How could Hagler stay retired?

[GhostofDempsey]

I'm not some big leonard fan, but I'm not so sure that was a robbery. He gave away the first 3 or 4 rounds trying to box. He lost round 9 and he lost round 12. That's 6 rounds there. He couldn't get anything more than a draw. Now the scorecard of leonard winning 11-1 was insane. That was bs. But Hagler has only himself to blame by not trying to kill Leonard. He shouldn't be mad cuz Leonard was smart enough not to stand in front of him though he was running a LOT.

Leonard’s strategy was to steal the rounds with pity-pat flurries in the final 30 seconds of each round. It worked in the eyes of the judges.

[Marchegiano]

Guys like Hagler and Marciano just understood their limits and what they have done says enough. I never really put much thought into Hagler because of Marciano. If Joe Louis can't no one can. To me Hagler just co-signed the sentiment. If Joe couldn't Marvin can't either.

[The Old LefHook]

Hummm... "popcorn flurry," pretty good.

[VegasMichael]

I remember Hagler wanted to retire after the tough Mugabi fight but the $$$ for the Leonard fight was hard to pass up. After he lost there were rumors of him being abusive toward his wife and drinking heavily and using drugs. That loss really ate at him. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archi...-521f98cae55c/

https://vault.si.com/vault/1987/09/28/let-the-world-know-im-ok-despite-reports-to-the-contrary-marvin-hagler-says-he-hasnt-let-his-life-go-to-pieces-since-losing-to-sugar-ray-leonard

[Dr. Frank]

I remember Hagler wanted to retire after the tough Mugabi fight but the $$$ for the Leonard fight was hard to pass up. After he lost there were rumors of him being abusive toward his wife and drinking heavily and using drugs. That loss really ate at him. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archi...-521f98cae55c/

https://vault.si.com/vault/1987/09/2...ar-ray-leonard

Great articles. Paints a different picture. Seems Marvin was to much of a drunk drug addict to ever come back. Both those articles make Hagler come of as both psychologically weak. And something of a villain.

[Dr. Frank]

Leonard’s strategy was to steal the rounds with pity-pat flurries in the final 30 seconds of each round. It worked in the eyes of the judges.

At least Leonard boxed like he wanted to win.
Hagler fought like he didn't want it as much as Leonard.

[cfang]

Hagler is my favourite fighter. I think the hearns and mugabi wars took a lot out of him, in particular the mugabi fight which was very fierce, mugabi was never the same again.

[Anthony342]

My own opinion. hagler was not a fighter that left an opportunity in the ring to be second guessed... He was coming hard, come hell, or high water. He never had a reason to second guess his effort.

Compare that to floyd for example. Who fought in a manner which was risk adverse, and left people doubting certain fights, like the Castillo fignt.

Floyd has to tell anyone that will listen how good he was, to me this shows insecurity, the belief that maybe a few more risks coulda/shoulda been taken... For example, risks guaranteeing a really steller round against Pac...

Marvin never had that consideration, never really had to second guess his approach, primarily because of his style... I believe this made him secure enough to not need to wax and wane when it came time to quitting.

Marvin could never say "If I came a little bit harder, and more at Ray, the fight might really be different." The only difference to hagler was what the judges would say.

Yeah, but Marvin could've been more aggressive and could've stuck with his southpaw stance. That gave away the first few rounds right there, fighting conventionally and being too tentative.

[The Old LefHook]

Great articles.

I would love to demote Leonard's place in welterweight history, because I truly despise his habit of not giving timely rematches unless he wanted them. I would love to demote him, but I can't. He was a top 5 AT welterweight, and I see no way around that just because he was a little puke.

[billeau2]

Yeah, but Marvin could've been more aggressive and could've stuck with his southpaw stance. That gave away the first few rounds right there, fighting conventionally and being too tentative.

That is true, good point.