F--- boxing

Granted, Hagler wasn't breaking the bank defending against guys like Hamsho and Fully Obel but according to AP he made $5.6 million-plus for Hearns and SI noted he made between $3-5 million for Mugabi.

 

And Hagler probably made a lot more money playing action stars in Italian(?) films. Plus he didn't get hit in the face every day.

 

Leonard-Hagler decision still a topic of debate 30 years later

 

Hagler was my all-time favourite fighter. I have seen the Leonard fight probably 50 times over the years. I scored it 7-4-1 for Leonard watching live on closed circuit and while on some viewings the fight gets a little closer, Hagler never wins it.

 

We all loved Hagler but in that fight Leonard was the underdog and the sympathetic figure. Both were all class. It was a fascinating duel but it sure looked like Hagler threw it, boxing righty instead of his natural and more dangerous and effective lefty for FOUR rounds was an absurd illogical senseless decision by an all time great champion in the biggest fight of his career. Did he ever explain why he did it? Not to my knowledge. Leonard was the money fighter. Money fighters call the shots. The sad dark side of the "sport" or business.

 

The fact Hagler did not demand the rematch or insist on a rematch clause in the contract is also suspect. He had the belts, those belts were leverage. Yes, SRL had the draw power leverage. The name of the game is "prizefighting."

 

Hagler is still the greatest middleweight I've ever saw.

 

Agreed, Hagler's strategy in the first four rounds was totally illogical, he seemed to spend the entire fight trying to get the Hagler who took out Hearrns, Mugabi and loads of other guys to kick in and it never did. He looked like a guy who had left his fight in the gym or had had enough of the game. Who paid Hagler to throw it? Leonard, who parlayed that into a record of 2-2-1 in his next five fights? (And he totally lost the Hearns rematch in which he was somehow gifted a draw. Now THAT was a suspicious decision.)

 

One of my favorite YouTube channels is Rummy's Corner. It's a pretty strong boxing knowledgable guy that breaks down all kinds of stuff.

He did a re-watch and score on Hagler-Leonard about a year ago and it's pretty good. His score is similar to mine. Fun little 20 minute watch.

 

Totally unfamilair with this channel, thanks for sharing,. looks like tons of good stuff on here aside from the Hagler-Leonard debate