Hagler v Hearns remembered !!

With the anticipation of many for Froch-Groves 2 which has caught the imagination I thought I'd write a piece on a fight that has a place in my heart ........

Nothing In sport can match the anticipation and excitement of a big fight......Very rarely does the all this anticipation and excitement result in a final product that satisfies........This did on all accounts.........

This fight caught me at the right age.......Working my way through High and not worn down by things like Women, work and family......The 80s was a wonderful time for fight fans....Leonard, Curry, Duran, Holmes, Pryor, Arguello, Spinks, Sanchez, Mccallum, Camacho, Bramble etc...We were definitely spoil't and blessed back then...

But nothing caught the attention like this fight did!!........Must have dream't about this fight so many times in the lead up to it, which seemed to last forever......Sometimes Hearns would be standing over Marvin.......Sometimes Hagler would be knocking Hearns out and sometimes Hagler was asking me for advice between rounds..(You know how it is when you're a kid!!)...

The fight was due to take place in 82 but for some reason it was called off which was good because it gave Hearns the chance to beat two legends in Benitez and Duran.....Remember watching the Duran fight with complete awe...Hearns was so quick and devastating and I couldn't see how anyone could live with him at 154/160......I couldn't see how anyone could take the right hand.....Added to his cold shark like eyes and stare he looked very formidable......He could certainly have my pocket money !!

On the road to "THE FIGHT" Hagler seemed to be getting more bitter by the day.........Always on the TV and always bemoaning the lack of respect he was attributed regardless of the fact he was P4P number 1........Hagler did have a point he had been Champ for five years but unfortunately he lacked opposition of a decent enough quality and he was as dull as dishwater !!

Marv had always been a glass half empty guy and the Vito draw, the Minter coronation and the fact Leonard had double crossed him on a fight in 82/83 had only made things worse..It seemed..

However both knew they were each others ticket to stardom........Hagler was to get the respect he had always had but refused to accept was given him..........Hearns a chance at redemption for Leonard which was always the Monkey on his back...

At school rarely a day went by without some comment on the fight..............Generally the view was If Hagler took Hearns shot he'd win........But many like me couldn't see him taking it !!.......I picked Hearns early.......Then again I always undersold Marv.......

Unlike Milky I wasn't around when Ali-Frazier fought the fight of the Century but I imagine the nervous anticipation before the fight was very similar and I'd never felt anything like it before or since.......

Nothing, nothing can ever match the feeling before a Great fight and anyone who feels it before Groves-Froch...Enjoy it and drink it in..

Hagler - Hearns will always be special to me.............

Do you think that Marvin would have carried on with the pace and aggression had he not been cut early?

It was the first fight I saw that had me in awe of the sport. Amzing fight (as was Hearns Duran - well the knock out was!)

Another gem TRUSS

The 1 thing I remember from that fight was Haglar wearing that ridiculas hat with the word WAR emblazend on the front. Mind games for sure but something very off putting about Marv for me.

To me he reminds me of Froch. This obsession with being a ''household name'' stalked him his whole career. I think the draw with Vito and the ending of the Minter fight the man had a huge chip on his shoulder just like Froch and his ''respect me I'm the champion''
routine.

I say all along that its your actions in the ring that endear you to the public and he got the respect after that fight but he still could not give up the ghost and then started to obsess over Leonard but he bit off more then he could chew.

The last great fight

Adam D wrote:Do you think that Marvin would have carried on with the pace and aggression had he not been cut early?

It was the first fight I saw that had me in awe of the sport. Amzing fight (as was Hearns Duran - well the knock out was!)

I think the worst thing that happened to Hearns was stunning Marvin early.........I think that set the tone more than anything.........I have no doubt Hagler was going to pressure him but being hurt like that made Hagler step it up and convinced Hearns he could knock him out even more...

Fought Hagler's fight.............Though Hagler took some great shots to come through it.............

First round was like a blur..............

8 unforgettable minutes..........

I still maintain to this day that Haglar gambled and won.

No other fighter would have bum rushed Heans from the off. Most would not dare but try to box him. Haglar took a chance and it almost backfired but eventually it paid off.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LYt5Rz2XlAg

Just pure Epic.

Surely the first round HAS to be one of the very best rounds of all time?

"Unlike Milky I wasn't around when Ali-Frazier fought the fight of the Century but I imagine the nervous anticipation before the fight was very similar and I'd never felt anything like it before or since......."

Cheeky Cnut.

I was alive but more into my wooden train set than boxing. I do however remember some primary school nervous anticipation before the rumble.... Having watched foreman blast Frazier on world of sport the year before.

