When did it become alright for fighters to duck each other.

[-PBP-]

When it was discovered that fans will support bad fights regardless.

[brown_knight06]

Boxing needs a universal governing body, along with ridding tself of all the abc trinkets. With this step, I believe the ducking stops. No more hi******* belts and ****** c.w.

[arraamis]

Ray retired because of a detached retina for 3 years. The first fight he took in his return was against Hagler at Middleweight. No tuneups, no stories about why he couldn't fight.

Answer to the OP's question is the rise of this man AKA Witness Protection:

And you were doing so good till you deviated to the obscene .....

What is called ducking today is the end-result of many variables, of which the most prominent is making the most coin while you can. Many fans seem to forget that this is prize fighting and all boxers want to reign in the most purse while they have the opportunity. And yes, it may seem like ducking to the untrained eye, but boxing is a business first and foremost. And promoters along with the boxers themselves have a lot invested into making a return on that investment.

Legacy has always taken a back-seat to purse and rightfully so..........

[From Russia]

In modern boxing Ducking is even more important than fighting.

Ducking is an art.

[Bald Shavers]

Floyd Mayweather invented the art and science of ducking. There were no duckers before Mayweather. Ali, Dempsey, Robinson, Leonard, Duran, Armstrong, Pep, Pacquiao. The were all EAGER to fight everyone.

Leonard moved up in weight to fight Hagler after a 3 year retirement due to a detached retina whose cure he didn't feel totally confident in as shown by his poor showing against Kevin Howard 3 years before Hagler. Leonard moved up in weight against Hagler after 3 years of inactivity with no tune up fights.

Hagler had just beaten John "the Beast" Mugabi and Tommy Hearns back to back when Leonard fought him.