- 5 minutes ago
The HBO Replay of the fight between WBC Middleweight Champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler and the coming out of retirement Sugar Ray Leonard.
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00:00:00I won't come back, but I'll fight Marvin, and I honestly mean that, this is not a career
00:00:12for me, this is one fight, this is war too, and I come to fight it.
00:00:30I won't come back, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight
00:00:59I won't come back, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight
00:01:29I won't come back, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come to fight, this is war too, and I come
00:01:59In our preview of Hagler Leonard, we left with a question.
00:02:06Would it be better late than never, or never than late?
00:02:09The decision is now in.
00:02:11And unlike the fight, it isn't split.
00:02:14Hello, I'm Larry Merchant.
00:02:16What you're about to see is a two-character drama in the best tradition of its kind.
00:02:21Champions, past their primes, but giving us great theater.
00:02:26Hagler, the determined L.L. Bean from New England who has always given us his best.
00:02:30Leonard, the flashier Giorgio Armani, making what many felt was a dangerous, vainglorious comeback.
00:02:37In this delayed telecast, we'll also try to sew up the loose threads of controversy still hanging about.
00:02:43Ray Leonard will speak for himself.
00:02:45Will he give Marvin Hagler a rematch?
00:02:48The fight will have to speak for Marvin Hagler, the unhappiest man who ever just made $15 million or so.
00:02:54because he's still refusing all interviews.
00:02:58Understandably, he's still embittered, being perhaps the only long-time champion in history
00:03:03to lose his title on such a close call, by a round.
00:03:08We'll talk to judges and let you decide, if you can read lips,
00:03:12whether Leonard admitted defeat, as Hagler claimed.
00:03:15Keep your own scorecard and pay special attention to the close rounds.
00:03:20We'll give you a chance to give us your decision by calling a 900 number.
00:03:24Now, April 6th.
00:03:27From Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada,
00:03:33HBO Sports presents World Championship Boxing.
00:03:40As marvelous Marvin Hagler defends his middleweight title against Sugar Ray Leonard,
00:03:44once every couple of years there are events in boxing which capture the public's imagination.
00:03:49Arenas, theaters, and stadiums around the world are packed with paying customers
00:03:53with all eyes on an outdoor arena here in Las Vegas.
00:03:57It's estimated 350 million people worldwide will see this fight.
00:04:03This 15,000-seat stadium has been sold out for five months.
00:04:07And on a clear and warm night, these fans await the arrival of two charismatic boxers.
00:04:13Hello, everybody.
00:04:15I'm Barry Tompkins, along with Larry Merchant.
00:04:17Well, if there's a word that describes tonight's activity here at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas,
00:04:21it might be, finally, we're looking at $100 million gross.
00:04:25It started with an innocent comment on a local television station in Washington by Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:04:30Now the fight is finally happening.
00:04:32Here in Las Vegas, they're saying this weekend could have the largest economic impact in its history.
00:04:37It is quite an event.
00:04:39If you can get a ticket, $2,500.
00:04:42That's what they're scalping them for.
00:04:44The crowd, a who's who.
00:04:45Politics, entertainment, show business, you name it.
00:04:48Larry Merchant, you've been to a lot of these big events.
00:04:50How does this one compare?
00:04:51Well, in my time, I have to go back to Ollie Fraser 1 because of the star power of the two fighters,
00:04:57the anticipation, the fact that Ray Leonard is coming out of retirement.
00:05:02The question on everybody's mind, of course, is will the fight live up to the event?
00:05:08There's just one thing it lacks.
00:05:09It lacks that little bit of sizzle or friction of a dispute.
00:05:13Going into the fight, most people seem to think that Marvin Hagler will win.
00:05:19Can Ray bring back the magic of old?
00:05:21That's what we're here to find out.
00:05:23Now, right now, after all the time, the word stop, the action begins.
00:05:28Sugar Ray Leonard making his way now out of his dressing room and toward the arena.
00:05:34The crowd has not yet seen him.
00:05:36What must be going through this man's mind?
00:05:39I imagine he's quite nervous.
00:05:41Even this kind of small ritual of boxing has to be practiced repeatedly before you can come to grips with it.
00:05:50He's on edge by his own account.
00:05:52He knows that he is going into this fight for the first time in his career as perhaps the less confident gladiator.
00:06:02I talked to a couple of his people just a few moments ago, and they said,
00:06:06Sugar Ray Leonard is the same frame of mind as he had against Tommy Hearns.
00:06:10Now we'll see if the physical abilities match up.
00:06:12The other day when we talked to him, he said, I feel more alive doing this.
00:06:22And that's really what this is about.
00:06:24The one-loss record of Sugar Ray Leonard, of course, the one mar on that record by Roberto Duran,
00:06:45a defeat which he avenged just a few months later.
00:06:49And here comes the champion.
00:06:50The music ought to be Brother Can You Spare a Dime.
00:06:59After all, they're only sharing a minimum of about $23 million between them.
00:07:04Hagler, of course, with a year and 26 days since he has stepped into a ring.
00:07:25That against John Mugabe.
00:07:27And that performance against Mugabe, in large part, the reason that Sugar Ray Leonard is in this ring tonight.
00:07:34I think Ray thought that a little mileage showed on Marvin in that fight.
00:07:40But I wouldn't count on it.
00:07:45Here is the champion.
00:07:46And the record of the champion, 62 up, 2 down, the 2 draws.
00:07:5952 knockouts.
00:08:02Lost those 2 fights 11 years ago.
00:08:04There are two issues in this tale of the tape.
00:08:11One has been Hagler's age.
00:08:12A lot of people suggesting he's older.
00:08:14But some people have gone back into the records in Newark and found his birth certificate.
00:08:20He is 32.
00:08:21And, of course, Ray at 158 pounds.
00:08:24What we're wondering about, can he carry that weight?
00:08:26And here is punch stat.
00:08:33I'll look at the fighters, the profile of what they've done in other fights.
00:08:36You can see that Hagler is a more offensive-oriented fighter, has thrown more punches per round.
00:08:43But, of course, we don't know what Leonard has now.
00:08:48There are the jabs they threw.
00:08:50Leonard throwing more jabs consistently.
00:08:52And we'll take a look at the rules in this fight.
00:08:57Remember, the fight will be 12 rounds.
00:08:5910-point must system.
00:09:00Three judges score the fight.
00:09:01There will be no standing eight count.
00:09:03A fighter can be saved by the bell only in the final round.
00:09:06And there will be no three-knockdown rule.
00:09:08Let's get now to the ring announcer.
00:09:09Chuck Hall for the introduction of the fighters.
00:09:13The officials are signed by the WBC and the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
00:09:18The judges are Jojo Garra, Lou Filippo, and Dave Moretti.
00:09:25The timekeeper is Jane Broadfoot.
00:09:27Counting into knockdowns, I'll buy sick.
00:09:29The attending positions at ringside, Drs. Donald Ronio, Flip Pomansky, and Elias Gano.
00:09:35Your referee for the next bout of the evening is Richard Steele.
00:09:40This is the main event of the night.
00:09:4412 rounds of boxing for the WBC Middleweight Championship of the World.
00:09:51Introducing, in the blue corner, fighting out of Potomac Maryland.
00:09:57Weighing in at 158 pounds with a professional record of 33 wins.
00:10:03One defeat with 24 KOs.
00:10:05He is the challenger and former, undisputed, will-to-be champion of the world, Sugar Ray Linger.
00:10:23And in the red corner, from Broughton, Massachusetts.
