Did Ray Leonard Get Fighters At The Right Time?

[Gettin Jiggy]

Just been thinking. Did ray get 2 of his biggest wins due to picking the right moment to fight them?

Hagler was in decline and was 33 years of age. and Ray had invited him to a meal, and noticed hagler was realy enjoying his drink and knew it was the right time. Hagler also was belived to be having drug problems.

The second time he fought duran, he wanted the fight 5 months after the first. because he knew duran really gained weight, and when bob arum when to see duran in traing for the fight, arum said he would be lucky to make LHW. why didnt he just wait a few more months to fight the best duran, and in the 3rd duran was past his best.

Thoughts?

[bojangles1987]

Ray wasn't exactly at his best when he fought Hagler and while I thought he lost, he deserves credit for being as slick as he was. The difference against Duran the second time was mostly Leonard himself, as he played stay away which frustrated Duran.

I'm far from a Sugar Ray Leonard fan but the guy deserves more credit than you are giving him.

[JAB5239]

Just been thinking. Did ray get 2 of his biggest wins due to picking the right moment to fight them?

Hagler was in decline and was 33 years of age. and Ray had invited him to a meal, and noticed hagler was realy enjoying his drink and knew it was the right time. Hagler also was belived to be having drug problems.

what people conveniantly forget is that Ray was retired for 3 years before coming back to fight Hagler. No tune ups, no nothing. Just the best middleweight in the world. Ray vwas the better man thart night because he was the BETTER man. Its hard to pick the "right moment" when you don't know how your body is going to react to 3 years of inactivity.

The second time he fought duran, he wanted the fight 5 months after the first. because he knew duran really gained weight, and when bob arum when to see duran in traing for the fight, arum said he would be lucky to make LHW. why didnt he just wait a few more months to fight the best duran, and in the 3rd duran was past his best.

First, who's fault is it Duran blew up between fights? Second, nobody forced Duran to sign the contract. He was the champion, therefore in the drivers seat.

Thoughts?

Im a bigger fan of both Hagler and Duran. But on those particular nights Ray Leonard was the better fighter.

[Dynamite Kid]

Im a bigger fan of both Hagler and Duran. But on those particular nights Ray Leonard was the better fighter.

Great!! post

People are constantly trying to take away from Leonard's victories.

Its like saying yeah but Jones beat a weight drained Toney, so what!! its Toney's priority to make sure he is the best shape possible and Roy's job to prepare for the best James Toney and beat him.

Then they hit you with BS about rematches. No fighter is obliged to give you a rematch unless it written into the contract.

[MANGLER]

SRL beat those guys fair n square, tho I thought the Hagler fight was draw and coulda gone either way really. Mugabi may have taken a lil sumthin outta Marvin but SRL had the balls to move str8 up to him after 3 yrs away. And nothin goin on in Duran's camp could be his fault. He came back and beat the guy who had beaten him. Give em his props.

[billionaire]

hagler showed slippage in his previous fight vs mugabi, regardless no one in their right mind would bet on a welterweight out for 5 years to win the middleweight title....

ray showed improvement in the 2nd fight vs duran, personally no one knows who would win if the 1st duran showed up that night....

i consider rays best win tommy hearns, who couldve been the best 147 ever if not for ray....

[American_Ninja]

For Hagler, Ray trained for almost 1 year. Yes he knew Hagler was on the down slide.

The Duran rematch, Ray played it smart, he knew Duran would be hard pressed to gain the same intensity he had.

Hagler and M. Spinks
Both retired and never fought again, after a loss.

[Rockin']

when its all said and done boxing is a business. Ray was smart, really smart to call on Hagler when he did. Came back and took lalondes title, smart. came back and took haglers title, brilliant.

other than hagler I would say ray fought most of those other guys during their prime. Ray was good.............Rockin'

[Dynamite Glove]

I think he ducked pryor...

I really don't blame him either. Arguello truly had an iron set of balls fighting that guy again.......after the gimme the bottle, no no the one I mix problem....

Pryor was a badass...if there's one man I can think of when I think of 'monstrous stamina' he's the first guy that comes to mind...like the energizer bunny or something...just insane...

[ßringer]

Why does everybody always try to piss on Ray's best wins?

Against Hagler he was coming in off of a layoff of what? 2 and a half, or 3 years?

No tune up fight, no easy exhibitions, nothing.

And he outhustled Marvin cleanly, in my eyes.

The Duran rematch? That was Ray's gameplan. He allowed Duran to fight his fight in their first bout and he paid for it. This time out, it would be Duran trying to fight Leonard's fight. He couldn't adjust to it, and Ray won.

And I totally disagree that he "ducked" Pryor.

If anything, he "lowballed" Aaron, and rightfully so ; Aaron wasn't huge draw or a star in any way, shape, or form. He hadn't even fought Arguello yet, and Ray's supposed to give him a crack when he still had Hearns, Hagler, and Duran walking around?

Makes no sense to me.