JEFF POWELL’S GREATEST FIGHTS

In the latest of a 12-fight series, our Boxing Correspondent recalls one of the most controversial decisons... MORE than a quarter of a century later the debate still rages on. As the great, the good, the bad and the ugly of the hardest game gather in Vegas for Mayweather v Pacquiao, the argument about the outcome of this epic contest becomes heated all over again. Sugar Ray Leonard prevailed by a split decision which utterly divided boxing. Leonard, 29, was returning to the ring from a five-year first retirement and had been warned he was risking his sight by fighting with a detached retina. To prepare for Hagler’s physical strength, he engaged not in sparring but full-scale fights behind closed doors — 12-rounders in light gloves and with a referee. He was practising to lure Hagler out of his defend-and-counter style, to catch him with lightning punches. Hagler, 32, believing in his power, could not resist and Leonard built an early lead which was to prove crucial. The later rounds were waferclose and difficult to score. Some argued that Leonard was stealing rounds that rightfully belonged to Hagler with his eye-catching flurries of light-weight punches. When the larger Hagler connected it was with the full power of a world middleweight champion who had thundered his way to 12 successful title defences. This epic clash of styles was by no means the only controversial collision between the quartet of Leonard, Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran — but it was the most disputed. The judge who scored it 118-110 to Leonard — Jose Juan Guerra — is mocked to this day. The other two were evenly split, Lou Filippo 113-115 for Hagler and Dave Moretti, who will be in the hotseat in the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday night, 115-113 for Leonard. Hagler’s premature celebrations were cut short. The slumping figure of Leonard rose to raise his arms and rejoice. It was another triumph for Leonard’s genius boxing brain over raw power and for what it’s worth, Leonard edged it on my Clash of styles: Sugar Ray Leonard (left) out-thought Marvin Hagler card 115-114. Hagler retired and went to live in Italy, saying: ‘He fights like a girl. His punches don’t count.’ They did with the judges. The first time I saw Hagler after that was years later when he walked into Harry’s Bar on Rome’s Via Veneto with his white poodle. He was happy living there and acting in movies, but for a moment the mood was wistful as he said: ‘I believe I beat Sugar Ray that night. Always will.’