00:10:27Weighing 158 and one-half pounds.
00:10:30His professional record consists of 62 wins, two drives, two defeats, and 52 KOs.
00:10:40Ladies and gentlemen, here is the WBC Middleweight Champion of the World, Marvelous Marvin Hedley.
00:10:50All right, Rafe.
00:10:59All right, Hagler.
00:11:00All right.
00:11:01All right.
00:11:01All right.
00:11:02All right.
00:11:03All right.
00:11:03Listen.
00:11:04I've gave both of your instructions in your dressing room.
00:11:20I want to caution you again.
00:11:22Obey my commands at all times.
00:11:24Shake hands and good luck.
00:11:25Good.
00:11:26Well, Sugar Ray Linger said he would not look at Marvin Hagler.
00:11:32There would be no stare down.
00:11:34There wasn't.
00:11:35And you really have the feeling the first round is going to tell an awful lot of the story of this fight.
00:11:39Well, Ray feels that he has to discombobulate, confuse Hagler.
00:11:45Hit him some shots to get his respect and get the crowd on his side.
00:11:48Whereas Hagler feels that he wants to impose himself on Ray and show who's boss.
00:11:55Leonard, the first punch of the fight.
00:12:25Leonard, as he said he would do, going largely side to side.
00:12:44He may be moving a little bit more than he led us to believe.
00:12:48And Hagler wants to make it work so that if the fight does go into the second half,
00:12:57that perhaps Ray's stamina would betray him.
00:13:01Well, I remember Ray saying after the Camacho-Boza-Edwards fight that we all did together,
00:13:06combination by Leonard and a good left hand,
00:13:10that Camacho fought the right fight.
00:13:12And it was the kind of fight that he would have to fight against Hagler.
00:13:15Leonard, a combination again.
00:13:36Thank you, dear.
00:13:37Thank you, dear.
00:13:38Thank you, dear.
00:13:39Right hand, Leonard.
00:13:50That one landed a team on the shoulders of Hagler.
00:13:58And Ray went softball around it for just a moment.
00:14:04Again, just trying to give Hagler things to think about.
00:14:07Hagler cutting off the ring and going to the body.
00:14:27Three punch combination by Leonard.
00:14:29Don't hold it.
00:14:31Take it, dear.
00:14:33Very clear that Leonard is trying to fight a tactical fight,
00:14:44moving away, punching in flurries, clenching, moving again.
00:14:53Great!
00:14:54And just a staring contest at the end of the round.
00:14:59Ray Leonard is as if to say, I'm still here.
00:15:05And guess what does he do?
00:15:09Cool as he can be.
00:15:12Got him all out of his mind already.
00:15:14Just keep it up.
00:15:15Nice and smooth.
00:15:21Nice and smooth.
00:15:22Keep it down.
00:15:22Keep it down.
00:15:23Fade him.
00:15:24Break his left hand.
00:15:26Pressure on him somewhere.
00:15:27Drop him off.
00:15:29Work him inside.
00:15:31Right?
00:15:33You got him under control.
00:15:34Go back him up.
00:15:35Hand punch back him.
00:15:36Never break that hand.
00:15:37Take your start, turn around.
00:15:39Here's that combination that Leonard shot through.
00:15:43The left hand landed on the nose.
00:15:45The right hand just grazed Hagler.
00:15:49If you heard in the corners, Hagler's cornerman told him to rough-end it up in this round.
00:15:55Left hook by Hagler.
00:16:09Left hook by Hagler.
00:16:12His best.
00:16:12Get it! Get it! Get it!
00:16:17Get it!
00:16:25Get it!
00:16:30There's some of that roughing up that Goody Petronelli talked about.
00:16:55Come on, we're going to get out.
00:17:00Overhand right by Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:17:05Once again, to harken back to something that Ray Leonard told me a few months back was
00:17:14you get in, you throw three punch combinations, you make one punch count, and you get out.
00:17:20You do that three times around and you win a decision.
00:17:23I still wonder watching this whether Ray Leonard wouldn't have been better off fighting at
00:17:32150 or 151 pounds.
00:17:34You know, when Sugar Ray Robinson won the miniweight title, he weighed 153.
00:17:39When Angel Griffith wanted to weigh 150, because if he's just going to be moving like this,
00:17:44the extra weight could tell in later rounds.
00:17:52Come on, try to get out.
00:17:53Don't hold it, Ray.
00:18:00Good right hand to the body by Hacker.
00:18:03That was on the top of the head.
00:18:21That was a sharp right hand by Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:18:26And Hagler a left hand.
00:18:45Crowd very much into this fight early.
00:18:50Leonard going to the body well.
00:18:52Come on.
00:18:54Come on.
00:19:07Take so far, Robbie.
00:19:08You're a right-hander in that round.
00:19:09Take so far.
00:19:10Take so far, okay?
00:19:11That's what you want.
00:19:12Don't get it tight.
00:19:13I'll try and get it a little looser.
00:19:14Let it go.
00:19:15Throw those one-twos in everything.
00:19:16Keep pressing like you're pressing.
00:19:17And rough his body up.
00:19:18Stop.
00:19:19You gotta rough him up the whole time.
00:19:20Mm-hmm.
00:19:21I'll gamble in no time.
00:19:22All right.
00:19:23Don't take the movement.
00:19:24Be my man.
00:19:25You made these people take noise.
00:19:27You got them crazy.
00:19:28Keep it up.
00:19:30All right, but you do it.
00:19:31I want you smooth, baby.
00:19:33You're smooth.
00:19:34You get me?
00:19:35Wipe it out.
00:19:36Wipe it out.
00:19:37Wipe it out.
00:19:38Wipe it out.
00:19:39All right, get through that.
00:19:40So, you're going to loose it up right in here.
00:19:41In here.
00:19:42All right.
00:19:43See yourself off.
00:19:44Not put into it.
00:19:45Get the pressure.
00:19:46You want to get a little rough in the bathroom in here.
00:19:47Yep.
00:19:48Get that guy outta here.
00:19:49On my card, Gary, Leonard won the first two rounds.
00:19:56He also won some of the fans here.
00:20:02I think people were sitting back waiting to see what Sugar Ray Leonard brought to this dance.
00:20:06And so far, he's brought quite a lot.
00:20:13That was a good left hand by Hagler.
00:20:35Caught Leonard off balance.
00:20:43Strong shots to the body by Leonard.
00:21:13Stay in there, stay in there, stay in there.
00:21:20Ray is now on his 10th speed.
00:21:21All right, Ray, step back, get hold, Ray.
00:21:26Step back, break clean.
00:21:28Work it, get out.
00:21:35Work it, get out.
00:21:40Work it, get out.
00:21:41Don't hold it, Ray.
00:21:43Take it down, take it down.
00:21:50Take your fist, take your fist.
00:21:52Come on, punch it, get out, punch it, get out.
00:21:56Right hand by Leonard.
00:21:58And another right hand.
00:22:02Don't hold it, Ray.
00:22:03Don't hold it.
00:22:04Don't hold it.
00:22:05A lot of ring savvy being shown by Sugar Ray Leonard right now.
00:22:09Don't hold it, Ray.
00:22:10There's no rust right at the moment.
00:22:20Come on, work this side and get out.
00:22:22Don't push, don't push.
00:22:25Put it down.
00:22:26Work it, get out.
00:22:35Work it, get out.
00:22:36Work it, get out.
00:22:465 seconds left, 5 seconds left.
00:22:48Ahh!
00:22:52Harold Letterman, how do you score the fight?
