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It's funny that this debate has arisen again now, as I just happened to watch the fight a second time yesterday. The first time I had it 115-113 Hagler but I could kind of accept the decision, this time I thought Hagler won convincingly, 116-112. Yes there was close rounds, but I thought Marvin controlled more of the rounds and more of the fight. Leonard did better in the early part of the fight but the idea that he dominated the first 4 or 5 rounds and won them all is a complete myth. Hagler made the mistake of boxing orthodox but I still thought 2 or 3 of those rounds were close and could easily have been scored for him. After about the 6th round Marvin pretty much took control of the fight and Leonard never really got it back. He had a good round here and there but he didn't sustain it. For me it wasn't really about power, it was about Hagler being busier and landing more effective punches. He was able to hit Ray plenty of times, he was going to the body and being effective doing it, and he hurt Ray more often than Leonard hurt him. In my opinion people just noticed Ray's punches more because the crowd went wild whenever he landed them, as did the commentators, but I watched it without any of that.
Despite what the unreliable punchstats claimed and what several so called boxing experts would like you to believe, Hagler was the busier man. All while Leonard was back peddling like the devil was chasing him, clinching consistently, posturing and taunting, Hagler was throwing punches and landing them. A lot of the rounds were close because Ray was often effective when he did let go, but I just think that Hagler got more work done and deserved to get the decision based on that. I know and accept that people will disagree with this but I do now view it as being a robbery. But I also understand that some people will have watched it with the commentary and it's very easy to be swayed by that and the crowd. Without the sound turned on, I find it difficult to imagine somebody honestly and fairly scoring it for Leonard.
I just think the powers that be wanted Ray to win because he was more marketable, and I also think that it says something about who really won that Leonard didn't pursue a rematch. Considering all the controversy surrounding the fight, if he really felt he won clearly then logically he would have tried for a rematch, it was the biggest pay cheque out there for him, but it didn't happen. He retired and then suddenly came back once Hagler had retired.
That's just my view on it. Great fight, despite all of the controversy.
Despite what the unreliable punchstats claimed and what several so called boxing experts would like you to believe, Hagler was the busier man. All while Leonard was back peddling like the devil was chasing him, clinching consistently, posturing and taunting, Hagler was throwing punches and landing them. A lot of the rounds were close because Ray was often effective when he did let go, but I just think that Hagler got more work done and deserved to get the decision based on that. I know and accept that people will disagree with this but I do now view it as being a robbery. But I also understand that some people will have watched it with the commentary and it's very easy to be swayed by that and the crowd. Without the sound turned on, I find it difficult to imagine somebody honestly and fairly scoring it for Leonard.
I just think the powers that be wanted Ray to win because he was more marketable, and I also think that it says something about who really won that Leonard didn't pursue a rematch. Considering all the controversy surrounding the fight, if he really felt he won clearly then logically he would have tried for a rematch, it was the biggest pay cheque out there for him, but it didn't happen. He retired and then suddenly came back once Hagler had retired.
That's just my view on it. Great fight, despite all of the controversy.
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