It was the legendary Marvelous Marvin Hagler who once said, ?it?s hard to get up and do roadwork when you?re wearing silk pajamas.?
Hagler was 32 when he lost a split 12-round decision to Sugar Ray Leonard in a WBC middleweight title fight in Las Vegas in 1987. Before the setback, Hagler was unbeaten in 38 straight bouts and hadn?t tasted defeat since losing on points to Willie (The Worm) Monroe in 1976.
There was public clamor for a rematch with Leonard since the verdict was inconclusive. Hagler begged for the chance to avenge the loss but Leonard wouldn?t hear of it. The Marvelous One became disenchanted with the politics of boxing. Where was the honor of boxing if Leonard refused to fight him again? Where was the integrity of it all?
Eventually, Hagler lost the hunger and desire to punish himself in the gym so that he could be ready for war in the ring. He had enough money stashed away in the bank to live comfortably the rest of his life ? without going through the hardships, and dangers, of boxing. For his fight against Leonard, Hagler pocketed at least $20 Million ? not a small sum considering it happened over 20 years ago.
Hagler retired at the top of his game in 1988, frustrated that Leonard wouldn?t agree to a rematch. He wanted no other opponent and when Sugar Ray refused to step up to the plate, Marvelous Marvin called it quits.
Manny Pacquiao will turn 32 in December ? the same age that Hagler was when he fought his last gig.
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Stories of Pacquiao skipping roadwork to stay in bed make you wonder if other more important priorities now occupy the world?s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter?s mind. Hagler?s famous quote means that a fighter, who has become comfortable in life, loses the motivation to work hard in the gym because what pushes a fighter to the limit is the dream of a bett
