Would if Marvelous Marvin Hagler had fought Sugar Ray Lenard in 1982?

Just realized u posted this. It was at 168 IIRC maybe a catchweight but pretty sure it was super middle def not 154

 

Hagler whoops him. Leonard had every advantage in their actual fight against a faded post-Mugabi Hagler. Even still couldn't win clear despite a giant ring and 12 round distance. Prime Hagler over 15 in a normal sized ring might stop him late.

 

I'd rather not.

 

Who are we kidding. TThe way some people have actually talked themselves into making this into an actual contest. his "fight" would be no fight whatsoever. If this is any indication what Marvin was like in his prime, I could see why Ray changed his tune when the subject came to "fighting Marvin Hagler". He reminds me of Jack the ripper, with gloves

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I would stay away. I would stay FAR away and then "test the waters" watching for signs of a slowdown as Ray had done. but if we are talking 1982, forget it!!

Conclusion: This is an easy one. I give Ray little if any chance of even SURVIVING. What I DO like, is Hagler by vicious stoppage early rounds

 

So Leonard got worse during his sabbatical because he wasn't preserved like captain America, but somehow got bigger and stronger?
If Ray knew he couldn't beat Marvin before his time out (he knew it), is it really that impressive beating a Hagler that had slipped so far after?
Still an impressive win, but talk about fighting a guy at the right time.
Hagler was so incredibly slow in that fight, it's painful to watch.
Hagler the proud warrior never fought again, what does that tell you.

 

To me that was the same reason Foreman retired, he knew he got robbed but felt he had nothing more to prove. Plus, he was soooo rich.

 

It was an incredible accomplishment .. no question ... a few points to make remain it was a very carefully made decision, not out of financial desperation like many fighters are forced to make when an opportunity comes but calculated .. keep in mind Leonard was the younger man .. he did not have serious wear and tear and picked his spot .. Hagler , with many more fights and many more tough fights and older was slowing down .. the story goes Ray was watching the Mugabi fight at a celebrity event in Vegas and said to Michael J. Fox and others upon watching that fight that he could beat that Hagler .. that's when the seed was not just planted but the plan started to be executed .. Ray also was super bright and played into Marvin's very sensitive ego .. he gave Hagler the larger purse but in return got fight distance , ring size and glove sizes he wanted ... asa far as prime for prime, H2H, I see Hagler being too much for sure ... Leonard was P4P the better fighter but prime for prime, H2H I favor Marvin.

 

I'm not arguing but just curious; in what way was Ray the better fighter, because I just dont see it

The only flaw I saw was when he faced off with Duran and didnt seem to know how to fight him. Even so, if Marvin fought erratically all the time, I'd go along with you but since he quickly did away with Hearns then I assume it was more an aberration

He did tire in the Antuofuermo fight when he said he could beat Corro & Vito in the same night. but then, I watched the Hamsho fight where he actually seemed to get stronger as the fight went into the later rounds

With the Hamsho and Sibson fights, I'd say you'd have to rank Hagler at the top p4p

 

I am not knocking Marvin at all ... he was an all time great middleweight in my opinion for sure .. I just think Ray Leonard may have been the best pound for pound fighter of the past fifty years ..

 

The question is WHY do you think Ray was the better man?

When I look at the evidence, Marvin had the better overall record by far
His number one ranking was more qualified than even Leonard's as he spent 3 years there
He made more defenses
His opposition was more demanding
His chin was unquestionably superior
You might say "ray's hand speed" but wasnt it shown that Hagler could nullify superior hand speed when he faced Tommy Hearns? By 1984, Tommy's speed had reached a level where it exceeded Ray's
And when marvin finally slowed, he showed that he could adapt better to younger opponents such as Mugabi and even Leonard, than when Ray showed when he faced off with Norris

 

Best fighter pfp...maybe. I'm thinking of Duran, though.

 

Tell you what, go find me all the articles from the time that declared Marvin was completely shot after the Mugabi fight.

Hagler didn’t fight again because Leonard ate his soul.

 

Last 50 years?
I could live with that
You know Vinnie Pazienza, no slouch himself said Duran hit him the hardest. I saw it in an interview on youtube

 

Troll patrol, we found one!

 

Leonard didnt eat his soul. Hagler was discussing retirement long before the Leonard fight. In fact Hagler told him so in his restaurant which was the nail in the coffin for Leonard challenging him at that stage. It took Hagler a long while to decide to take the Leonard fight as he was set to to retire and Leonard knew it. Hagler took the money and did what he had planned to do for awhile.