In one of boxing`s most debated outcomes, Sugar Ray Leonard overcame the odds and the legendary Marvin Hagler to secure a split decision victory. This win marked Leonard as only the tenth boxer to achieve world titles in three weight divisions.
Leonard, previously a champion in the welterweight and light-middleweight classes, ended Hagler`s dominant seven-year reign as middleweight champion. The fight, held in front of a packed Caesars Stadium in Las Vegas with 15,000 spectators and a global TV audience of approximately 300 million, took place on April 6, 1987.
Leonard, weighing in at 11st 4lbs, had only fought once in the preceding five years. Leading up to the fight, he was considered the underdog with odds of four to one against him in Las Vegas.
Despite the gamble paying off for Leonard, the decision was highly contentious. Judge Jo Jo Guerra`s scorecard of 118-110 in favor of Leonard, awarding Hagler only two rounds, was particularly criticized.
Another judge, Dave Moretti, scored the fight 115-113 for Leonard, while Lou Filippo scored it 115-113 for Hagler, who weighed 11st 4 1/2 lbs. An alternative scorecard had it 116-113 for Hagler, or seven rounds to four with one round even.
Hagler expressed strong disapproval of the judging, recounting that Leonard allegedly admitted to him post-fight, “You`ve won, man you beat me.” Hagler remarked, “But I thought – let’s wait. This is Las Vegas, the big betting town. They did this to me before with Antuofermo,” referencing a previous controversial draw in Las Vegas against Vito Antuofermo in 1979.
Leonard, appearing unmarked except for minor swelling around his left eye, held his press conference before Hagler, preventing immediate questioning about Hagler`s claims of a ring-side admission of defeat.
A second press conference was planned for the following Tuesday.
“I achieved what I set out to do,” Leonard stated. “It wasn’t about the title – defeating Marvin Hagler was the goal. Tonight was a significant achievement for me. This fight was incredibly important to me. I thank Marvelous Marvin Hagler for giving me the opportunity to make history. My strategy was to move and jab, hit and run, taunt and frustrate, and it was effective.”
Hagler countered, “Leonard fought like a girl. They should have deducted points for excessive holding and grabbing. His punches were ineffective. I fought with all my heart. I believe I retained my belt. It`s unbelievable they took it from me. A champion should not lose on split decisions.”
The fight was years in the making, delayed by Leonard`s eye injury and subsequent retirement five years prior. While neither fighter was at their peak, they delivered a championship bout worthy of the hype and the $23 million purse they shared.
The fight unfolded in two phases, with Leonard dominating the early rounds and Hagler gaining momentum from the fifth round onward.
Leonard`s initial lead diminished as the fight progressed, until it was neutralized by the tenth round, according to some observers.
Despite lacking the intensity of Hagler’s previous epic clashes against Thomas Hearns and John Mugabi, the fight remained a captivating tactical battle.
A closer parallel might be Hagler’s split decision victory over Roberto Duran. Duran, a former rival of Leonard, employed a similar strategy of skillful counter-punching and constant movement to frustrate Hagler.
However, Leonard went beyond merely avoiding trouble; he demonstrated champion-level resilience and bravery, engaging in intense exchanges at close quarters.
Whenever he was hurt, such as in the fifth and ninth rounds, Leonard consistently responded with impactful moves to regain control, a hallmark of a true champion.
The effects of a long career were evident in Hagler’s performance. The power had diminished from his punches that had previously overwhelmed opponents like Hearns, Tony Sibson, and Mustafa Hamsho during his seven-year reign.
Yet, even a diminished Hagler remained a formidable opponent, and this controversial defeat could potentially motivate him to seek a rematch.
It would be unfortunate if such a remarkable career ended on such a sour note, although the Las Vegas crowd, who never fully embraced Hagler despite his thrilling performances over the years, showed little sympathy.
Leonard, an American favorite since his 1976 Olympic gold medal win, enjoyed clear crowd support from his entrance.
The delay before the fight must have been stressful for Leonard, evident in his quick glances towards Hagler during the pre-fight moments.
Hagler, characteristically professional, barely acknowledged Leonard until referee Richard Steele`s instructions, and avoided the typical pre-fight staredowns.
Leonard and Hagler maintained respectful terms before the fight, recognizing each other`s professional standing, making aggressive posturing unnecessary.
