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

[Joe Beamish]

Leonard simply avoided a rematch. Smart move.

[Anthony342]

Dick move too.

[Joe Beamish]

Dick move too.

Hagler had his chance. He should have guessed what Leonard would try to do in the ring, and outside the ring. I'm not sure Leonard really won the fight, but he certainly won the chess match. Even Duran saw this coming when he told Leonard, "you can beat this guy." This is exactly what he meant.

But yes, it was the kind of "dick move" that we now recognize as latter career management. Leonard wasn't aiming to stick around as a legit MW. At this point he was literally and figuratively taking pot shots and running -- in the ring, and in choosing whom he fought, and under what conditions.

[wmute]

Lol SRL was playing games

He was playing mind games with Hagler before and during the fight. This here is just dodging while trying to make it look a bit better than what it is. I guess you could say he was playing mind games with the public.

(blast from the past btw... this was like 4 years ago).

[MrRolltide91]

He was playing mind games with Hagler before and during the fight. This here is just dodging while trying to make it look a bit better than what it is. I guess you could say he was playing mind games with the public.

(blast from the past btw... this was like 4 years ago).

Yea SRL knew what he was doing

[Anthony342]

Hagler had his chance. He should have guessed what Leonard would try to do in the ring, and outside the ring. I'm not sure Leonard really won the fight, but he certainly won the chess match. Even Duran saw this coming when he told Leonard, "you can beat this guy." This is exactly what he meant.

But yes, it was the kind of "dick move" that we now recognize as latter career management. Leonard wasn't aiming to stick around as a legit MW. At this point he was literally and figuratively taking pot shots and running -- in the ring, and in choosing whom he fought, and under what conditions.

Yep. They were talking about this fight since about 1982, but Leonard retired after fighting that year and then again in 1984. Speaking of dick moves, what was the deal with him inviting Hagler to an event and then saying he decided he wasn't going to fight him? Then he waits until Hagler loses a step and is ready to retire to fight him, then doesn't give him a rematch. What was Leonard so afraid of by 1988? He already beat Hagler and it would've made big money again, so sounds like win win.

Plus him dictating the weight for the Lalonde fight, having to weigh in lower to defend 2 belts, but him not having to, kind of strange. Almost as bad as these middleweight title holders today that require these BS catch weights. Why is it allowed for them to weight in at 155, when the weight class is 160? Seems like an unfair advantage no? I thought catch weights were for fighters of different weight classes to meet somewhere in the middle. Why is that even allowed then. They should weigh in at the designated weight to defend the title or be stripped of it.

[rightsideup]

Yep. They were talking about this fight since about 1982, but Leonard retired after fighting that year and then again in 1984. Speaking of dick moves, what was the deal with him inviting Hagler to an event and then saying he decided he wasn't going to fight him? Then he waits until Hagler loses a step and is ready to retire to fight him, then doesn't give him a rematch. What was Leonard so afraid of by 1988? He already beat Hagler and it would've made big money again, so sounds like win win.

Plus him dictating the weight for the Lalonde fight, having to weigh in lower to defend 2 belts, but him not having to, kind of strange. Almost as bad as these middleweight title holders today that require these BS catch weights. Why is it allowed for them to weight in at 155, when the weight class is 160? Seems like an unfair advantage no? I thought catch weights were for fighters of different weight classes to meet somewhere in the middle. Why is that even allowed then. They should weigh in at the designated weight to defend the title or be stripped of it.

It's very sad Anthony and I agree Leonard did get a lot of variables in his favor and was very calculating in getting these advantages and the opponents you have mentioned especially in some one of Lalonde's stature con-seeded because of the money that he would never earn in light heavy weight defenses .

[MrRolltide91]

I put the majority of the blame on SRL.

The rematch was a logical fight as the first was close and they both would have made the most money in a rematch. But matchmaking isnt always logical and about what the fans want as we've seen with PBF-Pac negotiations.

Hagler waited around a bit for SRL but in order to make the fight he would have to go through a tremendous amount of bull **** of begging SRL for the fight and trying to drum up public support behind it to demand the rematch. I think he made reasonable attempts but SRL likes to play games and be in control and Hagler got tired of it. I mean he was middleweight champion of the world and has an ego, he didnt feel like being reduced to begging and chasing SRL for the rematch. And who knows what kind of split SRL was asking for.

True.........

[The Old LefHook]

A 24 foot ring might have been among the demands for a rematch, 70-30 split, 12 oz gloves, 155 lbs., 10 rounds.

The original fight could easily have been a 15 rounder, but Leonard held out for 12 rounds, supported by Sully-man who was on a phony campaign of his own at the moment. That length for championship fights was established as the new standard forever, with much help from mister Dick-move Leonard.

[Elroy The Great]

he started wearing silk pjs to bed.