00:23:03Larry, I've got all three rounds for Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:23:06Remember the four points in which we score.
00:23:08Ring generalship, effective aggressiveness, clean punching and defense.
00:23:11Ray Leonard is showing us a beautiful exhibition of ring generalship.
00:23:14Changing direction, moving, throwing combinations, keeping Hagler off balance.
00:23:22How are you doing? Nice and smart.
00:23:26Ripping, nice and smart.
00:23:30How about those jabs?
00:23:33How about those jabs?
00:23:35Faint this sucker, he'll go for it right.
00:23:37Faint it.
00:23:39Okay, baby.
00:23:52Last time we saw Hagler punch his head like that, he tore after Hearns.
00:23:58We'll see if he's getting a little desperate now and if he goes into fifth gear against Leonard or tries to.
00:24:05Yeah, there was some discussion as to how he would start the fight.
00:24:09And he started in about second gear.
00:24:11Now he seems to be pacing up a little bit.
00:24:13Right hand on the break again by Leonard.
00:24:41Go hold him, Ray.
00:24:42Go hold him.
00:24:43Go hold him, Ray.
00:24:45Work it now.
00:24:46Go hold him.
00:24:46And again.
00:24:49Go hold him.
00:24:57Watch it all, man.
00:25:01Give him up, Ray.
00:25:01Give him up.
00:25:02Give him up.
00:25:03Hold on.
00:25:03The table.
00:25:06The table.
00:25:07The table.
00:25:07There may have been no objective evidence to pick Ray Leonard to win this fight, but up to this point, he is providing subjective evidence that his quickness does befuddle Hagler, and Hagler has to slow him down.
00:25:33The other issue, of course, will be conditioning as the fight moves on.
00:25:40That could be very much a key factor.
00:25:42Hagler does his best work inside, has just not been able to get there.
00:25:46And when he has, Leonard has counterpunched him well.
00:25:57Leonard is kicking his shots here.
00:25:59And he wound up and hit him to the stomach.
00:26:19Variation of a bolo punch.
00:26:21And I doubt that Marvin Hagler has ever seen an opponent try that.
00:26:27The one thing that is very apparent now is that Leonard is the more confident fighter.
00:26:34Whatever feelings of nerves he had early on, they vanished.
00:26:38Hagler has let him into this fight.
00:26:41Or, to put it in a more positive way, Ray Leonard has put himself into this fight.
00:26:45And now he's starting even to taunt Hagler.
00:26:50Smiling at him.
00:26:51They're just essentially saying, come on.
00:26:52And now Hagler's getting angry.
00:26:54No question about it.
00:27:03That's my man.
00:27:05That's my man.
00:27:07Right, Ray.
00:27:09When you slide under the guy, stop him.
00:27:11Nail him.
00:27:12All right.
00:27:13Don't grab him around the shoulder.
00:27:15Don't grab him around the head.
00:27:16Grab him around the shoulder.
00:27:17You're fucking good, man.
00:27:19That's the way you're talking.
00:27:20Let's take a look.
00:27:23There was a bolo body punch.
00:27:25May have landed on the borderline.
00:27:28It was those sort of tactics that finally drove Roberto Duran into his no-mas.
00:27:36A little more pressure.
00:27:37You have to do it.
00:27:38Maybe you'll get caught, but you're going to get caught, too.
00:27:39All right?
00:27:40No.
00:27:40Snap speed.
00:27:41Right.
00:27:41Snap speed.
00:27:42All right?
00:27:43Good time.
00:27:44Okay, you lost it.
00:27:45Okay, Matt.
00:27:45Okay.
00:27:46Okay.
00:27:55Again, both corners very calm, very confident.
00:28:04That was a good left hand by Hagler.
00:28:06One to the head and then one to the body.
00:28:08Okay.
00:28:08Hagler continues to stalk Ray Leonard.
00:28:15Two good left by Hagler.
00:28:17Two good left by Hagler.
00:28:21Short right hand by Ray Leonard.
00:28:36Leonard is beating Hagler to the punch on some of those occasions when they're having a little
00:28:51bit of a stare-off.
00:28:53Hagler is watching instead of punching.
00:28:58I don't recall either fighter having his back on the ropes.
00:29:01This fight has been fought almost completely in the center of the ring.
00:29:05That was a first right there as Leonard bounced off the ropes.
00:29:15Don't hold him, Ray.
00:29:16Don't hold him.
00:29:16Don't hold him.
00:29:24Leonard not quite on the bicycle as much in this round.
00:29:28That punch didn't land.
00:29:39The pace appears to be quickening.
00:29:44Three-punch combination, Leonard.
00:29:45Two to the body, one to the head.
00:29:46Right hand might have been a little bit short.
00:30:09And Hagler, a good left hand to the head.
00:30:17And Hagler, a good left hand to the head.
00:30:25A good right.
00:30:26Very good right.
00:30:27Very good right.
00:30:27Hurt.
00:30:28Big right hand by Marvin Hagler.
00:30:30And now Hagler chases Leonard.
00:30:37This is what Hagler wants.
00:30:39He wants a war.
00:30:46Now Hagler being the aggressor, has Leonard on the ropes.
00:30:49Leonard trying to fight his way off the ropes.
00:30:51Hagler hammers him back onto them.
00:30:53Let's keep fighting.
00:31:03I'm crazy.
00:31:05And all right on the ropes.
00:31:07Don't nail the ropes.
00:31:08See, you blew that round.
00:31:09Not nail the ropes.
00:31:10You're trying to load up.
00:31:12Don't load up.
00:31:13Don't load up.
00:31:14Why don't you continue boxing him, Ray.
00:31:16Keep moving.
00:31:17All right?
00:31:18Don't let him join you until punch him, man.
00:31:20Let's keep fighting.
00:31:21Quiet, quiet.
00:31:22All right.
00:31:22I want you to box.
00:31:23That is all.
00:31:25When you give him a soccer shot, fun.
00:31:29Let's take a look.
00:31:35There's a short left, a harder left, and a right uppercut.
00:31:39And you saw Ray Leonard's knees buckle.
00:31:44This is the same sequence from another angle.
00:31:46The question is, can Ray Leonard continue to box as he did in the early round?
00:31:55Angelo Duny exhorting him to do just that.
00:31:58Don't get in a punching match.
00:32:01That was the advice.
00:32:02Right hand by Hagler right off the bat here.
00:32:05Punching it out.
00:32:06Punching it out.
00:32:07This is the sixth round.
00:32:11We're going 12.
00:32:14A good left inside by Hagler.
00:32:17You barely saw that, but it was a tough left hand.
00:32:20Work it out.
00:32:27Work it out.
00:32:28Step back, Wayne.
00:32:29Step back.
00:32:33Keep him in front.
00:32:34Keep him in front.
00:32:40Don't hold it.
00:32:41Work it out.
00:32:41Work it out.
00:32:42A little bit more holding on the part of Ray Leonard now.
00:32:48That was a right hand by Leonard with his back to the ropes.
00:32:57Ray is standing more flat-footed now.
00:33:00Started to do that in the last round.
00:33:01You get the sense that Marvin Hagler is saying,
00:33:14yes, he can punch me, but no, he can't hurt me.
00:33:20Come on, work it outside and get out.
00:33:22Don't hold him, Ray.
00:33:23Don't hold him.
00:33:29Watch your head.
00:33:31Watch your head.
00:33:47Ray Leonard punching a little more over the arms right at the moment, too.
00:33:50And Ray Leonard hooking Marvin Hanks.
