Why wouldn't Hagler fight McCallum?

[Toney616]

Remember that McCallum was just the WBA champion at the time, Matthew Hilton(IBF) and Gianfranco Rosi(WBC) appeared equally good at the time. This was before McCallum won the middleweight title and before Julian Jackson won any big fights.

McCallum was asking for a shot when he was the jmw champion around 86-87

Did Hagler avoid Rosi and Hilton too, if just not fighting them means this I guess so.

All fighters at some point need another fighter to give them a shot to move their career to the next level. Hagler got his when Hearns, Duran and Leonard agreed to fight him. Them agreeing to fight him gave him the purses his wanted. McCallum wanted Hagler to give him the shot that Hearns and Duran had given him, the chance to make big money. Its not about ducking abut more about giving another fighter the shot you yourself was given by other fighters.

[joseph5620]

McCallum was asking for a shot when he was the jmw champion around 86-87




All fighters at some point need another fighter to give them a shot to move their career to the next level. Hagler got his when Hearns, Duran and Leonard agreed to fight him. Them agreeing to fight him gave him the purses his wanted. McCallum wanted Hagler to give him the shot that Hearns and Duran had given him, the chance to make big money. Its not about ducking abut more about giving another fighter the shot you yourself was given by other fighters.

That's also the time period Hagler was looking to fight Ray Leonard. Questioning or criticizing Hagler for choosing Leonard over an unknown like McCallum(at the time) is silly.




Fighters do what's best for their own careers. Not for somebody else's. Leonard, Duran, and Hearns agreed to fight Hagler because it was a good career move for them. Financially and for their legacies. They didn't agree to it for Hagler's benefit.

[Toney616]

That's also the time period Hagler was looking to fight Ray Leonard. Questioning or criticizing Hagler for choosing Leonard over an unknown like McCallum(at the time) is silly.

Leonard was retired due to his eye problems and showed no signs of ending his retirement.
What makes more sense to you, fighting a active fighter or chasing a fight which may never come?

Fighters do what's best for their own careers. Not for somebody else's. Leonard, Duran, and Hearns agreed to fight Hagler because it was a good career move for them. Financially and for their legacies. They didn't agree to it for Hagler's benefit.[/I][/B]

After Toney beat Micheal Nunn he said thank you to Nunn for giving me the opportunity. Of course Nunn didn't give him the fight out of the kindness of his heart, but he still gave Toney a shot. And because of that shot Toney was able to start making some serious money. Hagler called out "the little guys" because he wanted them to give him a payday. McCallum wanted Hagler to give him a shot because he wanted a payday. If he beat McCallum it would of been the best win on his resume.

[joseph5620]

Leonard was retired due to his eye problems and showed no signs of ending his retirement.
What makes more sense to you, fighting a active fighter or chasing a fight which may never come?
After Toney beat Micheal Nunn he said thank you to Nunn for giving me the opportunity. Of course Nunn didn't give him the fight out of the kindness of his heart, but he still gave Toney a shot. And because of that shot Toney was able to start making some serious money. Hagler called out "the little guys" because he wanted them to give him a payday. McCallum wanted Hagler to give him a shot because he wanted a payday. If he beat McCallum it would of been the best win on his resume.

What makes sense is the fight that actually happened. Not your false speculation. And you're wrong about Leonard "showing no signs of ending his retirement" in 86.There were signs including Leonard showing up ringside for Hagler's fight with Mugabi. You're also wrong when you claim Leonard was retired "due to eye problems" in 86. That's not true. Leonard claimed his eye was fully healed and that includes fighting Kevin Howard following Leonard's eye surgery. After that fight Leonard claimed that he just didn't want to fight anymore. It had nothing to do with his eye. I'm going by Leonard's statements. And Hearns wanted Hagler as much as Hagler wanted Hearns. Leonard wanted Hagler at that time. It works both ways. The Duran fight happened after Duran looked great and destroyed Davy Moore. It was a fight the public wanted. Was the public demanding a fight between McCallum and Hagler in 86-87? I seriously doubt it.



Hagler fought who he needed to fight. And in 86 McCallum was NOT a better win for Hagler than Hearns. What McCallum did after Hagler stopped fighting is irrelevant unless Hagler had a crystal ball.

[Toney616]

What makes sense is the fight that actually happened. Not your false speculation.

It only happened because Hagler was on the slide after tough fights with Roldan, Hearns and Mugabi. If Hagler had blasted out Mugabi in a few rounds I think we can safely say that Leoanrd would of stayed retired.
Leonard basically admits this in the ESPN Hagler documentary

And you're wrong about Leonard "showing no signs of ending his retirement" in 86.There were signs including Leonard showing up ringside for Hagler's fight with Mugabi.

