Marvin Hagler v Vito Antuofermo 1

And this was the 70 s, not the 50 s where u plugged away for years and lucky to get a shot. Marvin was one of the toughest bastzrds out there and any one who says different is talking out of there ass holes.

 

Was he tough vs Duran, and did he wait too long and respect Leonard a bit too much in the early rounds? I think so. Better stated mental toughness wasn't the best part of his game.

He had opportunities to move up to light heavy and quit after the Leonard fight with a lot of money to be made in future fights.

 

Hagler was past his best when he fought Leonard.Why would he move up to light heavy there were no big names up there in 1987 for him to draw what he was getting at 160lbs ? Not even a recognized champion!
Hagler came back to his corner after the first round war with Hearns ,he had a cut above his eye.Asked by the doctor in the 3rd rd if he could see he said."I aint missing him am I? "
"A minute into the third round, referee Richard Steele stopped the action so the ringside doctor could check Hagler's cut. The physician asked, "Can you see all right?" Hagler replied, "I ain't missing him, am I?"
Hagler got $5.6 million for the Hearns fight and around $20 million for the Leonard fight.The fight grossed over $78 million!
What could he have earned from a fight with the number 1 lhvyt contender Charles Williams? Peanuts!
Hagler was as strong mentally as any fighter I have seen!
Carlos Monzon never went up to lhvy, did he lack mental toughness too?

 

Take your pick between poor ring tactician or a little gun shy to engage when he was the bigger man. I have examples of both.

Hagler didn't need to be mentally tough or smart when he was not in there vs a top guy. I do not think it was a strong point of his game.

Hagler was offered to move up to 175 and fight Quai, correct? I think Quai called him out more than once.

Instead, it was Hagler calling out smaller men to meet him at 160.

I do not recall any offers for Monzon to move up to light heavyweight to fight Foster. There might have been.

 

Your time lines don't correspond, Hagler had his blockbuster fight with Leonard in 1987 ,at that time Qawi hadn't been champion for 5 years!
When Qawi lost his title to Spinks the total gate was under $1 million
I repeat there were no big names= purses at175lbs !
So no incentive for a now 33 years old ,declining Hagler to move up a division.
As champ Hagler was calling out opponents who represented potential big pay days.
He fought plenty of big middleweights.
Oblemijas was over 6 foot and later won the WBA super middle title.
Hamsho subsequently fought for a version of the lhvy title.
Scypion 5'11" went up to super middle.
Sibson challenged for the lightheavy title.
Hearns 6'1"went up and won titles at two higher weights.
Leonard won a version of the LVhy title.
Hagler toiled for years in relative obscurity, he fought a who's who of the middleweight division before he finally won the title, he then made 12 successful defences and ducked no one!

 

Actually this wasn't Hagler's finest hour, Vito was tough as nails but Marvin should have stopped a guy who gets hit as often as he did and who was a limited boxer.

 

Simply stated Quai was a very short light heavyweight ( Hagler would have a height and reach edge ) called him out no less than three times. Hagler was not up for it.

I agree Hagler ducked no one at 160.

He had his way where the best lower weight fighters moved up to face him. I would say Leonard, Duran, and Hearns were better than any natural 160 pound middle weight he fought.

Had Hagler moved up to light heavyweight and won a title, he'd be viewed a a special type of two division champion.

 

I think he's probably quite happy enough, being considered a Top-5 All Time Great Middleweight.

 

Historically middleweights make more money than light heavies, so why would Hagler move up to fight Qawi for a purse significantly less than he was making in his natural division? Spinks and Qawi drew $1 million that's not split between them, that was the total gate!
Hagler was pulling huge purses defending his crown.
You don't make any logical sense!
Instead of which he is only viewed as a top 4 all time middleweight .

 

Wood trees?lol