Its considered sacrilegious but Hagler hearns is not my favourite fight. The first round was ok if you like bar room brawls. Two of the world's greatest fighters, having a playground scrap. Sweet science?  

Hagler was never "as dull as dishwater". Maybe it's because of the Minter fight but me and my school buddies had heard of him and knew he was one of the top fighters at the time.

Definitely a great fight and a great moment for boxing. I can't remember the last time two great fighters, both pfp one and two went at it the way these two did.

They were prime too, unlike Leonard hagler.

For me, hearns was disappointing though. No real answer to being charged by marv. Once the distance was closed he couldn't set himself and get any leverage in his shots. You can argue the fight was done once the early good shots didn't have the desired effect, but he looked like he'd punched himself out in a round.

Could hearns have kept the fight at distance, and not get drawn into a slugfest, or would marv just have walked him down regardless? Did the leg massage that manny used as an excuse have an impact? I'm inclined to think that marv was just too tough for tommy.

I think it came a little early for Tommy. In his next fight a year later, Hearns looked like he'd grown into the weight much more.

You can hear Tommy's corner screaming "Box!" but after he'd engaged in the first round it was too late to change. If he'd boxed from the start, who knows, but he looked like he'd done 10 rounds after the first three minutes of slugging with a naturally bigger, tougher guy.

One year older, no leg massage, Hearns wouldn't get knocked out until at least the 5th.

I've always thought that the leg massage had something to do with it personally.

On "Bert Sugar's Top 25 KO's" Hagler Hearns was talked about and Hearns didn't say anything about the leg massage but said that he knew he couldn't box for 12 rounds against Hagler because his legs were shaking like crazy in the dressing room. He said they felt so tired and weak he knew he'd have to go for broke early. These are the words from Hearns himself.

And yes Truss, I get this sort of buzz and anticipation from Froch Groves 2 right now, taken the week off work for it

Definitely one of my favourite fights and that first round must rate as one of the best first rounds ever.It looked like Hearns' legs hadn't quite grown at the same rate as the rest of his body.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I think it came a little early for Tommy. In his next fight a year later, Hearns looked like he'd grown into the weight much more.

You can hear Tommy's corner screaming "Box!" but after he'd engaged in the first round it was too late to change. If he'd boxed from the start, who knows, but he looked like he'd done 10 rounds after the first three minutes of slugging with a naturally bigger, tougher guy.

One year older, no leg massage, Hearns wouldn't get knocked out until at least the 5th.

I see what you mean JBW but is that not part of the kronk/Hearns factor. A year later there's nothing to say he'd fight any differently. If Hagler fought the same fight Tpmmy was always gagging to get involved in a fight instead of boxing. Against SRL he just couldn't help engaging.

Alex, the leg massage is a confusing one. You'd really need to know exactly what type was used before attributing the tired legs to it or not. Was there even a happy ending involved?
Great article Truss. Barely even a sly dog at Matv

See, this is where I'm a little envious of our more mature posters. I've seen this fight maybe half a dozen times, absolutely love it. But to be around at the time, to see the build up, speculate what might happen, be able to put it into context with what else was happening in boxing at the time...that's something I'd like to say I could do.

And, yes I'm excited about Froch Groves 2. Every conversation I've had about boxing in the last 6 months has somehow segued into this fight. It's massive!

The Boss wrote:

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I think it came a little early for Tommy. In his next fight a year later, Hearns looked like he'd grown into the weight much more.

You can hear Tommy's corner screaming "Box!" but after he'd engaged in the first round it was too late to change. If he'd boxed from the start, who knows, but he looked like he'd done 10 rounds after the first three minutes of slugging with a naturally bigger, tougher guy.

One year older, no leg massage, Hearns wouldn't get knocked out until at least the 5th.

I see what you mean JBW but is that not part of the kronk/Hearns factor. A year later there's nothing to say he'd fight any differently. If Hagler fought the same fight Tpmmy was always gagging to get involved in a fight instead of boxing. Against SRL he just couldn't help engaging.

Alex, the leg massage is a confusing one. You'd really need to know exactly what type was used before attributing the tired legs to it or not. Was there even a happy ending involved?
Great article Truss. Barely even a sly dog at Matv

Boss, Manny never stated whether it was a 'rub and tug', but I think we can assume that having felt the human touch , tommy may also have felt the rising. Whichever, the happy ending was all marv's.... When He had that hungry heart, he was just a wrecking ball.