00:34:20As we wind down the sixth round, we should be reminded that Ray Leonard's eyes have become a non-issue to this point.
00:34:37All of the concern about the detached retina.
00:34:50The combination.
00:34:51Leonard got the better of that.
00:35:08Don't you worry.
00:35:09I got it.
00:35:10Put it on my hand.
00:35:11All right.
00:35:12I want you to use your dude.
00:35:13That's all I want from you.
00:35:14All right.
00:35:15Let's spit.
00:35:16Let's spit, baby.
00:35:17I'll smart this guy.
00:35:18You're too smart for this guy.
00:35:19Don't match him yet.
00:35:20What's hard?
00:35:21Round number seven.
00:35:22Look at that, baby.
00:35:23Round seven.
00:35:24All right.
00:35:25A little pressure.
00:35:26A little more pressure.
00:35:27Just keep him backing up.
00:35:28He's weak enough as it is.
00:35:29Two punches and flurries.
00:35:30Okay?
00:35:31You've got to hang him up.
00:35:32Inside.
00:35:33Wrap him up inside.
00:35:34You've got to do it, man.
00:35:35Throw more one punch at a time.
00:35:36Take him off.
00:35:37All right?
00:35:38You're the boss.
00:35:39Wrap him up.
00:35:40Ray Leonard has made it through the first half of the fight.
00:35:42All right?
00:35:43Get back, Ray.
00:35:44All right.
00:35:45You're the boss.
00:35:46Wrap him up.
00:35:47Wrap him up.
00:35:50Ray Leonard has made it through the first half of the fight.
00:35:53Get back, Ray.
00:35:54All right.
00:35:55And made it in good fashion.
00:35:57I have him ahead four rounds to two.
00:35:59Come on, go, get yourself.
00:36:00Now you really have an idea that conditioning is going to tell the biggest part of this story
00:36:05tonight.
00:36:06Come on, look.
00:36:11Come on, get your hand off.
00:36:32Leonard fighting flat-footed in this round.
00:36:34Con Hagler with a left.
00:36:35Hagler catches Leonard with a left of his own.
00:36:41Look at him, look at him.
00:36:55Wild right head.
00:37:06This is toe-to-toe right in here.
00:37:08And that's exactly what Sugar Ray Leonard's corner does not want.
00:37:11And what Marvin Hagler's corner does.
00:37:15You get the impression that Ray has put his bicycle in the garage.
00:37:19Looks like it's going flat-footed.
00:37:21Good day.
00:37:23Ray Leonard wanted the bigger ring here.
00:37:45He got his wish, and he's using all of it.
00:37:47Now, again, back to the ropes.
00:37:53Hagler and uppercut.
00:37:56The fighter doesn't go to the ropes unless he's a little tired.
00:37:58Nobody does it deliberately.
00:37:59Leonard dropping his arms like he's a little bit fatigued also.
00:38:25And now Hagler mocking Leonard.
00:38:27And Hagler made him pay for that bit of fancy footwork.
00:38:42Right hand by Hagler again.
00:38:46Again, Leonard on the ropes.
00:38:48Not a lot of damage in that last exchange.
00:39:03Once you're off the ropes, it looks like he's hitting you, even though you're not getting hit.
00:39:09I want you off the ropes.
00:39:10I want your box, Miss Guy.
00:39:13You made it, Mr. Crease, shot you to the counter in one shot.
00:39:18No, no, watch that ice, God damn it.
00:39:20Watch the ice.
00:39:21All right.
00:39:23Open your mouth.
00:39:25Give me some deep breath.
00:39:27Watch this exchange on the ropes at the end of the round.
00:39:31Ray hit Hagler with a short right after the belt.
00:39:34Stay so far.
00:39:36I think you do it better.
00:39:37And you're roughing him up first.
00:39:38You have to do that.
00:39:39You get him against the rope like you did there.
00:39:41Get overhand fine.
00:39:42And bring the uppercuts out.
00:39:43That was right.
00:39:44Drive him up.
00:39:45Get a little rougher now.
00:39:46Okay?
00:39:47He's on yards.
00:39:47On.
00:39:54So it's pretty simple.
00:39:56Marvelous Bob and Hagler's corner wants Ray Leonard on the ropes.
00:39:59Ray Leonard's corner wants Ray Leonard off the ropes.
00:40:01Now we'll see who wins.
00:40:09Oh, look.
00:40:10Time.
00:40:11Time.
00:40:12Time.
00:40:14And a momentary timeout.
00:40:16That is because it's some loose adhesive tape on Ray Leonard's gloves.
00:40:20And he's in tape.
00:40:22Okay, get some degrees over.
00:40:24How about the other one?
00:40:26Let's get an example.
00:40:29Okay, you ready?
00:40:30Let's go.
00:40:30The arrogance and impudence that may Ray Leonard, a great fighter,
00:40:46and that made him take this fight.
00:40:49Step back, step back.
00:40:50He's certainly working in his favor so far.
00:40:53It is a tactical fight from both corners.
00:41:03And so far, an entertaining fight.
00:41:05Not one for action.
00:41:06That's a good left hand by Hagler.
00:41:23Hagler has landed the only real hard punch of the fight.
00:41:30Ray has shown a remarkable ability to take Hagler's punches,
00:41:33even though they haven't been big ones,
00:41:36considering the long layoff.
00:41:41Hagler just continues to press Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:41:44This time, Leonard does get off the ropes.
00:41:56This time, Leonard does get off the ropes.
00:41:56Watch your hands.
00:41:57You ready to go.
00:42:14Hey.
00:42:14The legs.
00:42:15Step back.
00:42:15Watch your head.
00:42:16One minute.
00:42:17One minute.
00:42:17All right, step back to him, step back, watch your head.
00:42:20One minute, one minute.
00:42:23Why don't you get out?
00:42:27Don't hold him, Ray, don't hold him.
00:42:47Come on, work your head out.
00:42:56Leonard trying to fight off the ropes, he does.
00:43:13Work your head out, work your head out, don't hold him, Ray.
00:43:15Don't hold him, Ray.
00:43:17Go ahead, Ray, go ahead.
00:43:18That's the way you got to fight this guy, exactly what you're doing.
00:43:35You got to rough him up, you may take a few shots, man.
00:43:37All right.
00:43:41How do you feel, man?
00:43:42You got to draw this guy, keep the freaks on him, taking his legs away from him right now.
00:43:46And if you get him to get a throw, the uppercuts are very good.
00:43:54Ray, please box.
00:43:56Box.
00:43:58Oh, fuck.
00:44:00So wet.
00:44:01All right.
00:44:02Deep breath.
00:44:04Give me another one.
00:44:04All right.
00:44:05No.
00:44:06Come on, more.
00:44:06Watch the time.
00:44:08Hang me, don't wait for him.
00:44:09You can't.
00:44:09You don't hesitate to box.
00:44:11You know what I mean?
00:44:12Box.
00:44:13Let's go.
00:44:13They're going into the last third of the fight.
00:44:21And Ray Leonard, keep it up.
00:44:26They went back to what brung him in the early rounds, in the last round.
00:44:29That is, keep Armand Hagler in the middle of the ring.
00:44:33Get on the bike on occasion.
00:44:36Punch and flurries and then get out.
00:44:38Come on.
00:44:39Working out.
00:44:39Where'd he go, Mark?
00:44:40Where'd he go?
00:44:45Where'd he go?
00:44:46Where'd he go?
00:44:48Oh, my.