Leonard had previously acknowledged he couldn`t overpower Hagler, stating, “If I’m going to win, I have to outbox him. There is no way I can hope to knock out a man like that.”
His strategy was evident from the opening bell: move, jab, and avoid direct engagement. He allowed Hagler to pursue him in the first round, with Hagler switching stances but Leonard effectively scoring and smothering attacks.
Hagler landed his first significant punch in the second round, a left hook to Leonard`s head, causing visible reaction.
Hagler attempted body shots at close range, but Leonard consistently tied him up and moved away, landing quick combinations.
The round concluded with a brief exchange of hooks, and Hagler glared at Leonard before returning to his corner.
Hagler began the third round in a southpaw stance, after primarily boxing orthodox in the previous rounds.
He connected with solid jabs and hooks when Leonard was against the ropes. However, Leonard’s footwork kept him mobile, sometimes leaving Hagler off-balance.
Leonard landed some effective combinations while retreating, but Hagler’s pressure earned him a share of the round.
Hagler’s frustration grew, reminiscent of Leonard’s psychological dominance over Roberto Duran, although it was unlikely Hagler would ever concede like Duran had.
Hagler missed with a right and left at the start of the fourth, and Leonard scored with a right at close range, followed by a low right.
Hagler, maintaining professionalism, made no complaint about the low blow.
The fight was likely progressing better than Leonard anticipated, boosting his confidence, shown when he landed a sharp right, similar to his tactics against Duran.
When Hagler attempted to counter, Leonard simply moved away, shaking his head in a display of psychological tactics, which visibly frustrated Hagler at the bell.
The momentum shifted in the fifth round, one of the few rounds judge Guerra scored for Hagler. Hagler connected with rights early and forced Leonard into an exchange.
Leonard attempted to counter, but Hagler blocked many punches.
Leonard evaded a wide attack in the corner and landed a left hook, but was then rocked by a significant left hook from Hagler, appearing in trouble as Hagler pressed with a two-handed assault.
Leonard was hurt, evading and ducking, before rallying and responding in the round`s final moments—Hagler had gained a clear advantage.
This was Leonard’s first critical moment, which he weathered, returning to win the sixth round with sharp counter-punching and effective defense on the ropes.
Leonard appeared slower, and Hagler’s body blows seemed to be taking their toll.
Hagler`s dominant phase began from the seventh round onward. Leonard had a brief success with a left hook, but Hagler quickly countered, briefly trapping Leonard on the ropes before Leonard maneuvered out.
Hagler’s superior strength was evident as he pushed Leonard back onto the ropes, ignoring counters to deliver body shots.
Leonard performed an Ali-shuffle, but Hagler remained unfazed and landed powerful left hooks.
Referee Steele paused the eighth round to adjust Leonard’s glove lace, but the break did not benefit Leonard as Hagler resumed pressure with jabs and hooks.
Leonard’s left eye began to swell, but he responded with a left hook that sent spray from Hagler’s head.
Hagler forced Leonard back to the ropes, leading to a trading of blows in the round`s final moments.
The ninth round was possibly the fight`s best. Leonard opened with a hard left hook, and Hagler responded with body shots, pinning Leonard on the ropes and landing left hooks.
Leonard was hurt and retreated. Hagler maintained a sustained attack before Leonard rallied, causing Hagler to back off.
Leonard seemed exhausted in the tenth, fighting flat-footed and merely positioning his gloves defensively as Hagler maintained relentless pressure.
Leonard’s uncharacteristically wild right miss suggested exhaustion, raising the possibility of Hagler stopping him in the eleventh.
Instead, Leonard moved more, taunting Hagler and landing two significant left hooks.
However, he couldn`t sustain this effort, although judges controversially scored the round for Leonard.
Leonard raised his arms in salute at the start of the final round, then landed a combination, engaging in verbal exchanges with Hagler. Hagler landed left hooks, and Leonard countered with a dazzling attack.
They traded briefly before Leonard retreated, drawing whistles from some of the crowd.
Leonard waved his glove dismissively, and Hagler mirrored the gesture before landing a final left hook, sending Leonard to his corner just before the bell.
A long wait followed for the verdict, leading to expected chaos. Hagler quietly exited as Leonard celebrated.
It was a subdued end to Hagler’s illustrious career, but hopefully history will judge Marvin Hagler more favorably than the Las Vegas judges did.