The Boss wrote:

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I think it came a little early for Tommy. In his next fight a year later, Hearns looked like he'd grown into the weight much more.

You can hear Tommy's corner screaming "Box!" but after he'd engaged in the first round it was too late to change. If he'd boxed from the start, who knows, but he looked like he'd done 10 rounds after the first three minutes of slugging with a naturally bigger, tougher guy.

One year older, no leg massage, Hearns wouldn't get knocked out until at least the 5th.

I see what you mean JBW but is that not part of the kronk/Hearns factor. A year later there's nothing to say he'd fight any differently. If Hagler fought the same fight Tpmmy was always gagging to get involved in a fight instead of boxing. Against SRL he just couldn't help engaging.

Alex, the leg massage is a confusing one. You'd really need to know exactly what type was used before attributing the tired legs to it or not. Was there even a happy ending involved?
Great article Truss. Barely even a sly dog at Matv

It's true, using his brain is a big if. The year older factor is more in reference to physical maturity rather than mental though.

milkyboy wrote:They were prime too, unlike Leonard hagler.

For me, hearns was disappointing though. No real answer to being charged by marv. Once the distance was closed he couldn't set himself and get any leverage in his shots. You can argue the fight was done once the early good shots didn't have the desired effect, but he looked like he'd punched himself out in a round.

Could hearns have kept the fight at distance, and not get drawn into a slugfest, or would marv just have walked him down regardless? Did the leg massage that manny used as an excuse have an impact? I'm inclined to think that marv was just too tough for tommy.

Yes, I think Hagler was too tough for Hearns, though I wonder how a rematch would have unfolded. Hearns wouldn't have fallen into the trap of trading blows again with Hagler would he? Surely the second time he would have used his skills and boxed more. But then again, he lost twice to Barkley who nobody ever rates as highly as Hagler.

I'd also give Hagler credit for his tactics. He gets criticized for getting them wrong against Duran and Leonard, but he got them spectacularly right against Hearns.

I agree that street brawl was the right tactics for hagler. Trusted his chin and went for it... Wouldn't have worked for everyone!

One of the great things about the fab 4, all terrific fighters with different strengths, styles and personalities. Always tough to predict how they would match up.

milkyboy wrote:I agree that street brawl was the right tactics for hagler. Trusted his chin and went for it... Wouldn't have worked for everyone!

One of the great things about the fab 4, all terrific fighters with different strengths, styles and personalities. Always tough to predict how they would match up.

Hearns struggled because Hagler was much shorter and kept his head down........Where was the uppercut ??????????

At the end of the day another fight where Tommy let his heart rule his head.......

Maybe Hagler had his number....................Though I imagine the Shuler right hand would leave Hagler, Greb and Lamotta all seeing stars...

Great shot that one..

tommy breaking his hand early probably didn't help him much either...

The shuler shot was a peach. Of course tommy did also manage to land some drunk-rolling shots on shorter guys like duran and roldan.

Looked like he staggered hagler and had him holding on in the first 20 seconds, but never seemed able to plant his feet and repeat it afterwards.

mobilemaster8 wrote:Surely the first round HAS to be one of the very best rounds of all time?

Up there with the 10th of Corrales-Castillo I.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

mobilemaster8 wrote:Surely the first round HAS to be one of the very best rounds of all time?

Up there with the 10th of Corrales-Castillo I.

I'd rate the following as the greatest rounds of the modern era:

Hagler-Hearns RD 1
Barrera-Morales RD 5
Foreman-Lyle RD 4
Saad Muhammad-Lopez RD 8
Castillo-Corrales RD 10
Holmes-Norton RD 15

Ward gatti round 9?

Alway's fancied Hagler at the time,Hagler showed his intent from the bell big right hand thrown,in a rematch would Hearn's have boxed Hagler,I don't think Hagler would have given him the chance or the choice.

For me Hagler would have beaten Hearn's at any stage of his career.

Talk of Hearns breaking his hand in the fight, well if he did he broke it on Hagler's cast iron jaw and head.

hazharrison wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:

mobilemaster8 wrote:Surely the first round HAS to be one of the very best rounds of all time?

Up there with the 10th of Corrales-Castillo I.

I'd rate the following as the greatest rounds of the modern era:

Hagler-Hearns RD 1
Barrera-Morales RD 5
Foreman-Lyle RD 4
Saad Muhammad-Lopez RD 8
Castillo-Corrales RD 10
Holmes-Norton RD 15

Meza - Garza for the WBC 122 pound strap............Meza down twice in the first rallies and causes a big upset by flattening Garza later in the round..

Good picks though can't argue.......