00:44:51Where'd he go, Mark?
00:44:52Where'd he go?
00:44:53Take it down.
00:44:54Don't hold him.
00:44:55Take it down.
00:44:56Take it down.
00:44:58Work your way out.
00:44:59Don't hold him.
00:45:00Don't hold him.
00:45:00Leonard still seems to be getting off a little bit quicker than Marvin Hagler.
00:45:04Come on.
00:45:04Mark and Salas get out.
00:45:05Don't hold him.
00:45:05And that is right where Marvin Hadler wants Sugar Ray Leonard.
00:45:30That was a good left hand by Hadler.
00:45:32And Leonard now with his back to the ropes.
00:45:37And another left hand by Hadler.
00:45:42And that more than got Leonard's attention.
00:45:44Ray Leonard is hurt in the corner.
00:45:50Leonard's left hand down at his side.
00:45:53Hadler peppering him.
00:45:54Leonard now tries to fight off the ropes.
00:45:57Combinations of punches.
00:45:58And now it's Hadler who backs off.
00:46:00A lot of action here in round nine.
00:46:09Crowd collectively on its feet.
00:46:11Work it down.
00:46:21Work it down.
00:46:21You see, you're just seeing two champions go at each other, neither one giving an itch.
00:46:47Two great thoroughbreds.
00:46:48Ray Leonard's ability to take the punches from Hagler is astonishing, really.
00:46:56Leonard just took a deep breath and dropped his arms.
00:46:59Now, whether that was a ploy, we'll find out here.
00:47:02Fifteen seconds left on nine.
00:47:05Leonard looks tired, but it could be play acting.
00:47:13But what Ray Leonard is doing is giving Marvin Hagler what he wants.
00:47:18A ball and a great round.
00:47:21A great round of boxing.
00:47:23Put your head down.
00:47:36Okay, we got nine minutes.
00:47:38There you saw the big left hand that started the last two minutes of this round into a tremendous war.
00:47:51And there is Ray Leonard coming back with a terrific flurry.
00:47:55Jordan, you're here, boss.
00:48:01This is ten here.
00:48:02Ten rounds?
00:48:03Three more rounds.
00:48:04Now, you've got to beat this eight.
00:48:05And a pressure on the low fight.
00:48:07We need it.
00:48:07We can't go.
00:48:08We can't go.
00:48:09We can't go.
00:48:09We can't go.
00:48:09All right.
00:48:10Whatever happens for the rest of this fight, Ray Leonard already has justified himself.
00:48:17This is the tenth round.
00:48:23Hagler comes out winging.
00:48:25Catches Leonard with a long right hand here.
00:48:29And Leonard back up on the bike.
00:48:30Leonard has been content to brawl on occasion with Marvin Hagler.
00:48:56That's the chagrin of Angelo Dundee.
00:48:58Come on.
00:49:04We'll get out.
00:49:04We'll get out.
00:49:09Leonard's backhanding Hagler now.
00:49:12And Hagler pressing it out.
00:49:14We'll get out.
00:49:14We'll get out.
00:49:14I can't fall in a second's hand!
00:49:32Ray Leonard looks like a tired fighter, but I keep thinking that it's a ploy.
00:49:37I don't think it's a ploy.
00:49:38I think he is tired, but he's gathering his strength for a few round-stealing flurries
00:49:43is what he's trying to do.
00:49:45He's a tremendously intelligent athlete, both in the way he fights tactically,
00:49:50and now I think coming down home stretch he's going to try to steal these rounds.
00:50:04Don't hold him, don't hold him!
00:50:07Short right hand by Hagler.
00:50:13Leonard backs him off to the left.
00:50:28Hagler just continues to pepper Ray Leonard.
00:50:31Oh, yeah!
00:50:32Oh, yeah!
00:50:33Oh, yeah!
00:50:34Oh, yeah!
00:50:35Oh, yeah!
00:50:36Oh, yeah!
00:50:37Oh, yeah!
00:50:38Oh, yeah!
00:50:39Oh, yeah!
00:50:40Come on, work inside.
00:50:41You've got to work.
00:50:42Step back.
00:50:43Step back.
00:50:44Step back.
00:50:45Don't push.
00:50:46A little bit short with that.
00:50:47Now left hand behind it and Leonard again backs up.
00:50:49And how far will Ray Leonard's legs take him?
00:50:5115 seconds left.
00:50:52Round 10.
00:50:53End of the 10th round.
00:50:54Two rounds left.
00:50:55Carol Letterman, how do you see it?
00:50:56Well, Mary, I've got Ray Leonard ahead by two points.
00:50:57Two rounds left.
00:50:58Carol Letterman, how do you see it?
00:50:59And how far will Ray Leonard's legs take him?
00:51:0015 seconds left.
00:51:01Round 10.
00:51:02End of the 10th round.
00:51:03Two rounds left.
00:51:04Carol Letterman, how do you see it?
00:51:06Well, Mary, I've got Ray Leonard ahead by two points.
00:51:10I've got a 96 for Sugar Ray Leonard and 94 for Marvin Hagler.
00:51:17I thought Sugar Ray Leonard pulled out the 10th round.
00:51:21Marvin Hagler had round 7, 8, 9 and had Leonard backing up.
00:51:25But I thought Ray came on in the 10th.
00:51:26I got Ray on interstate.
00:51:27He goes back.
00:51:28Tressel, because he wants to rest after that.
00:51:31You know what I'm saying?
00:51:32Keep the punches going.
00:51:33The combinations.
00:51:34You have to lose six minutes in your seat, can't you?
00:51:38But shorten up.
00:51:39I'm just going to need to be a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit.
00:51:41So I'm looking for a shot.
00:51:42I'm giving you the pick.
00:51:43Put it in your seat, Phil.
00:51:44Can't you take it?
00:51:45I'm not sure if you want to rest after, Phil.
00:51:46You can get it, Phil.
00:51:47I'm getting charged very well.
00:51:48I'm getting it, Phil.
00:51:49Matty's going to abandon you.
00:51:50I'm getting it.
00:51:51You can't see you.
00:51:52can't you but short enough come on when the right hand goes I want you to come
00:52:01back with a left hook but start dipping to your right you're not doing it
00:52:06throwing it straight away you're trying to pay something
00:52:11will Hagler's age or his conditioning be the decisive factor if you just judge on how the two
00:52:24men are breathing in their corners you have to think that Hagler is a little bit fresher than
00:52:28Sugar Ray Leonard right now I have it an even fight so it comes down to the final two rounds
00:52:35Hagler continues to press Sugar Ray Leonard continues to try and keep Hagler in the center
00:52:47of the ring and at arm's length
00:52:49Dundee looking for a left hook from Ray Leonard as Leonard goes softball again it comes up
00:53:07to the left he's done that two or three times in this fight
00:53:10Leonard again combinations sucks up a deep breath
00:53:31come on work and get out work and get out
00:53:39right at the moment it's Marvin Hagler fighting Ray Leonard's fight
00:53:50but again Leonard on the ropes tries to fight off and finally spins out
00:54:03Leonard getting cute again took a right hand in retaliation from Hagler
00:54:10all of those punches missed
00:54:22but those didn't
00:54:26and Leonard with his hands at his side
00:54:33really taunting Hagler
00:54:36inches away from him hands dropped to the side
00:54:4030 seconds
00:54:4811th round
00:54:50now Leonard again just taking deep breaths
00:55:00I'm still amazed Barry how Ray has taken Hagler's punches
00:55:07remember after his last fight how he said every punch hurt
00:55:11these have had to hurt more
00:55:13he's tired he's trying to win the round by Florent
00:55:17he had a bunch ofhei
00:55:18homic
00:55:18he's tired he's trying to win the round by Florent
00:55:19he's trying to win the final Seville
00:55:33he's tired he's trying to win the round by Florent
00:55:34three hundred and final
00:55:36he had him going with it but you know that
00:55:38skip 34
00:55:39Deep breath!
