Epic hint for Floyd ’n Manny

It’s hard to believe last week was the 25th anniversary of Sugar Ray Leonard’s epic with Marvin Hagler. Just as the public now are demanding to see Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr get it on, back in the 1980s they wanted a super-fight and a showdown between Leonard, who was the sport’s golden boy, against the mean and moody Hagler. And on April 6, 1987 they fought in a specially-built 15,000-seat outdoor stadium at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with millions watching live on closed-circuit TV. Hagler, who came into the fight as WBC world middleweight champion, got the slightly bigger payday of 12 million dollars while Leonard earned $11m — massive money then and still big by today’s standards. Many feared for Leonard’s health as he was coming back from a near three-year lay-off and eye surgery to take on the fearsome southpaw who was unbeaten in 11 years and had defeated Roberto Duran and stopped Tommy Hearns in a thrilling three-round war. Leonard made one of the most remarkable comebacks in boxing history when he danced and fought his way to 12-round decision to capture Hagler’s title and reserve his place among the greats. It wasn’t a thriller but Leonard, being the smaller man, fought a clever fight at a distance with constant movement so the heavier-punching Hagler could not do any damage. Leonard later said: “I was so fast, man! He couldn’t hit me for nothing! When he finally did hit me, it was like, ‘This is it?’” Leonard would plant his feet every now and then and unload with a flurry of punches to catch the judges’ eyes. Hagler fell behind on the scorecards and despite coming on in the later rounds he couldn’t take him out. One judge had it 118-110 for Leonard, one had it 115-113 for Hagler and the last one had it 115-113 for Leonard. Many people who watched it saw a different fight and had a different winner and debate still fiercely rages today. I thought Leonard well won the fight. Hagler felt he was robbed of the title after working up the hard way without any favours, whereas Leonard was the media darling propelled to the top on the back of his Olympic gold medal. Marvin never fought again. Hurt and disillusioned he retired just over a year later and went to live in Italy. Leonard fought for another 10 years, winning world titles at five weight divisions and was named Boxer of the Decade for the 1980s. Frustratingly, negotiations have repeatedly broken down between the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps in the last few years over everything from pre-fight drug testing to splitting the purse. Leonard, who has told Pacquiao and Mayweather to step into the ring for the sake of the sport and their legacies, said recently: “More than damaging to boxing, it’s damaging to their legacy. This is history, for people to say ‘I remember when.’ It’s beyond money.” Leonard along with Hagler, Hearns and Duran, who made up the Fabulous Four, all fought in nine fights in nearly a decade and weren’t afraid of putting their records or titles on the line. TV disaster Audley Harrison contacted me this week to see if I could help put his fight against Ali Adams on BoxNation. The man who said he’d never work with me again and was responsible for the BBC pulling out of the sport — while his fight against David Haye was partly the reason for Sky dropping boxing Pay Per View — enthused that his addition would attract subscribers. Or more likely drive them away! TYSON FURY shouldn’t have too much trouble with 40-year-old Irishman Martin Rogan tonight in Belfast. The Manchester traveller will have a massive height and reach advantage over the shorter Rogan which he should use. Although Fury, 23, has a tendency to get hit and hurt, he should end the proceedings in a few rounds. TV producer Mark Burnett, who created the Apprentice and hit Contender series, is joining up with movie director James Cameron to create a new series called “Robogeddon.” It will feature robots fighting to the death. SEEING the lunatic who disrupted the Boat Race reminded me of ‘Fan Man’ at the Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield rematch nearly 20 years ago. James Miller landed his paraglider on the ring in the seventh round and got tangled in the ropes. He was then dragged into the crowd and battered by Bowe’s entourage. Holyfield went on to win. In 2003 Miller was found dead in a remote part of Alaska after an apparent suicide.