Boxing's biggest championship theft?

Today is the China (that's 20th) anniversary of Sugar Ray Leonard's win over Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

 

Mr boots,

I hate SRL, always have, always will ... but he stole the fight, not the judges ... truth be told MMH looked spent struggling against Mugabi the fight before ... maybe it would have been different across 15 (Duran was out in front of Hagler after 12 and in the process of stealing the fight before hitting the wall) ... but outside of nine, MMH didn't dominate a round and impose his will on the fight

YHS, etc

 

I've always felt that Marvelous was robbed. I saw it live. I've watched countless replays. I still feel the same way. I can see where Leonard's style may have swayed the judges. But it was a robbery in my book.

 

I thought Hagler won, the more I watch it, it's still close enough but I believe Hagler won seven rounds. One judge had the fight 118-110 in favor of Leonard if you can believe that.

Leonard's draw over Hearns a couple years later was a complete and utter robbery.

Much like Lennox Lewis' draw against Holyfield (oddly enough Holyfield fared much better in the rematch and didn't get the decision) and Pernell Whitaker's draw against Julio Cesar Chavez might be the worst decision in the modern era.

 

Ali vs. Jimmy Young.

 

Boots, Roy Jones is on line 1 and would like to weigh in on the topic.

That being said, Hagler won the fight, but shut it down enough in the last rounds to allow the judges to go for Sugar.

 

Hagler won, no doubt. SRL did a nice job 'stealing' rounds, but Marvelous still won, IMO.

 

Like they say in the movie Friday, Roy Jones got "knocked the fuck out" not once but twice.
I don't blame Marvelous from walking away from the sport. He told them to kiss his ass.

 

Hagler will always be my all-time fave fighter. But I don't think he won that fight against Leonard. He gave away the first four rounds doing nothing as an orthodox fighter (rather than as a southpaw where he was infinitely more effective) and outside of round nine never really dominated the fight. Watching it on CC at Maple Leaf Gardens I had it 7-4-1 for Leonard. I have seen it dozens of times on tape and on the odd occasion it gets closer but Hagler never wins on my card.

Hagler got fucked in his first fight with Vito Antuofermo which was somehow called a draw.

As for other robberies, as naf says, Leonard's draw against Hearns was a fucking travesty. Pernell Whitaker not only got fucked against Chavez but he absolutely dominated Jose Louis Ramirez but didn't get the verdict.

Jeff Fenech owned Azumah Nelson in their first fight but it was somehow called a draw. (The cameras caught a tearful Fenech telling Don King to "fuck off" after Don congratulated him on a good fight. The great Nelson went to Australia - Fenech's home - for the rematch and KO'd him in 8.)

Mr. Friend O' may remember Lupe Pintor getting a questionable decision over Carlos Zarate.

Worst decision I have ever seen, amateur, pro, whatever, was Roy Jones getting fucked at the Olympics.

 

The fact that there's even an argument proves it's not Leonard-Hagler.

It's Sweetpea-Chavez.

 

I've posted about this in the past. I wasn't surprised at Sweet Pea-Chavez outcome. I was more surprised that it even took place.

 

Grew up in SE Virginia when Sweetpea was at his best. He pretty much owned that region. Talk about some pissed off folks.