00:55:41Deep breath!
00:55:42We only got three minutes!
00:55:44Come on, baby!
00:55:45One more round, the fight is over!
00:55:47You better!
00:55:48New champions!
00:55:49New champions!
00:55:51New champions!
00:55:53New champions!
00:55:55All right, come on.
00:55:57I mean, put the monster all in there.
00:55:59There's a lot riding on this here.
00:56:01Okay?
00:56:03Okay!
00:56:04Move in and out!
00:56:06And don't play!
00:56:08The final three minutes of what has been a great event.
00:56:22And a great fight.
00:56:24There is clearly desperation in Hagler.
00:56:38It's hard to know how this fight would be scored.
00:56:52But it's closer than Marvin Hagler thought it would be going into this last round.
00:56:56And again, Ray Leonard on the ropes.
00:56:58Took a left hand from Hagler.
00:56:59Still hands it aside.
00:57:00Talking to Hagler.
00:57:01Tries to fight off the ropes.
00:57:02Took another left hand from Hagler.
00:57:04Clearly has taken Hagler's best.
00:57:06Off the ropes!
00:57:07Off the ropes!
00:57:08Leonard fighting off the ropes!
00:57:10Off the ropes!
00:57:12Leonard fighting off the ropes!
00:57:14Oh, my God!
00:57:15Come on!
00:57:16Finally.
00:57:17However!
00:57:18in the first snap
00:57:31Leonard fighting off the ropes.
00:58:01The crowd chatting Sugar Ray.
00:58:10We will let you watch the last minute of a great evening in Las Vegas.
00:58:38Where did you get out?
00:58:41Where did you get out?
00:58:44Last round!
00:58:48Here we go.
00:58:53Ten seconds.
00:59:06Ten seconds.
00:59:08That's right.
00:59:18How do you like it?
00:59:20How do you like it?
00:59:23How do you like it?
00:59:26How do you like it?
00:59:28How do you like it?
00:59:31How do you like it?
00:59:33How do you like it?
00:59:35How do you like it?
00:59:37How do you like it?
00:59:39Ray Leonard claimed before this fight, I'm unique.
00:59:44And if he gets the decision, that will be confirmed.
00:59:50A remarkable performance, whatever the result.
01:00:02It was a great fight on both sides, regardless of who wins it.
01:00:08Nowモimi was the winner.
01:00:09I feel absolutely right.
01:00:10On welcome to Los Angeles vostre off the wave!
01:00:11If you want to go further, you'll see what believes the outcome was great to do to these
01:00:16itaire.
01:00:17Come here, he's come here.
01:00:18Why do you love it?
01:00:19there you see the comparisons the number of punches thrown and landed the landed punch is
01:00:32very similar but that is just a quantitative profile of this fight
01:00:38go ahead have you tell us what you thought larry i just love a finesse fighter i have
01:00:48it seven rounds to five in favor sugar related i thought that the key to the fight was the right
01:00:53hand lead ray leonard bounced right hand leads constantly off marvin haggler's head
01:00:58let's get to chuck all now we will get the official decision ladies and gentlemen
01:01:12here is the decision of the judges we have a split decision
01:01:18judge who philippo scores the bout 115 marvin haggler 113 ray
01:01:32left judge jojo gara scores the bout 118 leonard 110 haggler
01:01:44and judge dame bernie scores 115 113 by the winner by a split decision
01:01:58and new middleweight champion of the world
01:02:02sugar
01:02:03bill
01:02:04lindon
01:02:05all right let's go up now to the ring
01:02:22where larry merchant is with the new middleweight champion and an old friend larry ray when the
01:02:28first two verdicts were announced it was a split decision you seem to feel you added one easily
01:02:33were you shocked no i wasn't larry i stole the earlier rounds i figured there was marvin's
01:02:39intention to let me win the early rounds and then try to figure me out the mistake he made
01:02:43i think the patronage made he stayed right-handed more than anything and i was there playing some good
01:02:48right hand i stunned him a couple of times i got that respect he came on strong and was very
01:02:53intelligent because my gas tank was getting low could you have gone another three rounds in a 15
01:02:58round fight my heart is it was in the fight i would have pushed it no matter what larry you know
01:03:03this was a great accomplish for me i mean a lot of people didn't think i can do it you didn't think
01:03:06i could do it and for very good reasons i mean i pulled it through and i think what it was all
01:03:12about was what was in here and i was waiting from the ring for five years and i hope they don't say
01:03:17that uh marvelous marvin haggler his his uh talents had eroded i'd be the guy who was so determined
01:03:23like he was in the past all right thank you larry so sugar ray leonard is now the new middleweight
01:03:28champion both fighters very confident as they stood listening to chuck hall announced the official
01:03:32decision none more so than a former champion marvelous marvin haggler he thought that he had won
01:03:38the fight in fact he thought there was no doubt about it right now he is with larry merchant larry all
01:03:43right marvin you thought you won the fight i did win the fight there's no doubt about it after about
01:03:49the fourth round i took the whole fight kept it going made him fight every second away kept the
01:03:54pressure on him you know it didn't hurt nothing i'll get it for the end of the round you know that flurry
01:03:58stuff didn't mean anything you know i'm in vegas you know do you feel that he stole the fight with his
01:04:03flurries he's no he just stole it he knew he lost it everybody knew he lost it do you want a rematch i don't
01:04:11want to think about it right judge i don't think it's fair that's okay that's what were you surprised
01:04:16that he was able to sustain the pace you put on him after all of this inactivity all he had to do
01:04:22anybody that goes a distance with me larry you know i'm the greatest i gotta tell you i felt the
01:04:28greatest tonight you know and i proved that i was the true champion he didn't knock me down didn't hurt
01:04:33me at all come on i just can't believe it thank you marvin
01:04:41what a fight what a night and now with us from washington to look back at it is sugar ray
01:05:04leonard ray nice to have you back on the tube what sticks out in your mind about that night
01:05:11at this moment you know larry i think the uh the most surprising thing that sticks out of my mind is
01:05:18the fact that the fight was relatively easy uh than i expected i was able to hit haggler with shots that
01:05:28i tell you i would have hit the average guy who was like a number 12 or 15 contender i'm not taking
01:05:35anything away from haggler but the fact that he was more susceptible to punches that i threw that i had
01:05:41anticipated looking back over this whole experience what is the greatest fulfillment you have from it
01:05:51is it the winning or is it was it the doing of it the showing that you could compete again
01:05:59uh the winning was not that important to me because i knew i would win i think it was a matter
01:06:05of doing it i mean i was there back in my element doing what i had wanted to do for years
01:06:12and all of a sudden i had that opportunity to fulfill that dream and that goal of of fighting and
01:06:18beating marvin haggler not winning the middleweight crown not accomplishing history although those
01:06:24things fall in line but doing what i want to do and i did that and i went home larry and i i just
01:06:31i was at peace with myself had you somehow lost that decision would you still feel good about the fact
01:06:39that you made the effort were able to dedicate yourself again to something that you have done so well
01:06:46you know whenever you say lose or loss i can't even i can't even respond but again by even by
01:06:56being in the ring with haggler gave me all the satisfaction i needed do you understand his bitterness now
01:07:04from everything i can find out he may be the only long time champion ever to have lost
01:07:10his championship by such a close decision one round change by one official that would have been a draw
01:07:20i think what haggler has to do is look back when i fought roberto duran i lost on a very close
01:07:26decision too but i think if you watch the tapes and replays of the fight he will be convinced himself
01:07:35i mean hacker has nothing to feel bad about do you do you feel they won the fight do you feel a
01:07:41champion should lose on a close decision to be perfectly honest with you larry i don't think it
01:07:47should have been a split decision i beat him fair and square i think i beat him decisively i don't think
01:07:52it was a split decision i think it was unanimous ray we'll be back in a little while to look at some of
