What people don't realize about Sugar Ray Leonard's Greatness is...

Leonard did prepare for a year before fighting Hagler true, but sparring is no substitute for the real thing.

To say Hagler didn't have the will he used to have is partly true, but remember that a fight with Ray changes everything.
First, Hagler was always envious of Leonard and had been calling him out for years. Hagler felt Leonard had the acclaim and star value he had always wanted.
Secondly, the money he would earn vs. Leonard was huge.

Those two reasons alone ensured or should have ensured that Hagler was massively motivated for this fight. So sure, against the likes of Mugabi Hagler could not really get motivated, but Leonard was a totally different ballgame.

Also, Leonard did come out of retirement to fight Howard, and I personally believe that he did at least have Hagler in mind, for a later date. The mediocre performance against Howard convinced him that he stood no chance with Hagler and so he retired again.
It wasn't until '86 when he saw Hagler struggle somewhat with Mugabi that he felt he could take him, but I don't think Leonard so much waited for Hagler to slow down so much as he just saw that opportunity and decided to take it.
Leonard being out for so long, living a wild and self-destructive life in retirement and also being older evened the odd, imo.

I also tend to think that had they fought earlier Hagler would have won, but you just never know...

 

:rofl

 

Like someone else said: At least Leonard had the balls to fight the likes of Benitez, Duran, Hearns, and Hagler....Can't say the same about Pacweather, who wont even fight each other.

 

In think he means Larry Blake's portrayal of Robert G. Durant.

 

Leonard had more retirements and comebacks than Frank Sinatra. ****, he used to hold press conferences that hinted about him coming back, and talk a lot of cobblers about other fights and fighters. Boring to the point of nausea, they were.

 

he ducked aaron pryor

 

..and instead fought much more dangerous and skilled guys like Thomas Hearns...


**** outta here with "Black bottle i mixed" Pryor.

 

I credit Duran more for Montreal than I do blame Leonard for not fighting the right type of fight. It's not like Leonard usually fought in the fleet-footed, dancer mode that he did against Hagler and the last 2 Duran bouts.

He changed styles more so for the rematch than the first fight.

He offered Pryor far more money than he had ever made at that point. Pryor wanted more.

Legendary Nights has polluted the minds of a generation of boxing fans.

 

SRL was amazing, one of the greatest athletes of my life. People give Michael Jordan love for taking a couple of years off and winning an NBA title. What SRL did was much greater than that.

 

:good Only ******s can say something like that, Pac and Floyd are not even close to SRL!

 

Leonard was the Jordan of boxing of the 80s. He was the real deal. Floyd and Pacman are great by today's standards, but are only wannabes when compared to Leonard. *****s and *******s should know better. Past his prime Oscar is the best win for both of these ni99a please!!! Everybody then and everybody now wanted or want to be like him, but they can't! Because they simply not as great. It's that simple.

 

Thank you for a great post.

"No Mas, No Mas!"

 

It's well known that Pryor priced himself out of a fight,but let's for the sake of the discussion,imagine no offer was made.
Why the **** should the most gifted boxer and highest earning non HW of his generation,go in with a guy(and bear in mind Leonard had a career threatening eye problem) go in with a guy who despite his phenomenal talent,is a recognised cheat and had the most dangerous(to other boxers) trainer of modern times in his corner?:think
Mmmmm.....
Yeah,it really was a stain on Ray's legacy that he chose not to fight Pryor and took the easy route.:rofl

 

SRL is pure greatness, who doesn't agree can **** off.

 

noob thread gtfo