Any legitimacy to the theory SRL "waited for Hagler to get old"?

[SBleeder]

Doesn't come close.

Has nothing to do with Ray's shameful ducking and diving of Hagler but the mis-leading and teasing he did. Hagler never got the recognition he deserved, fighting for $40k a fight whilst SRL made a million dollars on his debut. SRL played with the idea but never allowed Hagler to prove his worth and after publicly stating to the world and to Hagler's face that he'd never fight him - he went back on his word and reaped the rewards.

I'd say that Hagler did a fair share of reaping as well... the $12M he made for fighting Leonard seems to mitigate the "misleading and teasing" to an extent.

[raskat]

leonard and hagler were friends back then and once leonard opened a restaurant and hagler was invited, they talked to each other and hagler said to him as a friend that he doesnt quite have it anymore. pains and this and that. then leonard called him out "officially" the next day or within the next days. leonard himself told that story and i heard him say it at least twice.

[New England]

he's on the record saying he "saw someting" in hagler's fight against john mugabi that made him want to fight hagler, and come out of retirement.


if that's not the answer you're looking for i'm not sure what else i can provide.


it doesnt sound like purely a premeditated wait-out to me. he was legitimately retired, and then he "saw something."

take from that what you'd like

[D-MiZe]

I'd say that Hagler did a fair share of reaping as well... the $12M he made for fighting Leonard seems to mitigate the "misleading and teasing" to an extent.

Hagler cared more about his legacy and wanted the recognition for his reign as a middleweight. A fight in his prime against SRL would've been the best opportunity for him to gain it.

[raskat]

here is an interview which proves what I just said:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6983512/hagler-vs-leonard

I quote (part of the interview):

Leonard: The way Marvin thinks, if you're not a threat, Marvin's cool with you. So we sat there at Jameson's, my restaurant, had a few glasses of champagne, and he just started telling me things. He said, "I'm not motivated, I cut easy." He was telling me things that normally a fighter wouldn't [say], because I'm retired. He felt like I felt when I was retired. You don't have that same commitment in your heart, or that edge that we had from day one. I think you become civilized. You're not the fighter you used to be because now you're flying in private planes, you're staying in suites, girls tell you how cute you are. That's not conducive to being a great fighter. He had one foot out the door, I think, after the Mugabi fight. He had all the fame he wanted, he'd made a substantial amount of money. There's not as much reason to keep fighting.

[SBleeder]

Hagler cared more about his legacy and wanted the recognition for his reign as a middleweight. A fight in his prime against SRL would've been the best opportunity for him to gain it.

I think that regardless of his loss to Leonard, he established himself as a top 5 middleweight of all time. Leonard didn't deprive Hagler of anything.

[rightsideup]

I saw an interview with marvin at bhof were he stated that boxers should be mandated to retire at 35. Being a guy that took care of his money he had the thoughts that fighters should not risk there health at fighting at a advanced age. I kinda admire marv for making that statement.

[Capaedia]

I saw an interview with marvin at bhof were he stated that boxers should be mandated to retire at 35. Being a guy that took care of his money he had the thoughts that fighters should not risk there health at fighting at a advanced age. I kinda admire marv for making that statement.

B-Hop would've been retired 12 years ago with that rule.

Right now he's still fighting at an elite level

[wmute]

B-Hop would've been retired 12 years ago with that rule.

Right now he's still fighting at an elite level

That is absolutely true, but we can't even count the boxers for which a rule like that would have been savior.