01:07:58these rounds because it was in fact a drama in two clear acts the fresh leonard winning act one but
01:08:06he was rocked with the hardest punch of the fight upset however it was in the air
01:08:14where you said you had to cite marvin haggler early in the fight how are some of the ways you did that
01:08:21well the way i strike marvels the fact i try to frustrate him i i begin to do things i did to
01:08:26robert garan like here you see the bolo punch really frustrated him made him angry he started
01:08:32talking to me and i knew i had him then what do you mean by stealing rounds well stealing rounds
01:08:38simply means the last 30 seconds to a minute of each round i would actually throw more punches
01:08:44i had all done up yell out one minute and then i would start putting punches and combinations together
01:08:50and here he starts to talk to me that's what i know is working too
01:08:57are you saying that you were trying to more impress the judges than hurt haggler
01:09:04it was more so to frustrate haggler um impressing the judges i think that was natural because of what
01:09:11i was able to do and get away with haggler all right in round five however haggler didn't seem
01:09:17frustrated you did make him angry and he made it work for himself well the fifth round was when
01:09:24i really started becoming a little fatigued uh more so mentally fatigued my legs start to go
01:09:31they started to fall asleep on me and then haggler's able to catch me with an uppercut i believe
01:09:36there it was it kind of like woke me up and here i'm tying him up and just trying to uh
01:09:41i don't try to get a break here trying to get a rest but i'm seeing you notice my i still have eye
01:09:47contact i still have concentration i'm just trying to time up until i feel my head were you getting a
01:09:52little cocky i was cocky from round one i was cocky when i walked to the ring and i had to do those
01:09:59things to make him believe that i could beat him and he believed that this is how the official score
01:10:07cards looked after three rounds haggler winning only one round on judge lou filippo's card
01:10:15the next three rounds haggler got the vote of all three officials in the fifth round
01:10:20but ray leonard was ahead five rounds to one on two of the cards now let's go back to ray leonard for
01:10:27his view of act one ray if marvin hadler had come out after you the way he went after hearns early in
01:10:39the fight do you think there would have been any difference in those early rounds
01:10:45i i think so larry uh if he came out more aggressive relentless like he did with hearns
01:10:52i would have had no alternative but to stand exchange blow for blow um i didn't disclose this
01:11:01but during the fight i don't know what particular round i heard both hands you notice both hands are
01:11:06swollen most of the right hand um he would have made me spend more energy too and more more weight i lost
01:11:1513 pounds i weigh 150 pounds right now i lost 13 pounds in that fight in those 12 rounds so that
01:11:23proved to the people that i am a welterweight but i convinced myself that i was a middleweight being
01:11:30fresh as you were in those early rounds you don't think you could have frustrated him if he had come
01:11:36after you so hard and perhaps made him use his energy well it could work in one of two ways
01:11:42uh i could have been stumbling but then again i have very very good balance i think the earlier
01:11:49rounds i could have utilized the ring you know to his utmost were you surprised that he came in more
01:11:56right-handed for the first couple of the rounds than left-handed to be honest with you i thought it
01:12:01was a rather dumb move because he gave me an opportunity to score points by him being right-handed i had no
01:12:08problems adjusting to his style he was right in front of me his face was right there if he came
01:12:13southpaw it had been a little more difficult because i had to think about and concentrate on my balance
01:12:19more so than anything ray are you saying that if marvin had come out more aggressively left-handed
01:12:26that he would have won the fight no he would have made it more difficult he would have won no matter
01:12:32what okay let's take a look then at act two of this drama cut to the chase haggler chasing leonard
01:12:40leonard trying to hold him off there were 190 punches thrown in round nine 25 more in the classic round one
01:12:50of haggler hearns
01:12:55ray there were nearly 200 punches thrown in the ninth round have you ever been in a round
01:13:02like this well i think the closest fight was tommy hearns when i fought tommy hearns uh back in 81
01:13:09but this at this point here we both are throwing punches and i think it's just nervous energy and
01:13:15we both are really trying to impress the judges at this point i thought i had built an early lead
01:13:21haggler feel that he had built uh he gained points in a later round so it was a matter of trying to
01:13:27uh accumulate more points here were you too tired to get away from him here
01:13:34tired i was fatigued i said in about the sixth round i think it's a matter of willpower
01:13:39and resiliency because i had staying power at this point here because haggler punches couldn't hurt me
01:13:44anymore they could just knock me off balance it seemed that you just refused to let him dominate you
01:13:52by coming back at him the way you did well allowing a haggler to dominate you is asking for trouble
01:13:58because you create momentum for a guy that's really a dangerous puncher when you give him that
01:14:04opportunity i stood toe to toe with haggler and i think i gained a lot of respect from him at this
01:14:09point a lot has been said ray about how you had the skill the game plan to win this fight but in the
01:14:18end it seems to me that in the second half what really got you through was that just incredible
01:14:26willpower other guys just lose it when they start getting hit you know like it was almost as though
01:14:34i was not my soul had left my body i mean i had to think back to the days of young it was almost as
01:14:42i had to relive what i did in 1981 and it was strange because my concentration during this fight
01:14:49was unbelievable i maintained concentration going into the last couple of rounds ray one did you feel
01:14:59you had the stamina to complete them and two did you know you could still lose the fight going to the
01:15:0511th round i felt like that i had built up enough a substantial lead that these two last rounds i could
01:15:13pretty much psych my way through and i was doing a lot of taunting a lot of antics playing with haggler
01:15:22it was almost like having fun and being tired at the same time i was i was exhausted but i used my
01:15:29my ring savvy and ring generalship to uh to go through the rounds did you sense that he was tired
01:15:37as well at this point well i was tired i know he was tired because we both uh use a lot of punches a lot
01:15:45of energy during earlier rounds but it was just i guess determination last round ray could you have gone
01:15:54on to 15 had it been a 15 rounder you know i could have won 15 rounds because i would use my ring
01:16:01intelligence i was exhausted in the 12th round but i would have found a way to go three more rounds with
01:16:06haggler you negotiated those 12 rounds would you have taken 15 if haggler absolutely insisted on it
01:16:17well i tell you he could have said 15 rounds and what could i have done i couldn't say anything
01:16:22he was champion i don't think he realized that so you took more money or he took more money
01:16:30he took more money to reduce the rounds for reduction of rounds i'm sorry and you like
01:16:36that trade now i wouldn't trade for anything in the world you think he would i think once he sees this
01:16:42fight the tape uh he would know he made a bad mistake but i don't think he could have won uh three more
01:16:53rounds i'll be honest with you i think the crowd could have stood three more rounds i don't know if
01:17:02either one of you could have well they would win three more rounds by themselves
01:17:06that was a great fight on the official scorecard haggler was back into the fight in the seventh
01:17:16eighth and ninth rounds although jose guerra saw it a different way haggler would have had a draw
01:17:23if dave moretti gave him the 10th but leonard clinched the victory by sweeping the 11th
01:17:28the final cards filippo had haggler ahead seven rounds to five guerra had leonard ahead ten to two
