> Could the 1987 version of Sugar Ray Leonard have beaten the prime version of Marvin Hagler?

Could the 1987 version of Sugar Ray Leonard have beaten the prime version of Marvin Hagler?

Posted at: 2015-04-20 
Not a chance, in fact if Hagler had not yielded to all of Leonard's demands such as ring, and glove size and only fighting 12 rounds he would not have finished the fight. He was so exhausted at the end of 12 I doubt he could have answered the bell for round 13.

Leonard also knew he was lucky which is why he refused to give Haglar a rematch.

I doubt it. Sugar Ray Leonard himself admitted that he only chose to fight Hagler when he did because he saw Hagler was slowing in the Mugabi fight and after talking to Hagler he realized that Marvin didn't really want to fight anymore.

He then got Hagler to agree to all of his terms, 12 rounds instead of 15, a big ring etc and got into Hagler's head so that Hagler fought orthodox for most of the fight instead of his preffered southpaw stance.

Even taking all of that into consideration Leonard just scraped the decision. I think that vs a physically and more importantly mentally peak Hagler the 30 year old blown up Leonard would probably have been stopped in the later rounds, or else lost a wide decision.

Anything can happen in boxing but I will say no to a Leonard win.

No, I don't think so. Ray barely beat or, as some quarters suggest, actually lost to a somewhat faded Marvin Hagler in 1987.

No way. It's not a knock on SRL but the Hagler he beat was a shell of himself and much more of a flat footed fighter. A prime Hagler would have won fairly easy and I think SRL knew it.

nope. if they had met earlier when leonard was at his peak, hagler would have won by wide decision or possibly a stoppage in a 15 rounder.

i don't think he could. Marvin had the weight and reach over Ray