Hagler vs. Leonard - Rematch

[OctoberRed]

Hagler was already contemplating retirement after the Mugabi fight and before Leonard announced that he was finally ready to fight Hagler.

He could have had some other big fights, but he knew that he lost a step when he fought Mugabi, and he was even more past it when he fought Leonard. And his desire for the sport was gone as he felt he gave all he had. The politics and Sugar Ray just made him hate boxing even more.

The Leonard rematch was the only fight that mattered to him at that point.

I always had a craving for a Hagler vs. Hearns rematch after the first fight.

[champion4ever]

This is a hard one. The first fight was very close.

Promoters wanted the rematch, Hagler had no interested.

If it did happen, who would have won?

That's not an accurate statement. Actually Hagler held out over a year waiting for Leonard to give him a rematch but Leonard refused. He had gone back into retirement. By the time Leonard came out of retirement in the Fall of 1988 Hagler had already officially retired from the sport. However, had the two would have had a second go of it I think I would slightly favor Leonard because Hagler looked incredibly old and slow the first time by not cutting off the ring.

[wmute]

Considering Leonard stayed retired until Hagler retired making the rematch impossible, I think that he knew very well what everyone (except Leonard fanboys) knows about how a rematch would have gone down.

[SBleeder]

Leonard immediately forfeited the WBC Middleweight title after winning. Hagler was pissed about that; a rematch would have been for the lineal title, but no belts.

[Jennets Holey]

Hagler was mad that he was robbed and wanted a rematch right away, but he lost interest and retired because Leonard had no interest for an immediate rematch. Leonard was vague as usual saying "yeah, maybe down the road in a year or so," or something along those lines.

Hagler had to wait years for the first fight, so he didn't want to go down that road again. He also knew that he was past his prime and waiting around for at least another year wouldn't have done him any favors.

lol

roy was far more past it than mike haggar do you deny this?

you think roy gettin a year older would some how make him better


maladroit marvin was simply exposed by a fat old bum and he knew it thats why haggar quit becose he got no heart.

[Willy Wanker]

lol

roy was far more past it than mike haggar do you deny this?

you think roy gettin a year older would some how make him better


maladroit marvin was simply exposed by a fat old bum and he knew it thats why haggar quit becose he got no heart.

Not sure who or what you're talking about. Who is Roy? Or you can't spell "Ray?"

If you're implying Leonard was more past it, Hagler had almost double the amount of pro fights as Leonard did and was fighting 10 rounders just as early in his career as Leonard was.

Leonard admitted that he came out of retirement when he saw Hagler slipping and he felt that he could beat him. Both were past it, Hagler had too many wars and retired because Leonard had no intention of a rematch, he was just bull****ting as usual as Leonard was done taking real challenges in his career.

[soul_survivor]

Leonard would be too good yet again.

Say whatever you like about the characters involved, the controversy, the scores etc etc but it comes down to one simple thing, Hagler swung blind all night, couldn't hit Leonard often enough while the latter hit him enough each round to pick up points.

A masterful display, up there alongside Ali v foreman or hopkins v Tito in terms of the disparity in intelligence between the winners and losers.

[wmute]

Leonard would be too good at negotations yet again.

Say whatever you like about the characters involved, the controversy, the scores etc etc but it comes down to one simple thing, Hagler was wearing pillows instead of gloves, was forced to chase Leonard around a huge ring, with only 12 rounds instead of 15 to make sure Leonard would not gas out.

A masterful display, up there alongside Lalonde v Leonard, or Mayweather v Marquez in terms of the disparity in guts between the winners and losers.

Fixed it for you No need to thank me.

[soul_survivor]

Fixed it for you No need to thank me.

Hagler was happy to run after the money like. A greedy so and so. Leonard took the pay cut but got the boxing legacy he wanted.

No need to thank me.

[wmute]

Hagler was happy to run after the money like. A greedy so and so. Leonard took the pay cut but got the boxing legacy he wanted.

No need to thank me.

I am glad we agree it was negotiations which won Leonard the fight.