BoxRec

I think diferently than the above posters. First off, I'm not rabidly against Leonard. Nor am I rabidly for Hagler. While it's true I'm a fan of Hagler, I do admit he does have some flaws as a fighter. Some might say the Ray exploited those flaws. Others might say Leonard ran during their fight and stole some rounds. I'm of the latter group. Some might call me a sore loser. I say to them, what would you be saying if the fight DID go Hagler's way? Then the shoe would be on the other foot.
I've been making a case in this fight that Ray ran during the fight and got credited for "boxing". How many of you readers here think the same way about Oscar's fights with Trinidad and Mosely? A case can be made either way for those. I've already said that I can see where judges could be swayed by Leonard's shoe-shine punches, and I'll stick to that. You others say to watch the fight closely; I have that on tape and watch it. It boils down to OPINION. You guys cannot convince me that Leonard won. I cannot convince you that Hagler won.
So for those that want the "last word" on this, just let it lie. It was a controversial win for Leonard. There was never a rematch. Ciao.

BoxBuzz wrote:Good read, nice contributions all. I'm convinced we would not have seen a different outcome. Marvin stayed out for a reason. He perhaps lost his confidence and felt it was time to call it a career. I think he had little if anything left to prove.

Hagler left it open and gave Leonard 12 moinths in which to grant hima rematch. Ray didn't so Hagler retired. Pretty soon after Ray came back again.

I certainly think Hagler had slipped. He was a lower fighter in the Mugabi fight and he was fighting about once a year by then.

I'd still loved to have seen a rematch.