Podcast: Hagler-Leonard still elicits strong opinions 37 years later
Plus: Preview of Hitchins-Lemos/Pacheco-McCalman card; world title fight in Germany; and plenty of news of the week
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After a hugely busy schedule last week, it is a slow weekend with Saturday’s Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN headlined by the Richardson Hitchins-Gustavo Lemos IBF junior welterweight title eliminator as the lone major show. We discussed the card, went over several key news items of the week and reflected on the anniversary of Sugar Ray Leonard’s monumental and controversial upset of Marvelous Marvin Hagler in one of the biggest fights in boxing history.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of Hitchins-Lemos and discussion of the undercard, which includes 2023 Fight Freaks Unite prospect of the year Diego Pacheco taking on Shawn McCalman in the super middleweight co-feature; Skye Nicolson-Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC women’s featherweight title; and appearances by up-and-comers Galal Yafai and Marc Castro.
Preview of Bakhram Murtazaliev against Jack Culcay for vacant IBF junior middleweight title that takes place in Germany without television.
Help me celebrate the start of my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage by upgrading to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.
Discussion on the fallout and an update post Sebastian Fundora’s bloody upset of Tim Tszyu to win two junior middleweight titles.
Golden Boy’s announcement of the undercard for the Devin Haney-Ryan Garcia pay-per-view on April 20.
The latest on a Sotheby’s auction for the trunks Muhammad Ali wore (and autographed) for the legendary “Thrilla in Manila,” when he defended the heavyweight title in the all-time great trilogy fight against Joe Frazier.
Top Rank’s announcement that welterweight contender Giovani Santillan will face Brian Norman Jr. on its May 18 card and more on the undercard.
Memories on the 37th anniversary of one of the biggest fights in boxing history, when Leonard came out of a three-year retirement and, as a heavy underdog, scored a massive upset of Hagler in a long anticipated showdown to win the middleweight championship in a tremendous fight.
Please give it a listen! Also: rate, review, subscribe and enjoy!
We bring you the preview each Friday and the weekend recap each Monday. Let me know what you think of the podcast by leaving your comments.
Photo: John W. McDonough/Icon Sportswire
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