Does anyone know why SRL and Hearns waited 8 years to have a rematch?

[THE THIRD MAN]

It took him 8 years to give Hearns a rematch, the eye injury was serious and he had a two year lay off from 1982-1984, then again for 3 years before fighting Hagler.
I am sure if it wasn't for the eye injury he would have fought Hearns again in 1982 at some point. He was well behind in the first Hearns fight, he needed a KO to win and got it. Hearns people must have been pressing for a rematch. It is interesting that an immediate rematch was not called and Leonard fought again in February of 82 against former Hearns victim Bruce Finch, 5 months after first facing Hearns.(Leonard officially retired in November 1982) He was very quick to demand a rematch with Duran just 5 months after their first meeting in June 1980 knowing only too well that Duran blows up in weight between fights? It appears he wasn't so keen to face Hearns again in such a hurry? The injury eventually denied us all seeing that rematch. Leonard was never that keen on facing Aaron Pryor either? Personally, i like to see rematches about 12 months apart.

[Master]

SRL is very manipulative and for this reason i do not like him. He was a great fighter no doubt but after he came back against Hagler he hand picked his opponents but got it badly wrong against Norris and even Camacho. That was funny.

[ElTerribleMorales]

SRL is very manipulative and for this reason i do not like him. He was a great fighter no doubt but after he came back against Hagler he hand picked his opponents but got it badly wrong against Norris and even Camacho. That was funny.

sounds like 2 current fighters

[ICB]

It took him 8 years to give Hearns a rematch, the eye injury was serious and he had a two year lay off from 1982-1984, then again for 3 years before fighting Hagler.
I am sure if it wasn't for the eye injury he would have fought Hearns again in 1982 at some point. He was well behind in the first Hearns fight, he needed a KO to win and got it. Hearns people must have been pressing for a rematch. It is interesting that an immediate rematch was not called and Leonard fought again in February of 82 against former Hearns victim Bruce Finch, 5 months after first facing Hearns.(Leonard officially retired in November 1982) He was very quick to demand a rematch with Duran just 5 months after their first meeting in June 1980 knowing only too well that Duran blows up in weight between fights? It appears he wasn't so keen to face Hearns again in such a hurry? The injury eventually denied us all seeing that rematch. Leonard was never that keen on facing Aaron Pryor either? Personally, i like to see rematches about 12 months apart.

Aaron Pryor was a Jr Welterweight and never moved up until he was shot, and lost embarrassingly to Bobby Joe Young. I know that Aaron Pryor called out many fighters, but the fact is he never moved up to fight them.

Aaron Pryor was a great Jr Welterweight, but i don't think he would of made as much noise at Welterweight.

[THE THIRD MAN]

It took him 8 years to give Hearns a rematch, the eye injury was serious and he had a two year lay off from 1982-1984, then again for 3 years before fighting Hagler.
I am sure if it wasn't for the eye injury he would have fought Hearns again in 1982 at some point. He was well behind in the first Hearns fight, he needed a KO to win and got it. Hearns people must have been pressing for a rematch. It is interesting that an immediate rematch was not called and Leonard fought again in February of 82 against former Hearns victim Bruce Finch, 5 months after first facing Hearns.(Leonard officially retired in November 1982) He was very quick to demand a rematch with Duran just 5 months after their first meeting in June 1980 knowing only too well that Duran blows up in weight between fights? It appears he wasn't so keen to face Hearns again in such a hurry? The injury eventually denied us all seeing that rematch. Leonard was never that keen on facing Aaron Pryor either? Personally, i like to see rematches about 12 months apart.

Aaron Pryor was a Jr Welterweight and never moved up until he was shot, and lost embarrassingly to Bobby Joe Young. I know that Aaron Pryor called out many fighters, but the fact is he never moved up to fight them.

Aaron Pryor was a great Jr Welterweight, but i don't think he would of made as much noise at Welterweight.

I agree, Pryor was probably at his peak in 1982 the same year Leonard retired for the first time. Leonard was dismissive of him though and showed no interest in meeting him at all. Perhaps it might have happened if not for Leonard's injury. We also missed out on Pryor V Duran, now that would have been something.

[JonnyFolds]

Leonard's retina was the issue (layoff). He had a thing about timing, and it always seemed to workout for him. I never liked that about Ray, it reminds me of how Mayweather is today. He didn't go after anyone, he acted like he was the gate to anything important/lucrative in boxing.

Hearns was a softspoken guy compared to the rest. Hagler was so hardnosed and impossible to interview. Hearns never even complained about the bad decision in the second fight (Leonard/Hearns). He said it was a great fight, and he was happy to get a draw!!?? Mild mannered doesn't even begin to describe the dichotomy this guy possessed in and out of the ring. He would annihilate people in the ring, and say good things about them in the microphone before the fight. This does NOT sell fights! Fortunately, his fists did.



Leonard/Hagler:

To be fair, I don't have Leonard beating Hagler in the rematch. I thought it was a draw or maybe a Hagler points win. Leonard barely land an "effective" punch the whole fight. A LOT of shoe shine. But when you beat a guy to the punch over and over it's hard to see the fight the other way.

He stayed in tremendous shape between fights and in retirement. He sat ringside for all of Hagler's fights, and studied him thoroughly. Leonard saw a flaw in Hagler's defense and saw the old man getting slower. He saw him absorb punishment and actually get stunned by Mugabi&Hearns. Hagler never got hurt in his fights, and Mugabi stuck it to him for a while there. Leonard tells his promoter he wants the fight, and it takes all of 2 seconds for Hagler to sign on the dotted line for the fight he had been wanting for so long.

Hagler would have beaten Leonard any other year in his career. Everyone knew he was past it, including himself. It was a horrible way for him to "finish" his career. As an individual he was never the same after, and he never came to terms with what the judges saw that night.

[Mr140]

Well he had to retire because of his injury was so bad almost lost his eye. Also John Hagler may not have been prime but i can tell you Leonard sure as shit was not prime and was fighting out of weight class. Also though Leonard won the fight because of the early rounds given to him.