What Is The Truth Behind Why We Didn't See A Hagler-Leonard Rematch?

[JK1700]

Hagler claims that after the first fight he stayed around for a year or so hoping for a rematch proposal that never came. Leonard claims that he would have done the rematch "in a heartbeat" but Hagler didn't want it and moved to Italy never wanting to fight again. I believe I also read or heard somewhere that Leonard offered Hagler a rematch 3 years later in 1990 but he didn't accept. I tend to think the truth is somewhere in the middle, but if I had to side with someone, i'd side with Hagler based on Ray's drug and alcohol problems. But I want to know the truth. Both of them would have made a huge payday for a rematch and it would have been another huge notch on the legacy of the winner.

Does anybody know why it didn't happen?

[DarkTerror88]

Hagler claims that after the first fight he stayed around for a year or so hoping for a rematch proposal that never came. Leonard claims that he would have done the rematch "in a heartbeat" but Hagler didn't want it and moved to Italy never wanting to fight again. I believe I also read or heard somewhere that Leonard offered Hagler a rematch 3 years later in 1990 but he didn't accept. I tend to think the truth is somewhere in the middle, but if I had to side with someone, i'd side with Hagler based on Ray's drug and alcohol problems. But I want to know the truth. Both of them would have made a huge payday for a rematch and it would have been another huge notch on the legacy of the winner.

Does anybody know why it didn't happen?

My best guess is that Leonard knew he couldn't repeat the same great feat. Hagler gave Leonard the perfect fight and he still only won by a small margin
Hagler would come out wih purpose to seek and destroy and Leonard wouldn't have been able to handle it.

[wmute]

Hagler claims that after the first fight he stayed around for a year or so hoping for a rematch proposal that never came. Leonard claims that he would have done the rematch "in a heartbeat" but Hagler didn't want it and moved to Italy never wanting to fight again. I believe I also read or heard somewhere that Leonard offered Hagler a rematch 3 years later in 1990 but he didn't accept. I tend to think the truth is somewhere in the middle, but if I had to side with someone, i'd side with Hagler based on Ray's drug and alcohol problems. But I want to know the truth. Both of them would have made a huge payday for a rematch and it would have been another huge notch on the legacy of the winner.

Does anybody know why it didn't happen?

This is what happened.

Leonard announces retirement in May 1987 after the Hagler fight.
Hagler announces retirement in June 1988.
In August 1988 Leonard signs to fight Donnie Lalonde in his comeback fight.

You do the math.

[SBleeder]

Another issue was the allegations from the Petronelli's that Leonard's camp had paid off officials.

[BennyST]

Leonard retired straight after the Hagler fight. Hagler did hang around for a year before announcing his retirement, then not too long after Hagler disappeared Leonard came back again. I'm sure there were some other minor politics involved, but it really came down to Leonard not wanting to do the rematch straight away. Hagler wanted it immediately, he didn't want to wait around for years chasing it.

Leonard was very smart and I think he knew he'd struggle to repeat that feat again with Hagler not fighting so idiotically for the first 3 rounds.

[Emon723]

Hagler has stated around 1989 he is still giving it a shot to fight for a world title one last time, so the only opponent in his mind is Sugar Ray Leonard, but after Leonard's draw with Hearns, that was it for Marvelous.

There's are truth Leonard have entertain the thoughts of giving Hagler a rematch in 1990 but no way can this be called a superfight, both were way past it.

[Ray Corso]

to jk1700; They were both way beyond their best so why do it? The first bout stunk so how does it get better when both are never going to be what they once were!!! Boxing when your old gets more and more dangerous the public wasn't demanding another match it was time for both to go. Ray.

[Daddy T]

srl claimed that he was open to a rematch and even tried to contact hagler and make it happen - not sure if that is true though or if it is maybe he was demanding too much of the purse or something? Either way the impression i have is that hagler was sick of the sport and felt the whole thing was corrupt as ****, but somehow i think if srl offered him a fair deal he would have taken it. but this is just opinion not fact so i'm happy to be corrected if somebody knows the truth of the matter. Anyway after Tommy knocked the **** out of leonard and was robbed blind that put an end to the whole thing. (and no doubt confirmed haglers opinions about corruption)

[TBear]

The impression I had was that Hagler was pretty disgusted with how he was treated by the judges and the media after all he had done for boxing and was pretty fed up. So inspite of what reports you hear or read now, at the time I followed every magazine and telecast and whatever both sides said, there was an obvious disapointment and Hagler at the time wanted to wash his hands of the whole boxing world.

[Daddy T]

The impression I had was that Hagler was pretty disgusted with how he was treated by the judges and the media after all he had done for boxing and was pretty fed up. So inspite of what reports you hear or read now, at the time I followed every magazine and telecast and whatever both sides said, there was an obvious disapointment and Hagler at the time wanted to wash his hands of the whole boxing world.

this is basically what srl says in his book and given the complete honesty throughout i'm going with this barring some dramatic new evidence