Berlin: The former undisputed world middleweight champion ‘Marvelous' Marvin Hagler warns Manny Pacquiao is destined to a similar career fate as his, if Floyd Mayweather won't agree to a legacy-cementing showdown with the Filipino fighter.
Speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of the ongoing three-day Laureus Academy Forum in Berlin — where 17 living sports legends are meeting to review the direction of the foundation, its next awards ceremony and its stable of social projects worldwide — Hagler said, "His [Pacquiao's] legacy will probably be the same as mine in the sense that he waited around for this guy [Mayweather] and he doesn't want to fight."
Like Pacquiao, Hagler was also 32-years-old when in 1987 Sugar Ray Leonard fresh out of retirement like Mayweather, refused to offer Hagler the fight everyone wanted to see.
The only difference was it would have been a re-fight to settle the earlier controversial showdown that saw Leonard steal Hagler's world title with what Hagler still describes as a "pitty-patty", "flashdancy" amateur show.
Leonard landed soft touches for points. Hagler connected fewer, but more crushing blows. Leonard won.
"I hung around for another year hoping Leonard would give me the same opportunity [rematch] I gave him, unfortunately he didn't. He was playing the same kind of game as Mayweather's doing."
In the public eye
In support of Pacquiao, Hagler praised the Filipino Congressman for doing all the right things by staying active, still fighting and remaining in the public's gaze.
But Hagler believes the ‘Pac-man' only has one more fight left and he can't wait around for Mayweather forever.
"I always used to say you got to fight me now at my best [or] else what you going to say afterwards, you beat an old man?"
Hagler suggested Mayweather's just waiting for Pacquiao to lose before he comes out of the woodwork. But with Pacquiao, the best pound for pound fighter on earth still on winning form with a 12- round points defeat of Antonio Magarito this week, it looks increasingly unlikely.
"Something is a little nervous about that fight. I think its more Mayweather if he wanted to fight he could make it happen tomorrow."
Hagler has resigned himself to the fact that "Pacquiao will just wipe it off and say well I offered it to you and you didn't come out. I'm not hanging around in this game too long so ciao."
This would be a strikingly similar retirement to Hagler's, leaving fight fans divided over the subject for decades to come.
"He won't get that big legacy until the fight with Mayweather comes off. But in time that fades away and people tend to forget. Fans remember me as a fighter a true champion. That Leonard fight don't bother me no more," Hagler mused.
