesn't prepare you for getting hit by Marvin Hagler......

 

Maybe all fighters need to incorporate a little tennis into their training regiment, LOL!

I really love watching this fight, lost count of how many times i've seen it. It's one of those fights you can watch in any mood (no homo).

Leonard put on a masterpiece considering the circumstances. I bet Marvin is still haunted by those first 4 rounds, as that's where the fight was lost IMO. If Ray doesn't put those early rounds in the bank then i don't think he wins it. It gave him confidence and after that all he had to do was 'steal' a couple more rounds. He also did it without being extended or having to give of himself too much early aswell, which was crucial.

Hagler should've gone in to set a frenetic pace and get Leonard to fight him. Leonard would've found it harder to box him. Marvin could've forced a fight from Leonard and got to him as he was doing late in the fight, his approach should've been to close distance quicker then Leonard could create space and Hagler had the ability to do that.

It's funny though because Hagler almost made the same mistake against Duran. He tried to outbox Duran and let a Roberto who didn't carry the weight well recover his legs. Hagler and the Petronelli's had a habit of making little tactical mistakes like that. Don't forget he only threw the kitcken sink at Hearns because of desperation with the cut.