01:17:36moretti had leonard seven to five jose guerra saw a fight no one else saw i talked to him right after
01:17:45it in rounds seven through nine the other two judges scored all of those rounds for haggler does it make
01:17:52you uncomfortable anyway to know that you disagreed not at all not at all i think the other judges
01:17:57score for marvin should feel uncomfortable not me i think i did i think i did my job the best of
01:18:02my ability this is my 43 45th title fight and i think i scored that way because i think like i
01:18:09say leonard to me was just the better fighter in the ring do you feel that the fact that haggler was
01:18:17the aggressor through much of the fight didn't mean that much because it wasn't effective aggressiveness
01:18:24that's right that's right you're perfectly right he was aggressive most of the time he was missing a
01:18:29lot of punches i mean he wasn't missing just because i'm missing sugar ray was making him missing and
01:18:34counter punching he was aggressive okay most of the rounds but he wasn't effective aggressiveness
01:18:40with me in the studio now is harold letterman our ringside judge who's a card agreed to the very round
01:18:46with judge dave moretti and out in los angeles is judge lou philippo whose card had it from marvin
01:18:54haggler lou give us your reasoning for picking haggler well i thought haggler was aggressor i thought
01:19:02he was throwing harder punches to the body and i i thought he made the fight uh leonard was
01:19:09doing what he had to do to win the fight but i thought he came out up a little short on it i
01:19:18haggler did most of the chasing and a lot of good good body punches
01:19:24lou do you naturally favor the aggressor or do you feel that a champion shouldn't lose
01:19:30that kind of a fight no i don't uh i think i've judged a fight according to who
01:19:39lands the most punches the harder punches and ring gentlemen generalship uh just last night i read i
01:19:48did a fight and it was just about the opposite of this but the fellow that was doing the backtracking
01:19:55was throwing more punches harold let me ask you you said i love a slick fighter did that influence your
01:20:08decision uh larry i i like a finesse fighter that's true but basically i score a fight based
01:20:14on the four points that on which we score which uh i think i said at the end of the third round and
01:20:19that is clean punching effective aggressiveness ring generalship and defense and uh in this fight uh i
01:20:26mean you know if we had to generalize i thought over seven rounds ray was the better man uh based on
01:20:33those four categories and and marvin won five rounds and i thought ray is that why you never gave
01:20:39haggler one of the close rounds i didn't think there were any close rounds i mean uh as i saw it they
01:20:45were decisive there is there a tendency for both of you to watch the guy who is doing the unexpected
01:20:53more than the other guy give him more credit as in the case of leonard in this fight i i think you're
01:20:59absolutely right i think everybody had their eye on leonard leonard is the fighter you know he he's the
01:21:07he's the one that causes the emotion the the best of the fighters hey the guy is a great fighter
01:21:15when he won the uh gold medal he was a darling of the boxing he he's going down in history as a great
01:21:22fighter but in this fight i just thought he'd come a little short i like to keep the focus on both men at
01:21:28the same time uh i know people that say how can you do that because you're only looking at one
01:21:34fighter at a time but you've got to keep both fighters in your focus well thank you very much
01:21:40for appearing with us and you too harold in the immediate excitement after the official scores were
01:21:47given ray leonard said a curious thing also a disputed thing what did it all mean marvin haggler
01:21:56insisted later that ray leonard whispered in his ear you beat me after this peck did he
01:22:09when uh when the fight was over leonard told me himself you beat me
01:22:15and i was so happy man i knew i beat him i was so happy
01:22:18and then when they take it away from me like that it's hard to believe i didn't want to build
01:22:24i just want to be him i thank you i'll see you in six months and 15 pounds later
01:22:36ray leonard is back with us by satellite for one more round in the studio ray what exactly did you mean
01:22:43after the fight when you announced to the audience i'll see you in six months and 15 pounds later
01:22:49well larry that was a joke because i weighed 150 after the fight that's a big joke that's all
01:22:54was it a joke when you said as marvin haggler insisted after the fight into his ear you beat me
01:23:03i told marvin i said marvin you're still a champion to me i would never lie to marvin i
01:23:08i would never say that to him well then don't lie to us when we ask you are you going to fight again ray
01:23:16i said one fight didn't larry just one fight then if you fight again will you give marvin
01:23:24haggler a rematch as duran gave you a rematch and as haggler answered your challenge
01:23:32well you know i think that's that's something so premature because i don't think haggler
01:23:38is that kind of individual that come to me and say ray let's both let's sit down like we did once
01:23:44before have dinner and let's talk about the logistics of our next fight i don't think that's
01:23:49going to happen it's not like that well if it happens it happens all right let's say it happens
01:23:57marvin haggler comes out of his funk after this fight and says i want him again i'll fight him again
01:24:05let's sit down and negotiate what do you say to him you know larry to be perfectly honest with you
01:24:11i'm not even thinking about a rematch i'm gonna enjoy this victory because it was a big victory
01:24:15because i looked out in the crowd like the ninth round people were so subdued they say this kid is
01:24:20still around they couldn't believe it i'm enjoy this victory i'll talk to you later
01:24:25well let's put it this way then all the people around you before the fight
01:24:29after the fight including mike trainer was saying you were alive again you never had such a good time
01:24:37as preparing for this fight being involved in it again if that's the case why wouldn't you come back
01:24:45because of the purpose because of the reason this was for self-gratification it was for ray leonard
01:24:50the first time around and i would only do it again for myself just for me there has to be special
01:24:57reasons larry i don't want a career thank you very much ray leonard we'll be seeing you again back where
01:25:05you're supposed to be at ringside for the thomas and tyson fight on may the 30th thank you larry see you
01:25:12then ray there was only one ringside poll taken after the fight taken among fighters trainers and media
01:25:20wretches who regularly cover boxing and sixty percent of them favored hagler or called the fight a draw
01:25:28how did you see it well you can call 1-900-220-2311 if you thought that marvin hagler won or you can call
01:25:381-900-220-2322 if you thought ray leonard won it's 50 cents a call look for the totals of our poll
01:25:49immediately after our third fourth and fifth telecasts of the fight i personally wasn't
01:25:55pulled at ringside i had it a draw the consensus was that hagler made the fight landed the harder
01:26:02punches that leonard was brilliant and brave but that he didn't subdue the champion yet of course the
01:26:08only poll that counted the officials was very popular it was at the least dramatically correct
01:26:15the focus after all was on ray leonard he was the one attempting the improbable and he fought
01:26:21magnificently against all odds and an outstanding champion and he fought with a good and true warrior's
01:26:27heart as did the champion given the emotional momentum of a big theatrical event it cried out
01:26:35for a dramatic conclusion so on a night he made memorable ray leonard stole the fight
01:26:42stole it fair and square for barry tompkins and the hbo production staff i'm larry merchant
01:27:02caravan ryan
01:27:10is
01:27:16so
01:27:21The way we find one
01:27:24It's a hard line
01:27:29It's a hard line
01:27:38The way we find one
01:27:44It's a hard line
01:27:51The way we find one
01:27:55The way we find one
01:28:03The way we find one
01:28:03The way we find one
01:28:07The way we find one
01:28:21This has been a presentation of HBO Sports,
01:28:29the network of champions.
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