Because a retired fighter shows up at your fight it means they are going to come out of retirement?

You're also wrong when you claim Leonard was retired "due to eye problems" in 86. Leonard claimed his eye was fully healed and that includes fighting Kevin Howard folowing his surgery. After that fight Leonard claimed that he just didn't want to fight anymore. It had nothing to do with his eye.

Ok fine.
He suffered from a detached retina after the Hearns fight and retired. At some point during his retirement he had surgery to repair the damage and decided to come back against a wave of criticism. During the build up to the fight I think he had further minor surgery on the eye. He fought Howard, didn't look very impressive during the fight and retired again.
I wouldn't be surprised if his eye was also a factor in him retiring again, but I will admit that is speculation on my part

I'm going by Leonard's statements. And Hearns wanted Hagler as much as Hagler wanted Hearns. Leonard wanted Hagler at that time. It works both ways.

Go to 4:56

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjPn2a8fWbY

"Im tired of waiting for those guys:Hearns, Duran, Benitez and I'm going to look for other fights."-Hagler

The Duran fight happened after Duran looked great and destroyed Davy Moore. It was a fight the public wanted. Was the public demanding a fight between McCallum and Hagler in 86-87? I seriously doubt it.

Hagler had been calling him out way before then. He even admits in the above interview that he had made offers to Duran and was tired of waiting for Duran and the others and was going to look elsewhere.

Hagler fought who he needed to fight.

McCallum was only asking for the same thing that Hagler wanted. A chance for a big name fighter to give him a purse.

[joseph5620]

It only happened because Hagler was on the slide after tough fights with Roldan, Hearns and Mugabi. If Hagler had blasted out Mugabi in a few rounds I think we can safely say that Leoanrd would of stayed retired.Leonard basically admits this in the ESPN Hagler documentary

Because a retired fighter shows up at your fight it means they are going to come out of retirement?

Ok fine.
He suffered from a detached retina after the Hearns fight and retired. At some point during his retirement he had surgery to repair the damage and decided to come back against a wave of criticism. During the build up to the fight I think he had further minor surgery on the eye. He fought Howard, didn't look very impressive during the fight and retired again.
I wouldn't be surprised if his eye was also a factor in him retiring again, but I will admit that is speculation on my part

Go to 4:56

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjPn2a8fWbY

"Im tired of waiting for those guys:Hearns, Duran, Benitez and I'm going to look for other fights."-Hagler

Hagler had been calling him out way before then. He even admits in the above interview that he had made offers to Duran and was tired of waiting for Duran and the others and was going to look elsewhere.

McCallum was only asking for the same thing that Hagler wanted. A chance for a big name fighter to give him a purse.

What does that have to do with the topic? And I'm not going to waste time going through your usual long winded post when you're diverting the issue and straying from the topic.



When you come up with a legitimate reason why Hagler should have fought McCallum during that time period let me know.

[Daddy T]

To the OP I think the better question is "Why should Hagler have fought him?" I can't really see what Hagler stood to gain from it

[Toney616]

When you come up with a legitimate reason why Hagler should have fought McCallum during that time period let me know.

lol

No one is saying Hagler had to do anything. Like I said before McCallum was to high risk and low reward so a lot of the fab four simply looked the other way.

And as for the Leonard fight, Leonard admits in the ESPN documentary that he was basically waiting for Hagler to slip before agreeing to fight him. If Hagler didnt slip he would of got NO fight.

[joseph5620]

lol

No one is saying Hagler had to do anything. Like I said before McCallum was to high risk and low reward so a lot of the fab four simply looked the other way.

And as for the Leonard fight, Leonard admits in the ESPN documentary that he was basically waiting for Hagler to slip before agreeing to fight him. If Hagler didnt slip he would of got NO fight.

When was that ever disputed and why is it an issue? Most people know that. It doesn't change the fact people wanted to see the fight and it was huge. Why Leonard took the fight irrelevant and the fight made infinitely more sense to make than Hagler-McCallum.

[Pastrano]

[/U]






When was that ever disputed and why is it an issue? Most people know that. It doesn't change the fact people wanted to see the fight and it was huge. Why Leonard took the fight irrelevant and the fight made infinitely more sense to make than Hagler-McCallum.

Why can't you just admit Hagler didn't want no part of McCallum?! Instead you go to great lengths to make up excuses. If Hagler was the real deal, wouldn't he be looking for the BEST guys to fight, instead of just chasing Leonard, a guy who ran from him for 5 years?! And the best guy he hadn't yet fought in the years before the Leonard fight was exactly Mike. Curry fight fell thru, not sure why. Maybe bc Curry was so mercilessly dethroned by Honeyghan and then ktfoed by exactly McCallum. Anyway, I don't buy that bs about Mike not being BIG enough for Hagler to fight him.